WORK WORKS! 

(If  All African Americans Suddenly Became Productive, We Have the Power to Turn Around the Whole World Economy)

The average African American man should have  3 jobs;  one, undoubtedly, should be working for himself, selling whatever skill he has. This may or may not pay, immediately, but faith and perseverance guarantee that this will be the most fruitful work (if it is legitimate) of his life.  Next, he needs a "good job" with benefits, hopefully, doing something that benefits mankind and provides for his family.  Then, a man needs a part time hustle.  This can be creative:  refereeing, coaching, selling, or even going  to school for the long term payoff.  

If any of these jobs ends, one must be immediately about finding a suitable replacement and volunteer to work in our families or our communities in the interim.  

Even ex-convicts should have these 3 jobs or be pursuing them.  We should no longer be picky about work.  "Chillin'" should become a pejorative.  If we are resting it should be reviving from work before we go back to work.  

Let us postpone or call off completely the psychological war for what we feel owed and lead this country back to work.  Our communities should stay painted and swept.  Our schools should be overrun with volunteers.  

Let us vie with our Latino neighbors to outdo each other in good works, charitable deeds.  Let us breathe life into the work ethic among our youth.  Let them catch our spirit and begin to believe that their work is necessary and important.

Let us outwork the Asians, most of whom make astonishing commitments to making businesses or careers successful.  We can out work them in and out of the classroom.  

Let us put an end to illiteracy among our people.  Let us instill a tradition of literacy for all of our people as a matter of course. Let us create a curriculum of literature that is as pervasive in African American homes as Michael Jackson's classics, but empowering and more powerfully  positive. 

One of the greatest enervators in our community is closet (because no one admits to it) illiteracy, reading  at 5th grade level or below.  It forces much of African American economy into black market business, illicit, often, illegal endeavors.

They lack the words, the legitimate thoughts and ideas that come from reading. 

I propose a basic curriculum  of 3 compelling books that will guarantee functional literacy, at birth, and shape legitimate values for our  traditionally illiterate brothers and sisters without hurting their delicate pride.  Let these be books that we all  read  and understand as well as we do  the messages in "Billie Jean" or "Thriller", et al.

Of course, it will be difficult, but only after difficulty comes ease.  It we want to be a great people, once again, we must take on great challenges. Let us get back to WORK!