Black Voice News Online

Mindsets In Struggling Black Americans

Thursday, 26 April 2007

Joseph A. Bailey, II, M.D.

Struggling Black Americans are those most heavily burdened by the after-effects of slavery, by on-going racism, and by ineffectiveness and inefficiency in figuring out answers to their daily and long term problems. How they got that way-called Involution-can be traced to African American slavery. How they can get out of it-called Evolution-is to embrace and live Ancient African Values. As a boy, my Black community was roughly divided into those controlled by delusions and those who were not. Delusions are a dangerous belief contrary to fact and reason. They lead one away from what is in their best interest and without caring. What is now clear about these Delusional Blacks is that, contrary to available literature, they are "normal" but with a "special" mindset. They share common delusions and are mental "rubber stamps" of their slave ancestors (except for being unaware of how those delusions began). Here, "normal" refers to what is common in and accepted by struggling Black Americans. Although those delusions represent a thinking disorder, some have a realistic basis. For example, many struggling Blacks interpret a lack of success on their part to those plotting against them by Whites. But many fail to see that they are not adequately prepared for the market place--having bad work habits and doing things that "turn off" customers and employers.

Behind the part struggling Blacks play in their problems are the direct and indirect (e.g. a lack of jobs) roles of racism. Dependency, the lack of opportunity for mourning (and thereby forever adversely afflicted by it), and overwhelming pains were directly generated in the slaves. There were pains from enslavement and separation from the motherland and all that went with it; pains from family members (e.g. children, mothers, wives, husbands) being killed for "no reason" or sold away and never to be seen again; physical pains experienced everyday; pains from despair and hopelessness; pains from personal attacks; and pains from the constant use of masks and masquerades. The triad of overwhelming pain, delusions, and repressed emotions fashioned self-defeating behavior tendencies in each slave-and these were culturally transmitted. The triad still leads to problems in relationships, substance abuse, and a lack of ambition for schooling or for self-improvement. Hence, there is no chance to rise above poverty. Slavery also introduced delusional paradigms-bad and disarranged belief systems-- from which struggling Blacks have not been able to escape. Anti-Black American racism is rampant. What can be done?

Step I is an awareness of something not right within your mind and then having a strong desire to change. To be unaware of destructive emotions and delusions of course means they can not be managed or shed. Step II-- Start working on the known triad parts by facing the truth (e.g. the part you and friends play-or have played-- in your problems) and owning and correcting them. Since what you know is how you feel, list all the causes of your pains-what has happened to you personally and to those you care about; what happened to your American ancestors; the pains of facing the truth; the pains of not being able to handle your overwhelming problems easily; the pains of impotence up to this point; and the pains of a lack of togetherness among Black people, particularly since this is basic to the nature of African Tradition. Step III: select new paradigms for your philosophy of life. Step IV-discover and develop the abilities you have been hiding. Since Blacks historically responded to a focal point, a Black National Holocaust Memorial could be a good group beginning.

website: http://www.jablifeskills.com/

Joseph A. Bailey, II, M.D.