Our lack of cohesion stems from an innate stratification of our race along more lines and boundaries than is possible. Socioeconomic status, color, attire, intellect...we take differences and especially idiosyncrasies as... points of division. Deep-rooted inferiority is educed when we perceive someone to be 'better' than us...and that is when we feel the need to belong, when we find others that feel the same way and engage in groupthink (i.e. when SOME rather bitter Black women band together and sing the "Black men ain't sh*t chorus instead of maintaining hope for a good one AND taking a long look in the mirror), join gangs, and attempt to sequester ourselves by either trying to be as "Black" as possible or following the culturally inhibiting guidelines that "the White man" has set for us. The worst part is that these divisions are so widespread...that the only Black people relate to each other are through similarities, be them positive or negative. There is no transcendence. We don't see the millionaires reaching out to the impoverished youth in large numbers...we don't see the glorification of positive role models...every division burns a bridge between two sets of the same people that are merely citizens of different mindsets. It seems that we forget that we are still all ONE PEOPLE. That no matter one's mix, status, or whatever, that we are all still Black, African-american, whatever name we use. Without any camaraderie, there can never be any collective rise. Assent/ascension takes one step at a time; dissent/descent is a slippery slope that starts with one snowball and ends with an avalanche. For every step we take, more snowballs are rolled down the slope; one can only hope this theological war of attrition can be won before the avalanche reaches those willing to climb.
-A. Lewis
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