Why We Must Change America Now

     The national theme for Black History Month 2009 as submitted by the NAACP is “The Quest for Black Citizenship in the Americas.” The NAACP has for 100 years been at the forefront of the fight against injustice and unequal rights for people of color. Every year the NAACP set before us, the American people and the world, a theme which stimulates the intellect and challenges everyone to examine race relations and progress. 

In conjunction with the national theme, HBCU’s have been celebrating under the umbrella of “Black Empowerment in the Americas: Be the Change”.

With that theme in mind, I would like to briefly revisit some comments I made while addressing the MLK Holiday. Emphasis, during that occasion, was placed on the word “change”: the buzz word for the 2008 presidential election. I ventured to ask three basic questions. One, what we must change? Two, why we must change? And three, when we must change?

First, what we must change? We must change ourselves. It is, I believe, impossible to change the condition of our world and those who inhabit it until we deal with “self.” Before we attempt to change the exterior, we must change the interior. In other words, before we look outward to change the world, we must look inward. Jesus Christ warned us about being anxious to remove the mote from your brother’s eye and ignore the beam in one’s own.

Changing the world is a little easier when we ourselves have changed. If we do not change ourselves, then, we cannot change the world.

If America, the big brother of the world, seeks to influence other nations politically, economically, and socially then America must first be the finest example of what is possible. America must change internally to be the best example externally.

Change, however, cannot be achieved apart from God. He has to be in the scenario. It is, “He who has made us and not we ourselves.” As a result, the Lord knows better than we do the kind of change we need individually and collectively to make this world a better place. 

Second, why we must change? We must change because we are slowly destroying ourselves, our families, and others. We must change because ultimately what’s at stake is the brotherhood of mankind.

Furthermore, we must change because recent evidence of greed, which can no longer be concealed by pseudo business practice, has brought this nation to its economic knees. Substance abuse, criminal insurgence, hate crimes, violence in our homes, schools, on our jobs, and in our streets all indicate, we are a nation in need of change.

Our court systems are burdened down. Our jails, prisons, and detention centers are so crowded that the idea of releasing the incarcerated is viewed as the best plan of action.

In the African-American community black on black crime, fatherless and single parent households, unemployment, and drugs have decimated many of our neighborhoods.

Living “a thug-life” combined with having a “doing unto others before they do unto you” mentality have many of our young people perishing as fools rather than living together as brothers. We as individuals, as a people, as a nation must change.

All together we have strayed into the far country: both morally and spiritually. And altogether we must find our way back to the ancient landmark that has made us a great nation. Until then, America is of no good to any other nation. She is, as Jesus has said, no more than “the blind leading the blind.” Hence, we must change.

Third, we must change and we must change now. Change was the catalyst that propelled the first African-American into the Presidency of the United States.

The American people did not want the same-old-thing, business-as-usual. The American people wanted change; and they wanted it, Now! Waiting was no longer an option.

This Black History Month know that black empowerment will not automatically happen. We must “be the change” to make it happen.

Subsequently, we cannot and we must not wait. Tomorrow is not promised. We cannot and we must not wait because there are deadly consequences. We cannot and we must not wait because a great deal of work is yet to be done.

People are still being judged by the color of their skin and not by the content of their character. Therefore, we must not wait. We must “be the change.”

We must bridge the gaps that have long since divide people politically, economically, and socially. We must “be the change.”

Now is the time not just for African-Americans; but for all Americans to work more earnestly toward the empowerment of all people.

This can be achieved. We can make this world a better place. But first we must “be the change.”

Artwork above Martin L. King, Jr.: Sacrifice by Dr. Talley, Mix Media Beads