** Visit AAM's new website! http://www.africanassociation.org **

"We as Black people must find positive avenues of self
awareness,encouragement and ultimate unity, rather than resorting to
unproductive negative criticism and condemnation."   I WILL SAY AMEN TO
THAT.
                    LASISI
----- Original Message -----
From: "Knox, Isadore Jr." <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, November 10, 2003 5:26 PM
Subject: Re: Great Opportunity!


> ** Visit AAM's new website! http://www.africanassociation.org **
>
> I would agree with [log in to unmask] that drugs and alcoholism is a very
> serious symptom afflicting Black Americans, both native born and
immigrant.
> It is important however, to determine the root causes of theses symptoms
in
> order to discover effective strategies for societal cures.  Another
serious
> symptom afflicting Black American is engaging in self destructive, self
> hating stereotyping, which ultimately feeds into the racial genocide
> (racism) of our culture.
>
> We as black people must find positive avenues of self awareness,
> encouragement and ultimate unity, rather than resorting to unproductive
> negative criticism and condemnation for our brothers and sisters who are
> under the bondage of poverty, ignorance or spiritual death.
>
> Positive forums to understand our problems, come up with solutions and
> acting in a loving and sympatric manner is the start towards the cure!
> Let's talk....
> Isadore.
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Hedi Rudd [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Monday, November 10, 2003 4:47 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Great Opportunity!
>
>
> ** Visit AAM's new website! http://www.africanassociation.org **
>
> I'll try not to argue that point! I do however, like the idea of the
> dialogue occuring and for there to be a place for points such as yours
> to be brought out, put on the table and acted upon. I agree that the
> issue of drug abuse and alcoholism is central to the dialogue, but is
> the usage the true problem or simply an outcome of all the other
> unaddressed problems? Are people turning to drugs because, for example,
> they are not finding satisfying relationships and have no clue how to
> begin to develop them - which could then be turned around and one could
> ask if people are not finding satisfying relationships because of drug
> and alcohol usage. I have a hard time answering that question, because
> my life experiences tell me that it could go both ways. My main focus is
> trying to find a way to inspire our community to begin the process of
> uncovering those questions and answers in a productive way. The issue of
> drug and alcohol abuse also has many layers such as access to treatment
> and ways to pay for the treatment and identifying those who have the
> problem, which is difficult when so many stigmas are attached to it -
> which means people are not going to jump to identify themselves as
> having an AODA problem.
>
> I'm glad however, that you responded with the directness that you did,
> because it is an important issue that needs to be addressed.
>
> Thanks,
> Hedi
>
> >>> [log in to unmask] 11/10/03 3:47:39 PM >>>
> On the surface, this looks like a very good move in the right
> direction. Come to look at it closely, it is simply another grand
> showcasing of black Americans and the problems that beset their
> communities. I am not sure anythying new will come out of the shadows
> that we already did not know.
> To me the problems of black Americans can be summarized in two simple
> words; Drugs and Alcoholism. Everything else to me flows out of the
> context of alcohol and drug usage. This is the area where every black
> American particularly the so-called leaders of our communities should be
> addressing.
> Drug and alcohol use offer short-term gratification which eventually
> kills the spirit of motivation, vision and ambition and turns the abuser
> into a living moral, spiritual and physical human skeleton.
> Just look around our communities at all the addicts who only show their
> faces when it is beginning to get dark because their faces and bodies
> are so abused and disfigured that many now look like those Egytian
> mommies.Just look at Withney Houston and Bobby Brown, young and
> talented, NOW totally wasted and will die young unless they get help
> now.
> This has got to stop. There is no excuse for every black American kid
> to not complete high school and go on to college. This is their
> country.
> Talk about racism, yes their is racism but there is as much black
> racism as their is white racism. The only difference is that they are in
> the majority. If blacks were in the majority, there will be racism
> against the whites.But this is besides the point.
> Every blackman in America who has a decent education or a career they
> pursue, is guaranteed a decent job in America.
> WE SHOULD BE FIGURING OUT HOW TO PERMAMENTLY ELIMINATE ALCOHOL AND DRUG
> USE IN OUR COMMUNITIES. ONCE THIS IS DONE, THE SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY
> AND ALL THE OTHER THING THAT ARE HOLDING DOWN BLACK AMERICANS WILL SOLVE
> THEMSELVES.
> SHOULD BLACK AMERICAN WANTS SOMETHING TO MOTIVATE THEM, THEY ONLY HAVE
> TO LOOK AT THE MAJORITY OF AFRICANS IN AMERICA.. IF WE DON'T ADDRESS THE
> ALCOHOL AND DRUG ISSUE, FORGET IT, SOME OF OUR PEOPLE ARE DOOMED TO DIE
> AS FAILURES TO THEIR PEOPLE AND TO OUR COMMUNITIES.
>
>
> ---------------------------------
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>
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