Common Knowledge

We Need Some New Plays

“If absolute power corrupts absolutely, does absolute powerlessness make you pure?”

--Harry Shearer--

“The future belongs to those who prepare for it today.”

--Malcolm X--

“Power never takes a back step - only in the face of more power.”

--Malcolm X--

There is more than one way to skin a cat but if you listen to our leaders you would think differently. This article is not about skinning cats, thank goodness. It is about how our community must start and continue to think outside the box to break down barriers and create opportunity for our community. Community success is built one individual at a time as long as those individuals understand the importance of staying connected to their community. Barriers can be broken down from the outside, the inside, or from any side.

Sometimes it seems that our leaders tend to get stuck on one strategy to address issues in our community. Every other day it seems that we are told to either vote based on party loyalty to make sure the government gives us opportunity or to get ready to march to force someone to give us opportunity. I think we need some other options.

I want to be clear. I think it is important to vote. Although, I think we as a community should get away from voting along party lines and start getting used to voting strictly along our interests and we should make up our own minds regarding our individual and collective interests without somebody telling us. I also think that we should exercise our first amendment right of free speech and protest unjust actions by the government or private companies or people when appropriate. But, I think we are way over due for a few new plays to be put into our playbook of providing more opportunity for our community in this country.

In order for us to move beyond the stagnation in strategy we need to reevaluate our mental approach to issues. We must move away from the 1960ish rhetoric and start to deal with today’s realities. We are no longer dealing with the in your face institutional discrimination that existed prior to the civil rights movement. We are facing a more nuanced form of discrimination where barriers to our success exist but where certain individuals deny their existence. We also must face our worst enemy: our own laziness, bad attitudes and/or bad habits. We must start challenging ourselves to be the best. We also need to start speaking and thinking along individual self interests so that we as individuals and as a community will start to look at the big picture instead of being bamboozled into selling out for cheap.

I will give an example: the Notre Dame Football program. Yes, here we go again. Notre Dame appeared to fire Tyrone Willingham two years ago solely or in part based on the color of his skin. This means that there are some in the power structure of Notre Dame that think that it is okay for black folks to score touchdowns or prevent touchdowns on the field, but not to be the head coach and teach players how to score or prevent touchdowns. That is a direct slap in the face to our community, because Mr. Willingham was not fired just for being himself. He was fired because he shared a similar phenotype as most folks in our community. And we have let Notre Dame get away with it. This is a perfect example where there is no need to go to court, stage a protest or vote for a democrat to change this situation. Our community needs to understand our individual interests.

The black football recruits of today are more than welcome at Notre Dame as long as they are players, but not if they want to become the head coach someday. That is an example of a barrier to success. Mr. Willingham cracked it. The hundreds of top African-American college football recruits have the power to eradicate it!!! It is in every black high school and college player’s interest to force major colleges to respect them and treat them equally starting with Notre Dame because the seeds they sow today will bear fruit for their opportunity for tomorrow. If we as individuals and as a community turned our backs on Notre Dame until they made amends for the disrespect they showed our community in handling Tyrone Willingham, then that would go a long way towards changing the blatant discrimination in coaching opportunities in NCAA division I football, where there are only three black head coaches out of about a hundred programs. That is just one example. We need to start creating others.

Think About It

“Man's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.”
--Oliver Wendell Holmes--

“The thing I hate about an argument is that it always interrupts a discussion.”
--G. K. Chesterton--

“Judgement, not passion should prevail.”
--Epicharmus--

Oprah Winfrey aired a show about a week ago that was titled "Truth in America." One of the questions she asked during the show was "how can we get back to critical thinking?" That question was posed to America, but I would like to pose that question to Black America. Now I must be honest that the reason I am asking that question is that it is my opinion that we, like the rest of America, do not engage in enough critical thinking as individuals and as a community. Why do I have that opinion about our community? I feel this way because there is not enough diversity of thought and debate in our community about issues of importance.

How many times have we heard the same old discussions about affirmative action, civil rights, black empowerment, education, political parties, etc? How many times have we heard from the same old talking heads? How many times have issues of importance to our community been framed by the old, over used, distorted view that comes with the left versus right or liberal versus conservative format? That is our problem. There is not enough opportunity for newer fresher voices out there to be heard so they can raise different views, opinions, and solutions to old and new issues in our community. We, like the rest of America, are too used to approaching discussions about issues by using the same ratings chasing format that approximates a game of debate where a person that represents the “left” is pitted against a person that represents the “right.” Each person is more concerned with scoring political points than they are with presenting fresh views or solutions to issues.

In my opinion there are a number of reasons why there is not enough critical thinking in this country. One reason is that our educational system from elementary school through college is designed to train people to work for someone instead of how to think, but that is the topic of another article. Another reason is that we as a country have perfected the art of the emotional tug. What is that? The art I am referring to is the marketing strategy of appealing to target audiences’ emotions by using hot button imagery like appealing to parental instincts to protect our children or appealing to patriotism or getting people to identify with a carefully crafted image. For many years marketing firms have done this to sell products and services that we either don’t need or that we don’t need as much of. Now, or at least within the last forty years or so, the political machinery has caught up with the marketing juggernaut to use many of the same techniques to sell us politicians. The same basic tactic is used. The politicians that can get to their constituents’ hot buttons the quickest and can best remain in a position to push them usually wins.

Notice, I mentioned hot buttons not important issues or essential issues. What is the difference? The difference is that hot button issues are issues that have an emotional tug to them, but sometimes may not play an essential role in most folks day to day lives, while important issues play a significant role in most folks day to day lives, but some of those issues may be mundane, boring, and tedious to discuss and monitor. Therefore, it is easier and emotionally more satisfying to indulge ourselves in getting swept up into the emotional chase of hot button issues. How does that play out in our community?

It plays out in two ways. First, it allows politicians to appear to be doing a great job by appearing to be an advocate for the community, while needed issues go neglected for lack of competent, intelligent, diligent leadership. It also serves as a bar to discussion of other important issues because once emotions are involved in a public debate in our community it is easy to pull the blackness card.

Everyone knows what I am talking about when I say pulling the blackness card. If you do not agree with the established talking heads within our community, then you are not black. If you want to mention a different view than the media's chosen, pseudo leaders in our community, then you are dismissed as a race traitor or as someone that is suffering from a self hatred complex. The problem is that the vast majority of our leaders are political animals that seem to be more concerned with scoring political points for their party than presenting and discussing new, fresh ideas for solutions to issues in our community. This emotionally charged atmosphere stifles debate because it fosters a view that there is only one right answer to a problem and that if you do not agreed with the answer that is endorsed by the talking heads then you are the enemy.

Alas the only enemy is this atmosphere. It is the enemy of discussion. It is the enemy of respect for one another regardless of your perspective. It is the enemy of the free exchange of ideas where each idea can be judged on its own merit instead of its author’s reputation. It is the enemy of progress.

The current leadership in our community would have you believe that everything about our community is in a state of crisis. They would also have you believe that they are the only ones with solutions and that the vast majority of those solutions are on the other end of a voting ballot. I disagree. Today we as black folks have all the tools we need to become more successful as individuals and therefore as a community as a direct result of the victories of our forefathers before and since the abolition of slavery. We just need to be more creative and diverse in our strategies for success. There is an old Native America proverb that says “many hands make light work.” Well, that applies to our community. What is needed for us to continue to progress in this country is more hands on the deck of the ship of opportunity. We need all of our voices to be heard. We need all of our ideas to be discussed and considered. We need all of our minds to be engaged. This can only happen by turning down our emotional triggers, turning up our rational ears, shedding our deference to celebrity leadership, and putting on our cap of critical independent thinking. Once we as individuals and as a community do that we may find that the march to parity of opportunity in this country is “lighter work” than we thought.

Virtue is a Product of Habit

“Our character...is an omen of our destiny, and the more integrity we have and keep, the simpler and nobler that destiny is likely to be.”

--George Santayana--

“Curious things, habits. People themselves never knew they had them.”

--Agatha Christie--

A few days ago something happened to me that I am certain happens to a lot of people. On two separate occasions two different black folks approached me to join them in fraud. They wanted me to allow them to purchase groceries for me on their link card and I would give them cash at a discounted rate. I declined their offer. However, I don’t think either person would have called what they attempted fraud. They would have just called it the “hook up.”

What do I mean by the “hook up?” I mean illegal behavior. The “hook up” can mean a few different things. The two most popular meanings are: (1) getting a great deal on stuff usually because it was stolen, or (2) getting the inside track to receive an opportunity like getting a job, a promotion, or a loan. I don’t think there is anything wrong with someone receiving an opportunity through their network as long as that opportunity did not come as a result of illegal or unethical conduct. I do have a problem with aiding and abetting illegal behavior. (I know that statement may seem a little hypocritical coming from a criminal defense attorney. www.BealsLawFirm.com. Representing someone accused of a crime is a lot different from helping someone who you know has or is committing a crime. Everyone deserves a defense.)

In my opinion there are too many of “us” black folks who are willing to at least tolerate the illegal “hook up” or in some cases take part in it. Don’t believe me? Think about it. How many people do you know that have purchased a boot-legged movie? How many people do you know that purchased a computer or TV or some other consumer item from a “friend” at a really good price? The bottom line is that the majority of “us” black folks are law abiding citizens, but we still tolerate bad behavior in our community. How can any of us complain about something that was stolen from us when we accept stolen merchandise?

We must continue to build and maintain good habits. And we must stop bad habits like encouraging the illegal “hook up.”

Good Bye Dusty

"True luck consists not in holding the best of the cards at the table; luckiest is he who knows just when to rise and go home."

                                               --John Hay--

         Last Monday the Chicago Cubs and its manager, Dusty Baker, parted ways.   Officially, Dusty Baker was not fired.  His contract was not renewed.  However, unofficially, there are a lot of sports news and sports talk radio people that are calling it a firing.  Who cares.  What is obvious is that the feeling was mutual.  After two horrendous seasons it was time for a new manager, general manager (which still remains to be seen), and team president.  The Cubs organization wanted Dusty Baker gone and Dusty wanted to leave.  Now if anyone that is reading this article thinks that this is going to be about how a good African-American manager/coach was fired because of a double standard that is inherit in sports, well think again.  Yes.  There is a horrible double standard in sports in hiring and firing of African-American managers/general managers/coaches.  There is also a horrible double standard in the media when it comes to evaluating the performance of African-American managers/general managers/coaches by some fans and most of the media.  But as I mentioned before, that is not what this article is about.  This article is about what really made Dusty Baker have to leave town.

         Two seasons conspired to spell the end of Dusty Baker's tenure in Chicago.  Those two seasons were the 2003 and 2005 baseball seasons.  What am I talking about?  It is simple.  In 2003, the Chicago Cubs came within five outs of doing what nobody ever thought they could do, and that is go to the World Series.  Almost every baseball fan knows the rest of the story.  The Cubs just missed going to the World Series in 2003.  Then the unthinkable happened.  The Chicago White Sox not only made it to the World Series last season, but they actually won it!  Those two seasons changed everything for Cubs fans.  Now before I go further in this article I do feel a need to point out that I was born and raised on the Southside of Chicago so I am a second generation White Sox fan so I do not nor have I ever bought into the media manufactured image of the Cubs as the "lovable losers." 

         The average Cubs fan today has his/her chest stuck out because the Cubs are usually rank within the top 10 or even in the top 5 in attendance in major league baseball regardless of how bad the team plays.  Many Cubs fans have interpreted that attendance figure to be a reflection on how they are such great fans.  Well, I have asserted for years that it shows just the opposite.  In my opinion any fan base that fills a stadium regardless of how bad their team plays shows that they care more for something in or around the stadium than what happens on the field.  I know a lot of Cubs fans that may read this article will immediately say that as a Sox fan I am just hating on the Cubs.  Believe me when I say it.  I am not, especially after last year.  I am just being honest and consistent.  Think about it.  First, if you love your team, like a lot of friends of mine that are real Cubs fans, who I would love to see them see the Cubs win a World Series, it would be hard to keep going to see your team lose and rarely seem to make progress towards being a consistent winner.  Now, on the other hand, if you really don't care about how well the team plays, but you have fun just hanging out at the ball park or have fun drinking after the game at one of the many bars around Wrigley field, then it would not bother you to keep going to see a team that rarely has a winning season.  It is what it is. 

         It is that reality that has actually hurt the competitiveness of the Cubs.  How?  Think about it?  Every baseball team is a privately owned business entity.  Those entities make money in a variety of ways, but the best way a team makes money is by winning.  The more a team wins the more people come to games, the more money is spent of concessions and merchandising.  Since around 1988 the Cubs have been the exception to that rule. Since 1988 the Cubs have had only seven seasons where they won more games than they lost as opposed to having nearly twice as many seasons, twelve, where they lost more games than they won.  Yet, during that same period of time there was only one year where they drew less than the league average.  And that was the 1997 season where they almost lost 100 games and still drew over two million fans and was only a little bit over a thousand fans a game under the league average.  The bottom line is that the Cubs organization, which is owned by a corporation, unlike most other ball clubs does not have to win in order to get people to come out to the stadium.  Now there is no real motivation for the Cubs organization to try to build a championship team or even a winning team.

         That reality changed after the 2003 season.  Cubs fans, especially real Cubs fans, tasted what it felt like to almost have a championship team.  They almost experienced what it felt like to go to games that were deep into post season play.  They almost experienced a World Series.  And take it from a Sox fan that wondered if I would ever see my team play in the World Series, it feels good.  Once you have tasted it, you want to keep experiencing it every year.  After 2003 the patience of the real Cubs fans and the attention of the pseudo fans started to change.  They wanted a winner.  The Cubs continued to draw, but the frustration started to mount, then the Sox won the Series and that was the last straw.  Cubs fans went from "wait until next year" to "win now!"  And Dusty was caught with a good team with a bad farm system so when the injury bug popped up this past year, the Cubs were in no position to deliver. 

         The past caught up with them.  What do I mean by that?  It is simple.  Most good teams that are able to consistently win are built primarily from the farm system.  Some teams use free agency, but most teams that are able to win the majority of their games over a an protracted period of time like a decade or more will get the core group of their team from their farm system so building and cultivating a good farm system is important.  The Cubs farm system appears to have been neglected.  Why was that important to Dusty?  It was important because when Lee, Wood, Prior annd others on the Cubs were injured this year, the Cubs could not bring up players that were good enough to keep the Cubs competitive until their injured stars returned from the DL.  The good teams like the Yankees, Twins, Dodgers and Angels were all able to do that this year and everyone of those teams that I mentioned made it to the playoffs except the Angels, who still won more games than they lost and has made it to the playoffs four out of the last six years.

         I am certain that Dusty Baker will be just fine in the future, but it is a shame that he had to be a casualty of the Cubs' past.  Hopefully, the next manager will not get caught in the same trap, but then what do I care.  I am a Sox fan.