In December 1963, El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz (popularly known as Malcolm X) responded to a question about President John F. Kennedy's assassination one month previous by saying it was a case of "the chickens coming home to roost." The remark caused a great public outcry, in no small measure because it was true.
Shabazz offered more than one explanation for the comment (one is shown below). From my standpoint, he was pointing out that the US is violent nation. As long as that violence was aimed abroad or at minorities at home, most of the white public ignored it. However, when the violence turned inward to take one their own, then it became an issue that must be dealt with.
This same kind of pattern appears to be playing out with our current economic freefall. While the wages of the middle and working class have been falling in constant dollars for over 20 years, neither the mainstream media nor our elected representatives had seemed too concerned. The 1990s were a big boon period for the rich.
Since even even the rich are beginning to feel the pinch and are losing some of their mother lode, it is only now that economic issues have moved to the forefront. Most of the solutions being proffered to stem the tide are aimed at putting money back in their pockets, not those of us who've watched our net worth decline during this same time.
As Shabazz states below, hemmorraging can't be stopped until the knife is pulled out. It is only then that the healing can begin.
Shabazz offered more than one explanation for the comment (one is shown below). From my standpoint, he was pointing out that the US is violent nation. As long as that violence was aimed abroad or at minorities at home, most of the white public ignored it. However, when the violence turned inward to take one their own, then it became an issue that must be dealt with.
This same kind of pattern appears to be playing out with our current economic freefall. While the wages of the middle and working class have been falling in constant dollars for over 20 years, neither the mainstream media nor our elected representatives had seemed too concerned. The 1990s were a big boon period for the rich.
Since even even the rich are beginning to feel the pinch and are losing some of their mother lode, it is only now that economic issues have moved to the forefront. Most of the solutions being proffered to stem the tide are aimed at putting money back in their pockets, not those of us who've watched our net worth decline during this same time.
As Shabazz states below, hemmorraging can't be stopped until the knife is pulled out. It is only then that the healing can begin.
"If you stick a knife nine inches into my back and pull it out three inches, that is not progress. Even if you pull it all the way out, that is not progress. Progress is healing the wound, and America hasn't even begun to pull out the knife."
ReplyDeleteI never said this 'live' before... but here it goes...
THIS is the reason I'm going to Law School: I want to do my part to heal the wounds. And while I've never been, nor ever think I will be one to claim absoluteness about anything, I do feel I can confidently claim a resoluteness in knowing I will do what I can and MUST do to heal the wounds.
I should have said: I want to my part - no matter how teeny tiny eensy weensy that part is - to heal the wounds...
ReplyDeleteGood for you, Val. If the passion you bring to your blog is any indication, then all I can say is "Look out world!"
ReplyDelete