The Time and What Must Be Done (Part 3)
The time and what must be done, then, as we see from the tragic deaths of Malcolm, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and too many others, it was a time for martyrs; today, we have an easier, yet equally important mandate: the time and what must be done, now, is a time for mentors. Malcolm was a martyr so that by chance we would have the opportunity to fulfill our responsibility and become mentors, in the broadest, most comprehensive sense of the term. I embrace this as a personal challenge, and have had and continue to have the honor and distinction to work with many who share the same sentiment and who live it, with consistency.
I must preface everything I have written thus far in this inaugural post of sorts, as well as what I will offer, by God’s Permission, in every future post on this blog, with the following: we ALL are standing upon the shoulders of those that came before us. Many have labored, toiled, strived and struggled, fought, bled and in many cases died for us to have the opportunity that we have today; the opportunity to work and strive together for change. And not only are we determined to be looked upon favorably through the lens of history, but by our ancestors whose spirit still dwells among us.
I remember growing up in the city of Newark, New Jersey, this city from where I write these words, during a time of social upheaval and turmoil here, as was also witnessed in other parts of our country, watching many exit our cities in masse, leaving many observers to conclude that life in inner-city or urban America was “history”. Now we find that many of our cities today, like Newark, are becoming places of great potential and opportunity, where many are coming back in masse, to share in the change that is occurring in those best examples of urban America. If we work and strive together for change and progress, together for all of our people, we will be successful in 21st century America. But in order to achieve this, beyond rhetoric, jingoism and sloganism, and meet the challenges that face us, we are indeed going to have to realize that it is a time for a change. And change is best achieved through the establishment of order and priorities. Even in the process of the heavens and the earth, not every part of the earth is illuminated by the sun at the same time; not all the planets rotate around the sun at the same time. Everything has its appointed place and time. The absence of which would lead to chaos and collision, of catastrophic proportion.
Agreeing to accept our responsibility and execute a results-oriented agenda built upon priorities and best practices, if we rise to the challenge, we can save our generation and those that will follow us from drowning in the ocean of underachievement, disillusionment and despair, and empower them to live a life filled with achievement, fulfillment and economic and spiritual abundance. Above and beyond the commentary and reflections, this blog, Making It Plain, is a call to action. I will always try to offer commentary and thoughts on what I feel to be most urgent and pressing. I garner this both from my own experience, and from my many discussions with those in the trenches; my many fellow freedom fighters, both women and men who continue to dedicate their lives to working for the betterment of our people and our society, the human family. I owe them an unpayable debt of gratitude. (You know who you are).
