The Messianic Complex

In my last post I referred to the ways in which each Black person can contribute to our collective benefit. Making moves on behalf of Black people isn't terribly complicated but we have suffered from a messianic complex for a considerable amount of time. I'll address both the complex and the ways in which we can all contribute (and thus conquer the complex) in a second. First though, the let's deal with the problems of the messianic complex. The problems (at least these days) can be summed up in three words: Al and Jesse. Not to pick on these two, but the only reason that anyone still listens to them is because of our messianic complex as a people. For those who aren't up on the messianic complex concept, I'm not referring to any sort of religious themes, I'm actually talking about the psychic need of Black people to have a savior figure come and lead us to the "promised land". Al and Jesse exist as political and cultural entities because they are holdovers from the "golden days" (read: the Civil Rights Movement) and the leadership vacuum in the community has made allowed them to persist. Black people feel like we need a leader. We need someone to tell us what to do. We need one of our own to rise up and take charge. This complex is by no means exclusive to Black Americans but I'm not really in the business of worrying about everybody else (let's handle the issues at home first, ok?). The messianic complex poses some serious problems. It allows relics and demagogues to represent Black people in public and somehow empowers these in the minds of our more impressionable brothers and sisters, preventing some Black people with means of improving our situation from doing so based on a "lack of direction" (read: no messianic figure telling them what to do). Look, Al and Jesse don't have any better idea of a holistic plan for improving Black life than anyone else, and though the problems are complicated and challenging, awaiting a word from "on high" is fruitless and no longer an excuse. I'll even propose a couple of ways people can be agents for the improvement of our people. For those of us who are interested in politics, you don't have to be Barack Obama to effect change for Black people, as a matter of fact some of the lower positions in the political ladder allow people like aldermen and city council members to affect real change especially in urban settings. Businessmen can support local aldermen and city council members in their efforts to affect positive changes in Black communities by holding fundraisers or allowing them to hold community meetings in their business areas or even just selling buttons to support the candidates. But to a degree these things are already happening, so what more can be done? By decreasing the level of attention on these messianic figures (Obama included), Black people can improve our communities from within by focusing on improving each individual situation at the grassroots level. And as a man very skeptical of politicians, I propose that we support individual policies, not necessarily the personalities behind them. If we can be more judicious at the local and national level concerning what policies we support, we can earn a lot more in the way of support (both financial and otherwise) for initiatives that benefit us. What that means is detaching ourselves locally and nationally from personality politics. No more political figures whom we support regardless of what they do or don't do, we need to think critically about if these politicians and other leaders are providing what they promise to us or if our loyalty is leading us to essential disenfranchisement (because our votes and/or support are assumed). This means looking critically not only at our community leadership but also at our beloved democratic party. I am far from a republican and definitely not very conservative but if the Republican Party is proposing policies that benefit us, there is no reason not to sell our votes to the highest bidder. This perception of Black people being married to the Democratic Party or to a specific set of obsolete "leaders" needs to die with Jesse's career. So, let's rid of ourselves of this messianic complex and leave the saviors alone until Jesus comes home.

Ni%$as and Black people

Why is it that whenever somebody Black messes up, we all take the blame? Are we lawyers or something, all representing the Black community in the court of public opinion? Well, quite frankly, yes, we are. Black Americans are seen as a monolithic force, a huge monster with one mind, one opinion, one set of beliefs. When one of us succeeds, we all do. When one of us fails miserably, we all do. Whether we like it or not, we're in this (this struggle for success as a race) together. There tend to be a range of responses to that suggestion. There's acceptance of the fact that regardless of differences in personal feelings, financial wealth, social status or complexion the rest of the world sees us as a monolith, and treats us as such. Then, there's my personal favorite: "I'm not like them! I'm nothing like them! (Continues to rant about being raised well, going to the best schools, knowing how to act, not being from the "ghetto", etc.) Well as much as I hate to burst the bourgie bubble, you can feel however you want to about it but don't forget to note how much your friends and colleagues from other races and cultures ask you about Black culture as if you're a walking talking copy of Encarta Africana. You are Black people and until the world becomes sophisticated enough to stop lumping people together in confined stereotypical groups, each of you is connected to ALL Black people. So there are two choices: one, whine about it and make your own money but never really achieve the levels of success you desire, based on all that "dead weight" (read: your people). Or, two, accept this fact and contribute to the success of Black people in whatever reasonable ways you can (no one is asking you to bend into a pretzel or give up all your worldly goods). You can blame everything on this thereoretical "them" (read: Black people who make mistakes) or you can view the problem critically and assess where you can make contributions. When I say contributions, I don't mean giving 10 dollars to a local Boys and Girls Club (though that is a good way to use money and a pretty legit tax break). I mean that you can see how you can use whatever position you're in to move as an agent for Black people on the larger scale so that we can continue to progress (however incrementally). Because as much as you may want to separate yourself from "them", in the eyes of the world we're all Black people and we're all ni#%as. We might as well move with solidarity, or else we'll never prove them wrong.

Jesse, oh Jesse

Look, I appreciate Black leadership as much as the next man. I respect the difficulties of being the "representative" of a population of (approx.) 35 million with diverse interests and opinions. Now that I've gotten that disclaimer out of the way, it's time to get down to business. Jesse, please stop. Now. And no, I'm not joking. After the debacle with your secretary/mistress, your culturally insensitive comments about the Jewish community of New York (referring to the city as "hymie-town"), and this latest remark about your plans for Barack Obama's genitalia I think its time to wrap it up. The show's over, call it a day. Most Black Americans can't remember the last relevant activity you've been involved in. Reactionary protests that have completely overused the concept of civil disobedience don't count anymore. The irony is that you and Al Sharpton are still considered the most relevant names in Black community leadership (just to distinguish you from the Black political leadership). Al, for his part, is now being beat up on by rap artists (see Lil Wayne on Tha Carter 3 and Jay-Z's American Gangster). The Civil Rights Movement is over y'all. Racism, at this point, (though it undoubtedly exists) is not the biggest problem that Black Americans face. For example, last year you made a big stink about gun stores and reinstating the assault weapons ban in the US. Gangsters do not buy their guns from gun stores, Jesse. Most homicides in Black communities occur mostly through the use of smaller guns (that means handguns Jesse not AK-47's and AR-15's). This is exactly what I'm taking about: you're out of touch. Though anecdotes don't always amount to legitimate evidence, this is not a rare situation for you to be in because you are very regularly behind the curve or firing in the wrong direction. Don Imus is a racist old hillbilly. What he said about those women on the Rutgers basketball team was completely uncalled for and was more importantly untrue. With that said, there are still bigger issues on the table. I'm not sure about you but I'm a little more concerned with the fact that as a Black male at age 21 I am 15 times more likely to be the victim of a homicide than any other group (but maybe that's just me). There some themes here Jesse: whenever you're on TVyou are chasing the wrong problems. Al is just as bad but at least he hasn't been caught looking as absolutely idiotic as you have. We have a Black candidate in a presidential election and you're being a hater. Look, if you have legitimate policy issues with the man, thats fine, I can't begrudge you that. But the combination of your rapidly decreasing relevance as a voice for social justice and your inability to control your mouth and your libido make you an embarassment to the Black Community nationally. You are making us look like whiny, a-strategic, cliched dummies prone to silly infighting even in the face of larger issues. Take a bow and ride off into the sunset because your services are no longer required.