The Obama Kwanzaa Series Day 4 of 7 2010

In the Obama Kwanzaa Series we have been comparing Obama's principles and second year Presidential performance to each of the seven principles of Kwanzaa. The question today is, has Obama been good or bad for Black Economics. (Video)

Call: Habari Gani
Response:_________?

4. UJAMAA (Cooperative Economics) [oo-jah-MAH]
To Build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together.

I gave the call to my family and friends today and they are doing poorly. What is it about this economic thing that many of us don't get. Most African Americans failed this cultural test. Some did not even know that a response was required. Some responses went like this "...Habari Gani, yea, and what does that mean..? or hmm, you got me. Or they would try to be slick and just say Habari Gani back,Lol.

The Cultural Reality is clear, no culture - no economics. The Jewish community where I live has good cultural literacy and good economics, it is interesting how these things go together in the real world.

This leads me to the lead picture of this article. Some of my "Afro-centric" Cultural Citizen friends may as well have said, "What the H$ll is Kwanzaa?" I say this to point out that their is a big gap between the noise about Kwanzaa in our community and the practice.

Nowhere in the seven principles is a gap more noticeable then in UJAMAA. African Americans before the Civil Rights Battle had to do business with each other. After the battle, with the advent of "integration", it has been said that we do business with everyone but us. The Black beauty supply business is a prime example. Black leaders in the beauty business point out that the manufacturing and distribution segments of this African American customer focused industry is no longer controlled by Blacks.

Before we start looking excessively to Obama, or anyone else, for Black business support we better start looking at ourselves and how we fix these gaps between principles and Practice. Having said that, Black Business is in favor of the President.

Let's Go to the Video Tape:

Black Business Builders Club - From Douglas to King to Obama



Speaking of how to run a Black Business, the President's winning campaign is a good new wave example, he included everyone as customers, raised more then half a billion dollars in less then two years, with the largest number of individual contributers in history, and beat all his competition. YES WE CAN!

Obama is a politician, and in America politics is the tool for managing money, that is, who gets what economically. The good news is, we voted for him (95% of AA's) and he has an obligation to us as constituents. Last year I said, the President was hired by the American people to fix the economy, initiate "Health" Care Reform and end the Iraq War. If he delivers on two of the three in four years he will have helped the business in our community immeasurably. A rising tide lifts all boats.

Speaking of boats, The President has launched what I have called The Green Moon Shot (take American business Green to the future). We better get on our President's Green Boat as it comes through our community. My Christel ball tells me that the business future is not black or white, it is green and we need to be seen as green$.

Bottom line how did the President measure up to UJAMA in his second year?
Well he has saved and produced more American jobs in two years then Bush and the forty thieves did in 8 years. Health Care Reform is now law and the Iraq war is ended. I said he needed 2 our of 3 in 4 years. He delivered 2 out of 3 in 2 years, personally I move him to the head of the class.

What did the President do specifically for African Americans? He got some 4.5 Billion dollars, being held up by Cultural Anti-Humanists in the congress for 11 years, released. Black farmers will finally receive justice along with our Native American brothers and sisters. YES WE CAN!

In addition, The President and his Dems have kept 127 Promises and here is a list of 90 other accomplishments of economic, social and political import on behalf of the nation (including us).  

As I did last year in this Kwanzaa Series,  I give the President's second year performance regrading the principle of UJAMA, a "B+".

What is your rating?