Dollars flee black neighborhoods...

This was covered in today's Mary Mitchell column entitled, New Orleans, Chicago suffer similar ailments. The gripe here is that our money doesn't stay in the community and that major retailers don't open up shop in the black community. We can also discuss black merchants but the unfortunate thing is they may not have the capital to either expand their businesses or even the opportunity. I also remember an article in the magapaer N'Digo about this phenomena and the issue is also advertising. Black businesses don't advertise or spend any money on it.

Hmm. Perhaps that's why we have the black pages and such. Generally this is a gripe that is somewhat self imposed. Why don't blacks spend money in their own communities they way other ethnic groups seem to? There are those who have enough pride to see a black doctor or do business with black people. Then there appears to be so many of us who refuse to do business with other blacks.

I remember in my Intro to International Relations class last semester. My professor talked about how people in Africa would prefer to eat Uncle Ben's rice rather than their own home grown rice. There is a lack of pride there according to him and there is a perception that rice not grown in Africa is better than rice grown in Africa. Perhaps the same perception is at work here.

I could blame this on the fact that the "evil white man" has conditioned us to not like or trust other black folks. However, if that is the reason why we don't keep our money in the black community, then there must be a reason to change this. I have always said that I believe the black America is a very talented group of people if we do support each other we can make it work. What's sad is that the odds are defintely against black Americans.

Thankfully I do some kind of business with a black business all the time. I hope to be able to continue doing so.