I'm basically addressing this to all the folks I'm arguing with, so don't be offended if one of my points has nothing to do with you.

<b>Business:</b>

Business is Business, it's not White, Black or European. The goal is always to make a profit, the only difference between two businesses is their profits, size and ethnics. But when you boil it down to its core, it's just Business.

If I start a Business in Black Communities that's cool, that's being Afrikan...if I start a Business in all communities..I'm being European. What kind of logic is that?

I fail to see how my goals are any different from the goals of people like you, who seek to start Black Small Businesses. You're using the same methods, you have the same goal....WTF!

<b>Wealth Building & Capitalism:</b>

Like it or not, Western African Empires prized gold..and sold it to the Europeans....they also sold some of their own people. 600 years ago, I may have been a gold merchant...now I'm a consultant who sells his services. IN both cases, the goal was to succeed. So how am I being European by doing things my ancestors did centuries ago?

Agriculture, Commerce, Empire Building...all of that isht started in Africa. Their may be negative aspects to all three items, but they did start in Africa.

In a different discussion topic, you and your cronies are discussing building an Afrikan school. To do so, you feel may you have to start a business and/or solicit investors, etc. Basically, you are going to have to use CAPITALISM to get this going. In that sense, Capitalism (as I've been saying all along) isn't evil or even wrong. It's PEOPLE who are evil in terms of what they do with it. You don't have to dominate others to build wealth...you'll need to build wealth in order to start your school...IF you believe Capitalism is hand in hand with domination..how are you any better then a typical capitalist when you raise money to start your school?

I contend that there is nothing wrong with making money, it is simply the way that you go about doing it that's important. Nor is doing so strictly a Western or European trait.

There are too many contradictions:

the Afrikan(s) extole the virtues of Black Businesses
Africa has a long history of capitalistic endeavors before the Europeans ever showed up
The Moors conquered Spain and Scicily
Egypt was the first Major Empire
The Egyptians valued wealth, perhaps too much so. As African Americans they are ancestral cousins, in a similar fashion to Germans and The English.
For the Western African Empires to be built, someone had to be subjugated, opressed and dominated
You say it's important to Buy Black, Work for Black and start Black Businesses......but yet...you are against investing and wealth building (from a previous discussion topic) isn't it the same bloody thing?

The assigment of the evils of capitalism and wealth on to the European Culture and the positive aspects on the African...is childish and an vain attempt at saying "They may be opressing us, but we're better then the are" Once again, the Noble Savage Myth raises it's ugly head.

Many of the aspects of Capitalism and Wealth building are prevalent in all cultures.

You speak of destorying cultures and making new ones....how can you even begin that process when you view the "ideal culture" through rose colored glasses? How could you see its faults?

It's the year 2001, cultures are melding together and it's becoming increasingly obvious that working with other cultures/peoples is a neccessary part of survival. Wouldn't it be better to carve out a niche in the culture you live in?

Anyway, this is my LAST post on this topic. No one is giving me concrete details about this "Afrikan Culture", I've already discussed the paradoxes and contractions. Until I see some EVIDENCE, that disproves historical facts about Africa...until someone articulates the reason(s), why a Black person starting a small business in your examples, is so much more englightened then A Black Investor or Businessman like in my life/examples...I'm not responding to any of this... No offense, but ya'll sound like rambling lunatics who've created a fantasy to cope with life.

You discuss Blacks getting ownership and starting businesses...and then denigrate a Brotha like myself who is trying to get to a point of financial independence and who preaches the importance of investing and sound financial management.

I can't debate with someone who never really discusses the merits of his/her point of view...except to say that one way is worse then his. This whole discussion topic is polluted with you attacking my so called "European" lifestyle with arguments that boild down to nothing more then "Your way is bad..my way is good"



Regards,



M2