The Great Illusion

The biggest issues we face, specifically in the U.S., is manipulation of people thru economics via education.

We are being used to increase power for an elite few under the illusion of improved quality of life as EXCESSIVE CONSUMERS! 

All the capital we generate is being used to pay mortgages/rent, car notes, and other bills RIGHT BACK to those who pay us for our work.

We're not being educated to use our money to save, become investors, and social enterprisers, we've been conditioned to work, earn, and spend/consume.  It's personally and collectively killing us.

That has to change, it starts today with you and I changing how we perceive this world.  POWER UP!

Fighting for HUMANITY

We are NOT animals.  This isn't survival of the fittest.  We evolved with a higher consciousness to experience a greater form of life.  We are here to LOVE one another.

Yes, some of us make over $15 per hour due to securing certain jobs, however, that doesn't mean that others should be given scraps to feed themselves and their family.  Where's the HUMANITY in that?

Some claim that if they can rise by getting an education and securing a salary above poverty anybody can.  Everybody doesn't have the same circumstances, resources, and network to achieve that.  Plus, there aren't enough "high paying" jobs for those who have degrees.  Not all can fill the vacant engineering and medical jobs.

Regardless of what position one can individually attain, it still doesn't excuse exploitation and not setting a minimum wage that can reward those who want to work with wages they can have a decent life with.

Let your higher self guide you to make the decision to support what's right. 
CLAIM IT & POWER UP!

Why Misled Youth Don't Fear Prison

You can't rely on the threat of prison as a means of handling the majority of crime generated by our misled youth because prison doesn't currently appear as a consequence to them (I should know, I once thought like them).

A lot of our youth come from dysfunctional homes.  When you're traumatized and feel you have NOTHING to lose, because you have nothing, prison appears to solve a lot of problems to those lost, including food, clothing, shelter, health care, etc.

So stop with the law enforcement and judicial system talk.  Focus on addressing traumas, families, and quality of life.

CLAIM IT & POWER UP!

Why The World Lives in Fear

Too many people are living in fear:

- The wealthy live in fear of losing power from what they have amassed.

- The middle class live in fear of not being recognized by the wealthy and being seen as snobs by the poor.

- The poor live in fear of living a life not worth living, being targeted by the wealthy and looked down on by the middle class.

- Those who shun the material world and focus on spirituality live in fear of fear...

POWER UP!

Why I Am An Activist

THEM: Mike, are you an activist?
ME: Indeed I am.

THEM: A Black Activist?
ME: An activist that is black?  Yes. 
If you are asking if I am active on behalf of things that only affect black people, no.

THEM: What type of activist are you?
ME: One who seeks justice, freedom, and equality under the law for ALL people!  ALL people must be uplifted especially Blacks in America because they have the most unequal statistics.

THEM: What needs to be addressed?
ME: Here are a few things off the top:

- Government (especially state and local) corruption and mismanagement on ALL levels
- Continued use of key public offices being used by white supremacists for their agendas
- Continued neglect and abuse of poor people
- Continued mis-and-undereducation of ALL Americans especially Blacks

This is why I end my informative posts with the term "POWER UP!" because the masses are a mighty engine of justice that have been purposely turned off, who now need to be turned on... POWER UP!

IS IT SOCIALISM OR NEO-SERFDOM?

THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Serfdom = A member of the lowest feudal class, legally bound to a landed estate and required to perform labor for the lord of that estate in exchange for a personal allotment of land.

The premise of this system (legal system in medieval Europe and imperial Asia) is to make people dependant on the governing body for necessities (including protection) in exchange for cheap labor and services.

Is it just me or did the Democratic Party (known as Socialists around the world) trick poor people and minorities into modern day serfdom?!  They went from being "the slave master's party" to "the people's party" in an odd turn of events from 1933 - 1965 (32 years) which includes "social programs" that make individuals dependant on the government for their necessities.

The Qu'ran and Bible speak about Iblis (devil) telling The Most High that he would make "evil fairseeming and turn man upside down, in and out". 

Brothers and sisters, have we been duped by a political strategy of making an "evil" seem fair (servitude and slavery is now cloaked as government assistance)?  AFTER some historical FACT checking, tell me what you think about this concept.

The State of Black America

During the Jim Crow era Black men hung from trees by the dozen and Black women had to clean up the houses of the very people who hated us just to support the families the Black men left behind.

In today's society, Black men are not only being exterminated by the hand of corrupt policy enforcers but each other's hand too, and the Black woman is still working to support our families.

WE'RE LOSING, BLACK FAMILY, and WE'RE LOSING BAD!  100 years and the pattern remains.

We think that because we get to go further up the corporate/public service ladder and live in any "better" neighborhoods that we're doing better than our ancestors who lived in the early 20th century... WE'RE NOT!

Why?  They predominantly had something we don't...UNITY.   Regardless of class, religion, education, or any other divisionary measure, they knew they were in the same boat: BEING BLACK.

We gave up so much to be accepted by others and have "more" but it's an illusion.
PLEASE WAKE UP FAMILY... POWER UP!

Black love is damaged but not broken.

So many black women and men are scarred by childhood and adulthood trauma that by the time they meet someone to love it's a struggle.  How do you love someone in a healthy manner when you barely have a healthy love of yourself? 

We need to work on ourselves as individuals to prepare for a healthy relationship yet no one wants to be alone.
It's an unfair catch-22. 

The challenge of repairing black love seems to be too hard and draining but it's necessary.  Without true love we are lost and our survival is slim.  Let's learn to heal ourselves and each other.  Our future depends on it.

POWER UP!

THE NEED TO SUCCEED

Some people say that they don't accomplish their goals for others but for themselves.  That's NOT me...

I have to succeed because I OWE it to my ancestors who paved the way for me, ESPECIALLY my maternal grandmother and grandfather who came to Cleveland from Alabama during the 50's to have a better life.

I have to succeed for my lineage and the children who may look up to me, ESPECIALLY in the African-American Community.  I HAVE to lead by example.

I succeed for others so I can be proud of myself and my accomplishments, PERIOD... POWER UP!

THE SINGLE MOTHER DILEMMA

As of late, I've been having indepth conversations with single mothers, especially those with sons, for mentoring program.  It really troubles me to see how many males are not positively active in their child(ren)'s life/lives.

I just read a sister's post about the love for her son.  She stated that eventhough she's been a single mother for several years, her and her son haven't missed anything...  Wow, is that what we've come to?  Black men are so absent that our women have learned to accept it and thrive?

One thing I'm learning in my conversations and experiences with single mothers, women are amazing and will do anything for their children.  However, behind the scenes, they are hurting and suffering from the lack of a MAN (not just a male) being in the household.

Brothers, we HAVE to do better and teach our boys how to do better.  Each one teach one after you reach one...
POWER UP!

THE CHAINBREAKER'S YOUTH SYMPOSIUM SPEECH

http://youtu.be/bxE92XZGPy0

RELATING AND COMMUNICATING WITH BLACK YOUTH

Some wonder why am I so effective in building with the youth.  It's because I've been where they've been, don't want to go, and need to be.

How can you teach somebody about Hell if you've never been there?  If you've never:

- been raised by a struggling single mother;
- been in the streets;
- been poor;
- been to jail/prison;
- been to college;
- been rich;
- been in various religions;
- been in shoot outs;
- been robbed;
- and so much more...

HOW CAN YOU RELATE AND COMMUNICATE WITH THEM?

I CAN AND I DO...

POWER UP!

IS IT BETTER TO BE A BLACK MAN THAN IT IS TO BE A BLACK WOMAN?

THE TRUTH ABOUT BLACK CONSCIOUSNESS

As a portion of the U.S. recognizes Black History Month , let us be clear on the concept of "Black Consciousness".

"Conscious" is defined as being aware of something.  We have come to see Black Consciousness as being aware of being "Black", however, it should not be misconstrued as higher intelligence.

If what you're aware of doesn't galvanize or motivate you to accomplish great things, it's USELESS.   The fact of who was first on the planet or who initially created civilization isn't THE most important facts of Black History, HOW those people CREATED and MAINTAINED civilization SHOULD BE the point.

Stop letting yourself be fooled into being sent on wild goose chases.  Yes, Europeans and Asians got their knowledge from our ancestors, it's now known as the various branches of MATH and SCIENCE, which READING, COMPREHENSION, and PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS are needed to learn and APPLY them...LET'S BE CONSCIOUS OF THAT!

PLEASE, #WAKEUP and #POWERUP

THE STATE OF BLACK RELATIONSHIPS

I was recently told that I'm "too serious" when commenting on certain posts related to relationships.

Maybe that's what's wrong with relationships today in the African-American community: not enough people are taking them seriously, especially a number of African-American males.

There's a terrible dynamic taking place among African-American females and males:

- African-American females are either too tough to allow a man to come into their lives and be strong WITH/FOR them or they're so desperate that it leads them to degrade themselves.

- African-American males are either spoiled mama's boys expecting women to take care of them or they're misled into believing that being a "thug" and disrespectful is what it means to be a man.

We must change these dynamics and heal each other.  We need to love and support each other as halves of balanced whole.  THAT is a serious matter.