From Building Pyramids to Buying Jordan’s

On December 22, 2011 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. arose from his grave

and was escorted around the country to various cities.

As he rode around he saw many Africans Americans camped outside of malls and

was proud that his people were still fighting for a cause.

He thought to himself, “I wonder what they’re protesting for this time, higher wages, equal employment or more

civil rights?” What do you think his response was when he found out that his people spent all that time and

energy to get a pair of sneakers?...Crazy thought right?

Once we devote that same energy and start having that same kind of turnout to meaningful

things like protest and new innovations we will be better off as a culture.

But instead we went from building pyramids to buying Jordan’s.

How does this happen?

Why do we let this insecurity of what brand we wear roam in the Black community?

As a kid I was into Jordan’s but now I’m no longer into the hype.

I have strong views against Jordan Brand and Michael Jordan himself because he’s

willing to sell out his own people just to make a profit.

How ignorant is it that some of the people who stood in those long lines spent

their last dime to fit in or those who spent money they got from governmental assistance

to look better off than what they are?

These problems only hinder the Black community from growing.

A simple minded person would say, “they’re just shoes”, but it’s much more deeper than that.

It’s okay to get the shoes because you like them, but the problem occurs when you

feel that in order for you to fit in you must have them.

I flipped through various news channels and I was disgusted by how the media portrayed us.

They talked about how we always get crazy around this time of year and spend a ridiculous amount of money

on sneakers we can barely afford just to make a fashion statement. After ridiculing our culture they shoed clips full of African Americans fighting in line and in some instances killing.

Now that’s death over designer for you.

Let’s no longer fit into the stereotype many other cultures have put us in.

We should be trying to move forwards and not backwards as we have been doing.

Put down them shoes, pick up books, and always remember where you came from because if you don’t you’ll

continue reversing the progress that has already been made.

-          Brandon Johnson (@Snagman_Johnson)