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Over the past few months and years many Americans have
noticed a very disturbing trend: CLEAN WHITE SNEAKERS, K-SWISS, REEBOK, KEDS,
NIKE AIR FORCE ONE'S, AIR JORDAN'S, CONVERSES, WHITE ON WHITE SHOES, white
sneakers on young black feet. This is the emerging fashion trend for African
Americans teens. Shoes that look like they just came off the store shelf. Shoes
that look like they have never been worn. Shoes that are clean and not a single
spot on them. Teenagers are emulating their heroes, rap stars; Black
Professional sports stars, and African American television stars. You can see
evidence of this fad at the bus station, the Bay Area Rapid Transit system
(BART), and just about everywhere you go, it appears that everyone is wearing
WHITE on WHITE tennis shoes, sneakers, or whatever you want to call them.
One afternoon, while traveling on the BART
train to Berkeley, I overheard an interesting conversation between two young
brothers. One of them said: "It's time for me to get a new pair of kicks
(shoes); I got a dirt spot on them today". WHAT? The shoes these young gentlemen
were talking about looked much better than mine ever did even on a good day. So
he was going to spend at least eighty to one hundred dollars on a pair of shoes
he really did not need. This young Black male wanted to look cool, FRESH, as
they say now days. WHY? Because he wanted to look good for his female friends
and a possible date. This is also an indicator that this young brother has money
to spend on his date or his girlfriend. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that
one young resident said, "They get soft, they get dirty, and they get stains on
them, then they are not good anymore" We want white on white, meaning white
always, no dingy substitutes."
One may ask, is there a subliminal message being
sent with these white on white shoes.
These young African Americans, males
and females, are spending eighty to one hundred dollars per pair. At this rate,
purchases will boost the American economy of buying, or any other country's
economy. African American teenagers are spending millions and billions of
dollars on these shoes. Looking on the opposite side, this uncontrolled spending
is not helping the African American community economically. Young African
Americans are spending money outside our community. American Blacks are not
disciplined consumers, and they do not produce goods on an expansive scale. If
African Americans are going to survive the next economic recession, depression,
or downsizing, we are going to have to help each other by buying products
produced by African Americans. Young adults learn at a very young age to not
help our own. Many young African Americans think that Black products are inferior
to products produced by white Americans or Asian Americans. These youngsters
carry this attitude with them into adulthood.
What we are currently doing is committing
economic suicide. Where are the parents on this issue? When my parents bought a
pair of shoes for me, they said: "MAKE THEM LAST." If they get dirty, clean or
polish them. Today kids just have to get new ones if something spills on them.
I've got news for you. “NO, YOU DON'T!”
Parents of the sixties and seventies made
their children understand the importance of saving. One pair of shoes would last
years, not just weeks, or days.
This behavior is Black economic genocide. We have to
understand this phenomenon. We have yet to learn the lessons of our past
generations. The Civil Rights Movement left us with two remaining issues; issues
that must be conquered during this century. African Americans will be unable to
move on until these issues are resolved. Young African Americans need to truly
learn, understand, and execute the steps towards economic power. We all need
to be a part of the REAL American Dream. Yes, the Civil Rights Movement gave us
equal rights, and the right to sit at the table, but it did not give us the power
to buy that table. That should be our next step; the step young African
Americans need to learn and understand. The step that many young African
Americans never think about.
Yes, there are still two gigantic gaps in America: Black Political Power and Black Economic Power. To continue our
existence, African Americans and all Americans must address these issues in the
near future. This year's Fortune 500 Magazine reports that there were only six
Black presidents/CEO's out of 500 on this esteem list. This does not include
Black own and operated companies. This is not economic power.
We are reminded that when Coke Cola Beverage
Company said it could not find any African American executives to run their
companies district offices in the late 1970's, the Rev. Jessie L. Jackson Sr.,
Jim Brown, and other African American political leaders had a national press
conference and told African Americans to boycott all Coke Cola Company Products
until they instituted a training program and hire African American executives.
Needless to say, Coke Cola did not take the press conference seriously and
completely ignored the request.
Within five months the Coke Cola Company was
struggling to make its payroll. Coke stock plunged 40-50 points, which happened to
be big during this period. At the end of the year Coca Coke stock was almost
worthless because it was not selling its product in America’s inner city. Coke
Cola had no plans to hire or train African Americans in their company. In turn,
African Americans used their pocketbooks to change Coke Cola's business
practices in the African American community. In 1983 the Coke Cola Company
finally hired the famous basketball forward Julius Erving of the New Jersey-New
York Nets and Philadelphia 76ers to be District Manager of the Mid-Atlantic
offices in the Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia and Delaware Metropolitan Area.
THAT WAS BLACK ECONOMIC POWER, and it is not being used today.
The African American Community has the
responsibility and obligation to finish what Rosa Parks, Martin L. King Jr., and
the Montgomery Bus Boycott started in 1956. Rosa Parks and the (SCLC) Southern
Christian Leadership Conference broke the back of the Montgomery Bus Company by
not riding city buses for almost a year.
Tommy Hilfiger stated in public that his clothes are not for
African Americans, then African Americans should not purchase or wear any of his
clothing apparel. Mr. Hilfiger has the right to say that, and African Americans
have the right not to purchase anything from his company. We should buy (FUBU)
"For Us By Us", instead. Economic Power.
When car companies refrain from utilizing
Black owned radio and television stations and African American communities for
advertising, then it's time for African Americans to spend their dollars
elsewhere. This classic example was played out this fall and winter 2006 with
the Chevy Silverado commercial. Stating, “This is our country” and only one
person of color appeared on the screen. This is the only way African Americans
can capture White companies' attention and create African American economic
power.
BLACK POWER = GREEN POWER. It is time for
African Americans to use the services of Black doctors, lawyers, other
professionals and Black owned mom and pop corner stores. We all need to think
before we buy. So to all of those young African American brothers and sisters
who are buying those WHITE ON WHITE SNEAKERS, think about where your money is
going. Who will benefit from your purchase if it is not going into the African
American community? Do you really need those shoes? Wiping them off, washing
them in the machine, or just painting them white, could be the answer.
BLACK ECONOMIC POWER, we have it and we
still do not use it correctly. Many young African Americans have the
imagination, ingenuity, and determination to sell illegal drugs on the street.
These intelligent young people have savvy business sense; why can't they
put this business experience to good causes and legal projects?
Some individuals of the new Rap industry have
turned the corner on the issue of Black Businesses. Rap stars and professional
sports stars are now establishing their own clothing lines or starting their own
record companies. These stars are hiring African Americans for various positions
in their companies. This is a positive beginning.
These goals should have been instituted years
ago. We have to finish the uncompleted goals the Civil Rights Movement: Black
Economic and Black Political Power. Now we should have a common goal to own
various institutions in America. Black owned gas companies; television stations,
banks, and supermarkets. This should be the African American’s ultimate goal. If
African Americans are not treated fairly in an establishment in which they shop,
eat, or play, they should exercise the right to boycott that establishment and
make the reason publicly known.
So Young African Americans, stop buying those
WHITE ON WHITE shoes and help your own community. If you have one pair of
sneakers, ask yourself: do you need another pair or should I wait until the
soles are worn out?
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