Controlled Black Thought in My Face
7 November 2022
My most recent opinion column was titled “Unpacking the Political Actions of Black Americans.” In order to understand the account that follows, if you have not read that opinion column, you will want to do so. Click this link: https://www.karlmerritt.com/2022/10/25/unpacking-the-political-actions-of-black-americans/
On the afternoon of 2 November 2022, my wife and I went to vote. I have a proven procedure for quickly getting through the crowd of candidate representatives who set up camp outside voting locations and pass out information regarding office-seekers. That is, I get my sample ballot, research candidates, and then mark that ballot showing how I will vote. Walking through that crowd of promoters, I wave the marked-up ballot and tell them that I have already decided how I will vote; no need to talk with me or press any candidate information into my hand.
For the first time in many years, my proven avoidance procedure failed, but only for a moment. A black man met me just as I entered the area of challenge, the providers of candidate information. He was passing out cards encouraging voting “No” on the charter amendment to change the structure of Fayetteville City Council. Totally against my normal course, as he started his spiel saying that I should vote “No”, I stopped, looked at him in his eyes and said that I was voting “Yes”. His response was, “You are with Trump.” As he looked right at me and spoke, he had an expression that seemed to show surprise and disgust at my statement.
My response was, “If you wanted to have a productive discussion of this matter, what you said was not the way to start.” His response was, “All of this is because of Trump.” In that split second, I saw the living, walking, talking confirmation and result of everything that I detailed in that last opinion column. That is, regarding how far too many black Americans are conditioned to think in ways that adversely impact us as a people and are contributing to the rapid disintegration of what has been a great nation.
That man was shocked and probably angry that another black man would disagree with the statement that an effort to restructure city council was caused by Donald Trump. Without doubt, that reasoning was presented to him by power-seeking people who understand and successfully employ the steps for controlling the thinking of black Americans that I detailed in “Unpacking the Political Actions of Black Americans.”
After the man’s adamant restatement of his “Trump charge”, I considered trying to pursue a civil discussion. However, it was crystal clear to me that there was no hope of reaching him with facts and rational thought. That is the absolutely scary part of this controlling of thought among black Americans. Where the control process takes hold in an individual or group, the resulting commitment to beliefs or conclusions that have no foundation in fact and defy reason is absolute; unshakable.
Here is what I put forth in that column regarding the primary steps that are employed to control the political actions of black Americans:
- Repeatedly reinforce in the minds of black Americans that we are victims of rampant racism and, therefore, deserving of focused actions to address this reality.
- Suppress critical thought and promote actions based on emotions.
- Instill in black Americans the belief that, simply due to skin color, white Americans are privileged and are likely racist.
- Where a black person acts counter to the conduct that normally results from items 1-3, that person is lambasted and excluded from the black community.
Once a black person is exposed to this four-step process, it is extremely difficult to think critically. Consequently, when presented with arguments that are filled with emotion and lacking in fact-based contentions, the all-too-frequent response is adamant acceptance of and unproductive, if not destructive, action.
I submit that what I have explained to this point is what happened with the man who challenged me at that early voting site. His fertile mind was likely influenced by input such as the following post from the official Facebook page of Mayor Mitch Colvin (https://www.facebook.com/MayorMitchColvin):
“Right wing Republicans are trying to dilute African American Representation on the city council. Former Mayors Nat Robertson, Tony Chavonne and Tisha Waddell (Only African American Public Supporter). Vote No to this Voter Suppression/Gerrymandering.”
That statement reflects nothing that is fact-based, shows no critical thinking, and effectively plays to emotions. As an American who is black, watching this approach prove successful time-and-again is draining, dumbfounding, downright painful at every level of my being.
My painful reaction to all of this is compounded by the fact that some other groups that have been exposed to this process are seeing the light and refusing to continue being manipulated while too few black Americans are doing so. Consider Hispanics. Reverend Ruben Diaz, Sr. is President, New York Hispanic Organization. He said the following in an interview that is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b21ZSnA0IZY&t=13s:
“The Democratic Party have been failing us, the Democratic Party have been using us, and the Democratic Party have been abusing us and we’re saying enough. Either you take care of us or we’re going to move to the Republican Party.”
I encourage you to watch the full interview. I realize that there are some black Americans who make the same case as Rev. Diaz. The difference is that Hispanics are taking action while far too many black Americans are still yielding to the Democrats’ thought control.
My hope is that black citizens of Fayetteville will always be about collecting facts, thinking critically and properly managing emotions. Do that regarding the proposal for restructuring the council, but also in every political decision. Be reminded that we are responsible for ourselves, but also for others, innocent children and for generations yet unborn.
5 responses to “Controlled Black Thought in My Face”
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Not much to comment on other than Karl nailed it. Superb commentary that exposes the evil game book of today’s democrat party.
Great column, Karl. Thanks, – John
I don’t care who we are talking about, being ignorant is much easier than being informed. Going along is easier than going against the ignorant flow. Courage is a rare commodity in any race. P.T. Barnum’s axiom that “A sucker is born every minute ” applies most aptly to politics. If hucksters can give an uninformed person an excuse for their failures or a party to blame, then they have them hooked for life.
Sir,
I commented on a post that you attached a link to a blog in regards to the Political narratives used in the Black community. I thought your article was well versed and thought out. It is a perspective that is rarely spoken or addressed In our current devicive environment. I have copied the post that I addressed in regards to your article.
r,
Rob Walls
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The link to the article below, written by Karl Merritt highlights some of the main discourse that is keeping Americans divided. And although Mr. Merritt’s focus is on the Hijacking of the Black American mindset in regards to the future direction of our country, it is applicable to every demographic, and every ethnicity.
Critical thinking ability is absent in to many subsets of our culture. It is arguably the “critical” portion of what makes us able to move forward together towards a solution. And that has become painfully obvious as our country has degraded with inflationary spikes, racial undertones, and divisions that seem to be paramount to before the civil rights movements.
Those divisions, and undertones are intentional on the part of the ruling class. They don’t want you to think critically. They don’t want you to exercise and continually develop common sense, also known as latteral thinking ability. With common sense as a litmus test for critical thinking, every topic that someone else tries to hijack will have that little voice in the back of your mind saying; this may not be right. At the very least, it will be you deciding, not someone telling you what to think.
The narrative that Mr. Merritt describes is not unique to the Black community. It is an all too common political ploy intent on controlling the masses instead of informing the masses. Identity politics is rampant in the city. That approach never solves issues, it only creates divisions. And that approach is exactly that… its politics.
I have seen first hand what repetitive, devicive speech has done in the Middle East and southwest Asia. And what it produces is a narrow mindset that is capable of strapping on a bomb and blowing itself up. Consider what must be absent in order for someone to consider taking that concrete of a philosophy regardless of divergent views.
America is not far from the tenants of that philosophy: A close-minded obedience to a narrative that overrides your natural instinct to weigh the good and bad. Without that, atrocities happen, and America is a hotbed of current atrocities. The precursors for that change starts when we are united. Informed voting is one way to stop that cycle.
Voting, is the civilian equivalent of going to war. It is the battle every 4 years that decides the next battle plan. It is that incremental step in securing the safety of America and Americans that is critical, not only for the health of our Constitutional Republic, but for the future of our next generation.
There is a common saying in the military… we are all “green” here. This is America, until we are all “red, white, and blue”, we will be divided in that battle plan for the safety of America.
Join the fight; but think for yourself while doing so.
Critical thinking, tethered with common sense Is not only essential, it is critical for “we the people” to move forward with “they, the government,” beholden to us.
Unfortunately you are so correct. Also, unfortunately, this malady afflicts across racial lines. The frustration you feel for your race, is felt by many white people who watch the same loss of common sense take hold of so many. The steps you describe work well on all peoples regardless of race, color or creed. This country as a whole has lost the ability to think critically. It isn’t taught at home or in school. Until we begin to take the time and the effort to begin to think for ourselves again, we will be doomed to follow blindly like lambs to the slaughter.