EXCERPT FROM JERROLL'S BOOK
The
Physics of Money: If You've Got My Dollar, I Don't
While the African-American past is characterized by
slavery, discrimination, and unfair treatment, empowered African Americans
accept complete responsibility for their future.
Responsibility for our
future.
Some things
are
Black and White. As much as we resent being categorized into groups, the
reality is that groupings are very useful. Scientists use groupings to
categorize similar beings; mathematicians use groupings for problem-solving
and identifying patterns; and the business world categorizes industries,
stocks, and target markets by groups. Groupings are necessary because they
make information manageable and analysis possible, especially when topics
are complex.
We both embrace and reject the use of groupings when it
comes to race. When a report or an allegation is negative, we quickly
emphasize that we are not responsible for the actions of others in our
group. To paraphrase Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., just slightly, "We want to
be judged by the content of our character and not by the color of our skin."
When the label or perception assigned to our group is considered
complimentary by African Americans, such as the often proclaimed sexual
prowess of African-American males, we seldom complain that we are being
viewed as a group.
Like it or not, the actions
of a critical mass define how a race is perceived.
As African Americans, we must accept responsibility for
the negative perceptions associated with our race, just as White America
must accept responsibility for the perception that it is racist and unfair.
The future of African Americans is yours to define!