Black Lives, Black Dollars and Black Money Matters!

Last updated on: November 25, 2015 at 7:08 am by Earle Fisher

Black Lives, Black Dollars and Black Money Matters! 2015-11-25T07:08:35-05:00 Earle Fisher

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These are remarks made at a press conference on Tuesday November 24, 2015 announcing an economic boycott starting November 27, 2015 better known as Black Friday

For the past several years there has been an awakening and uprising brewing in many communities of color in response to injustices related to the criminal justice system, police brutality and the violent deaths of so many black Americans. People have rioted, marched, protested, and contested the political infrastructure that continues to oppress and exploit people of color. We are here today to connect another dot in this matrix of oppression. We have not only been victims of social degradation and political manipulation but also economic exploitation. For decades we have been educated to be unconscious consumers instead of enlightened citizens.

Black American buying power is at $1.1 trillion, yet only 2 cents of every dollar we spend in this country go to Black-owned businesses. Blacks make up more than 13% of the U.S. population, but only own 7% of the businesses. Therefore, for decades on end, black Friday has been the day when corporations, who have little or no investment in the well-being of the black community, siphon funds from people of color to move their annual budgets from red to black – pun intended. In light of this unjust reality, and in keeping with the prophetic traditions of Dr. King, Medgar Evers and others, we are calling for an economic boycott of Christmas. We have come to realization and affirmation that not only do #BlackLivesMatter, but #BlackBusinessesMatter, #BlackDollarsMatter, and #BlackMoneyMatters!

We are asking all people of color (and all people of good will) to abstain from ANY unnecessary spending from Black Friday, November 27, to New Year’s Day 2016. During that time, as we divest from unjust institutions and systems of exploitation, we can also invest in our own families and communities. If you do not need it do not buy it. If you do need it, buy black – go to ourpowerbox.com for a list of black owned and operated businesses to patronize. We are also calling on every elected official (black or white) who loves black people to PUBLICLY endorse this initiative. If you can lobby for black votes you can support black economics.

Lastly, for those brothers and sisters in the Christian faith, this is what Jesus would do. It is tragically ironic that as we enter the Christmas season (a season that mythically marks the birth of a savior who was born in a barn because his family was fleeing political persecution and exploitation), we have a long-standing tradition of people of faith who continually engage in poor stewardship practices. If Jesus was on earth today he would be turning over tables at banks that practice predatory lending; he would be chasing money changers out of the temples of racial discrimination. Jesus would proclaim that if your hiring practices are unjust, if you don’t promote equal pay for equal work, if you cannot say #BlackLivesMatter in public you do not deserve any money from black people.

Therefore in the spirit of the black man born in Bethlehem, the Negro from Nazareth, and the Gangsta from Galilee we say up with Jesus, down with Santa. Up with Jesus and to hell with Herod. No Justice! No Spending!

Earle Fisher is a R3 Contributor

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