I wish Peace, Love and Unity to all.
There is an intriguing argument brewing between those who are considering the best way for cultural black businesses to acknowledge and affirm Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday holiday.
The two sides possess of the following views:
A.) ALL Black/Afrikan businesses should shut down in honor of the holiday.
and
B.) Cultural Black/Afrikan businesses in particular must definitely remain open.
I agree with cultural businesses staying open so that those who do have the day off and have an opportunity can make it a point to patronize these businesses, for both the economic support and the cultural education that one may receive while doing so. The “cultural” businesses that I am referring to are Afrikan-centered books, imports and healing stores and museums to name just a few.
Let us observe that no matter what impact we felt that Dr. King had on us, one thing is certain. A BLACK person’s birthday is currently being acknowledged by causing a DISRUPTION to business as usual in the United States of America in adequate parallel to how this man stood for the DISRUPTION of civil business-as-usual during his tenure. Instead of transportation systems and sanitation collections shutting down by the call for a boycott as was the case back then, now most states of the nation shut down nearly all of their operations in his observance.
That is a very powerful message if we look at it that way.
ORGANIZED disruption and resistance upon a platform of Divine righteousness are at minimum the lessons we should take from King’s legacy. As a good friend has said, ORGANIZATION is the basis that leads to the success of ANY action…and that holds true with any action in the Universe.
I plead that we MUST keep OUR cultural stores and shops open on King Day and that EVERYONE patronize these stores in honor of a Black Man who organized resistance and disruptions towards the right direction.
Let us disrupt even the disruption and while banks and stock exchanges and post offices cease operations, let us make it a point to journey en masse to ANY and EVERY POSITIVE/CULTURAL Black business and return our funds back to our communities in an organized, willful act of clear intent. Let us reward those who must participate in the actions of capitalism but engage in an endeavor that heals and educates us while feeding their families.
This is indeed something that should be done 24/7/365. But we know that is unfortunately not the case. So let us start filling in the blanks one day at a time.
Let us not debate on the impact that King had but let us instead recognize that his legacy (even in his death with the Holiday Observance) represented ORGANIZED resistance, challenge and questioning…a disruption of business-as-usual.
-always seeking Ma’at
http://discipleofthenile.wordpress.com/
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