Finding A Balance

I have made a few observations. With all the headlines about our slowing economy, interest rates rising, and home foreclosures at an all time high.... we in the hood are still doing our thing. Or are we? Is this just the norm for us, for every dollar of wealth that Caucasians have ... we have 15 cents. There goes the phrase, Pac was a true visionary. I can't help but to wonder though, we are the biggest consumers why don't we have more market share in this economy? I have a few theory's on this to share.

1. We are still learning the process of building wealth. It takes a few generations to build true wealth and pass on assets. There are still not enough African-American families in this position, we have a way to go there. In most instances we are only 2 maybe 3 generations into success.

2. We have different ideas of financial success. For some people success is not living from pay check to pay check. For others it's being able to afford nice things. A lot of us seem to be content with a nice place, nice ride and some nice gear. Don't forget the bling.

3. Making the sacrifice. Who really wants to bust their ass for 30 years, buy a modest house, drive the same car for 10 years, and not take a real vacation? And you know you have to get your baby that Wii and those sneaker skates for Christmas. Plus our situation is better than that of our parents. How dare we not enjoy our success.

The honest answer is we have to make sacrifices. We have a lot of issues in our community. This is one that the movement has not addressed. And I believe that we won't be able to make a real difference in our circumstances until we can sit at the table. It's not about greed or race, it's about finance. As long as they can exploit our black ass' at minimum cost.... they will. Look at the return they've gotten so far. No matter how much we want to display our "progress" in the last 30-40 years, the fact of the matter is that most of us are only a couple of steps up on the latter. And there are far too many of us still on the same step. Individual achievements are wonderful, they give us something to aspire to. But, it's past time for us to look at the models of Italian and Asian communities; after all hell we showed them. It's past time for us to unite. We have to realise that the civil rights movement has changed. We have to realise that this is a battle we have to be ready to fight on all fronts, not just in the courts. We have to be ready in the legislature and we have to be ready at the bank. We have to find a balance.