From: david@gdstech.grumman.com (David Nettles)
Subject: Re: Pessimism
Reply-To: david@gdstech.UUCP (David Nettles)
Organization: Grumman Data Systems-Woodbury
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1992 13:03:37 GMT

In article <1992Sep27.233423.22627@morrow.stanford.edu> HF.GTD@forsythe.stanford.edu (Gabrielle Daniels) writes:
>In article <1992Sep25.190754.3705@cas.org>,
>cwm54@cas.org () writes:
>
>{Unhappily I delete a good preamble.}
>
>>         Conservatives would have us believe that our problems are not
>>      because of racism but because either we have bad values or we aren't
>>      educated. "As soon as 'you people'get educated you'll be accepted
>>      in the mainstream". Those of us who are "black professionals" know
>>      that no matter how educated,how rich,how nice the suit, you're
>>      still just a n....I have seen so many people ruined by thinking
>>      that they "only need that piece of paper" and being devasted when
>>      a white high school graduate with less senority, who they trained
>>      becomes their boss.
>.
>After the last sixteen years, I'm no longer feeling it's all my
>fault, dear. I had a diploma to be a professional journalist.  I've
>never worked in my field, except for freelancing in alternative
>media and once in legit print.
>.
>What do you do?  You can't go home to mom.  You continually send
>your resume out while getting looks (jealous or otherwise) that
>"she's overqualified" while working at 7-11 or even in the
>secretarial pool.
>.

[I, too, an unhappily deleting an story all too true.]

>
>.
>Carlyle, I'd like to know what is now your idea of success as a
>black person.  Because since we don't like what we bought several
>years ago, and we don't have the saleslip and the bag it came in and
>we can't bring it back to the store, what do you propose we do as an
>alternative?
>.
>If you want to climb a ladder, do you want to build the ladder
>yourself, or borrow it from someone else?  Never know whether a rung
>might be boobytrapped; whereas when you build the ladder with your
>own materials, you won't be sold flat.
>.
>Unless the materials you use are faulty within themselves...
>.
>I think I said before that I don't bend over for anybody, because I
>have my own vision for myself.  You do not have to become like the
>Steele brothers or Clarence Thomas to make your way in the world.


My answer has been as follows:

	Own your own business.

I don't have one now... but I am working hard saving money for one in
my future.  The idea is this:  if I will not get a fair shake while I
am working for someone, then it is better that I work for myself.
That way, with myself as my own boss, if the boss is unethical to
their employee(s) it is "I" who is unethical.  That way when I work
hard I know that I will get the money I deserve.  That way I will
always know that my ability is being rewarded.

When I was younger (13-22), I used to run my own small money-making
stuff (some lasting only a couple of months... one business that
lasted a year!) and I alawys felt so good doing it.  Even when things
were not going so well I felt good -- because I always knew that the
one person that I had to answer to was me...  And because my
businesses were within my neighborhood's schools I did not have to
worry about racism (where I live is a Latino/Af-Am town).

Now, I really want to feel that again.

So now I save all of my money.

I am reading books.

I am planning long term.

The only way to get a fair shake when your playing in a bad game is to
stop playing that game.


Peace
--
Who am I?	David	= Love,
		Edward	= Protection and
		Nettles	= Tenacity

And I endevour to live up to that name.
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-- 
****************************************************************************
   David E. Nettles
   Internet: david@gdstech.grumman.com
   Grumman Data Systems
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african.american