Alred C. Frett. Photo: VINO/File

Their minds have already been programmed by lessons they were taught as Children… Had they checked, they would have found that Ferguson, St Louis where Brown was killed is not the only City where Blacks are regarded as Dogs and where it is acceptable for White Police Officers to frisk, harass & murder Young Black Men without regards for Fairness, Justice or Consequences.

Maybe they would have learnt that while Ferguson’s Population is made up of nearly 70% Blacks those in charge of Government & Police – Law & Order – are over 90% White… Furthermore, other Police Officers unconditionally defended the action of the Officer that killed Brown and professed a willingness to kill Black residents & Protesters who they likened to rabid Dogs.

Think about it – How can Slavery & Colonialism be truly past when we bask in denial, accept their Injustice and even join them in hating ourselves?... We are in the 21st Century and just celebrated Emancipation yet, at Home & Abroad, Discrimination is alive and large numbers of Blacks still appear to find comfort in being brutally controlled by Slave Masters Descendants.

No wonder Blacks Elected Leaders become their Puppets & our Masters with many viewing Politics as a Get Rich Scheme & Power Game where to win is Greed instead of Need… As they develop a sense of Self-Importance they have no desire to function in our Interest so they change from Representatives to Dictators bringing Corruption & Hindrance rather than Care & Help.

By being programmed from Slavery we are conditioned not to love ourselves and to blindly obey those in Power… Moreover, with Forces of Evil arrayed against us it is more than difficult trying to save a People who wish not to be saved – I’ve been trying for decades and many still chose self-destruction rather than belief in themselves – Bad Leaders encourage them in this self-harm.

At the same time - locally & Internationally – thanks to those who share the Vision and although your Writings may be more focused on your own Homes & Countries the Messages can be just as easily applied to us here in the WI & BVI… Thanks for letting us know we are not alone… Your Message that we contribute to our own Economic Hardships via Social Classes is true.

I’m in the Lower Class - Do you know your Social Class?

This primarily results from our voluntary selection of Bad Leadership… However, to better understand these Upper, Middle & Lower Class positioning, we can start by defining Middle Class Status using a US Government Task Force formula as it relates to six financial aspirations:

1- Home Ownership… 2- Automobile Ownership… 3- A College Education for the Kids…
4- Retirement Security… 5- Health Care Coverage… and, 6- Yearly Family Vacation

It follows that overabundance of these Aspirations suggests Upper Class status while lacking any of these positions a Person in the Lower Class… Be not surprised if a much larger than expected number of us fall within the Lower rather than Middle Class Lifestyle for this is most likely to increase as Governments & Employers change Working Conditions and eliminate Pension Plans.

In fact, the Commerce Dept. indicates that over the past two decades, Middle Class Income grew by less than 20%, while Upper Class Income grew by hundreds of percentages… Meanwhile, the cost for College Education went up over 50%, cost of Housing jumped about 60% and Health Care costs exceeds 155% thus placing many of these beyond reach of Middle & Lower Classes.

As the Economic Gap between Rich & Poor grows wider most of us find it easy to blame others for our predicament… This is the caution when one writer said - ‘When it comes to assigning blame an important lesson many of us never grasp is that we should always first look to see if our own actions or inactions played a part in the matter at hand’- If we do, we may see differently.

Of course there will be some things beyond our immediate influence & control but most often, direct lines can be traced back to our action or inaction that could have made a good difference… The one that appears hardest but is the easiest is the selection/election of Leaders… and whether or not we assessed the probable Consequences resulting from our own actions.

Example: The majority of us turn blind eyes while Government casually do wrongs, abuse others and create conflicts… Eventually their actions leads to repercussions affecting ordinary Citizens who claim to have nothing to do with causing the Problem but are forced to suffer increased costs in Fuel, Goods & Services, restriction in Freedom of Movement & even National Violence.

As we have all seen, instead of finding ways to prevent the Problems before they begin – the response is for Government to waste more Time, Money & Lives in War & Retaliation… Now, while War may be harder to understand, a resulting Bad Economy is easier for pointing fingers of Blame - We are quick to portray ourselves as innocent Victims while blaming Policymakers.

Taking Responsibility for your own Blame:

Now, while no one likes being told they are responsible for faults or wrongdoing we, the Public, would be lying to argue that we had nothing to do with the economic troubles of past decades… After all it is our Votes that elected the Politicians who created the Policies and, if we are claiming the Praise for Good then we should also accept Blame when things go badly.

We have become hooked on this Dream of one day becoming Rich as we aspire from Lower Class to Middle Class and from Middle Class to Upper Class… So, although we see Politicians shifting Monies from the Poor to the Rich yet this Dream keeps us voting for Leaders who will reduce Education & Social Programs while increasing Conflicts and their own Incomes.

We all have a say in guiding our Country but for too long we have elected Politicians lacking in vision & integrity with an Agenda is to ensure the Dreams of the Poor will remain just Dreams… We know this and if we know better we must do better for there’s no other way to lift ourselves from the gutter… The Big Question is, will we do so or simply continue to dig our own graves?

PS:… I will continue addressing some of your Questions & Comments on Live BVP Radio Programs