Saturday, July 4, 2009

In Da' Club

Almost everyone has been to a club that is frequented by mostly Black patrons.
Some have been to a club that is filled with everyone and anyone who is considered to be somebody within the Black community.
These clubs are where a lot of the deals are made and a many alliances are formed.
These clubs are generally considered the place to be.

But what happens when these clubs become too popular?
What happens when these clubs start to attract many others who are not Black?
What happens when this large influx of "other" people start to drown out the status and influence of the existing hierarchy?
What happens when the club that was created to cater to a select few suddenly is forced to cater to a wider audience?

The dynamics change.
Where once, one was able to speak freely and openly about another group - new rules are now put in place to discourage any form of discrimination.
Where once, race was never an issue (because most were of the same race) - one's race becomes something to overlook.
Where once, those who started the club were venerated - new patrons now dismiss the founders as backwards and outdated.

This is largely the thinking behind those who assume that power lies in the hands of those who were once the obvious dominant culture in our country.
Many are upset because all of these "other" people are starting to exert their God-given rights and authority.
Many still believe that the Old Boy's Club was endemic to their culture or political party.
Those who saw being a member of this club as their ultimate goal are vexed at the thought of some "other" taking their aspirational seat in the V.I.P. room.
Many members (or those who were still outside waiting in line) are upset that those who once were only thought of as servants are now those who must be served.

IMO - Those who use race as their only qualification concerning political power are those who are envious that it's not them who are at the head of the table.
White people in a Black club? Only if she is the stripper or waitress.
A Black man in the Whitehouse? Only if he is a butler or cook.
Most of the people who are upset with Blacks doing better are not really upset with Blacks doing better - they are just mad because these Blacks refuse to "know their place".

1 comment:

FreeMan said...

In a club setting this might be correct but in the wider world it doesn't apply. The power over resources and business are only controlled by one group. There isn't a Black Corn Producer a Korean Underwear maker or a Mexican Stock exchange in the USA. So this same group is still there while everyone else thinks major business deals go down at night or strip clubs. Those cats are on a low rung.

Now I agree that the anger you see is because Blacks and other minorities are waking up to compete openly in American Society. The big coop will be when one of these groups owns and operates a company that is central to the USA like Ford, ADM, Hanes, GEICO, or Kraft for that matter. Until that happens its just a bunch of cats socializing breaking the glass ceiling of the social order but not real power.