The Death of Icons: Legacy in Black and White

By Marc Albritton

In the last few weeks, we have witnessed the death of an icon in our community, (Lowell Hawthorne, Golden Krust). When an icon dies in the Black community we can often expect scandal and sensationalism to follow. CBS News recently reported that the last of lawsuits filed against the estate of Michael Jackson has finally been disposed of. The estate of James Brown is currently tied up in over 4000 pages of litigation from “friends and family.” The methodology whereby this is socially permitted is rooted in the machinations of both the Black and white mindset.

Prior to slavery, the black mind was master of the universe. It founded the arts and sciences, charted the course of the stars and planets, and created civilizations. It also birthed religious thought and developed reasoning. While it is still capable of this type of high thought; since slavery, it has been reduced to the current sub-par levels of self-destruction. Meanwhile, the white mind has been able to harness the spoils of its two thousand years war against black civilization and reap the benefits by relying solely on H.E.L.P. (History, Ethics, Logic, and Philosophy).

History is the compass used by a people to find their pathway while navigating through time and space. It is a living record that tells them where they are, where they have been, and where they are going. Correctly interpreted, it provides a steady and consistent guide to action.

Ethics are the governing moral principles that gauge the behavior and conduct of a person or people. It dictates their views of right and wrong as well s their values and conscience. Logic, according to “dictionary.com” is a “…branch of philosophy concerned with analyzing the patterns of reasoning by which a conclusion is properly drawn from a set of premises…” In essence, logic guarantees that when an issue is presented and a predetermined set of rules are applied to the specific facts and analyzed, a correct conclusion will be reached.

Philosophy, from the Greek “Philo” (love) and “Sophos” (wisdom), is the big tent of ideas, values, morals, ethics, truths, rights, logic, and reasoning that formulate how people derive purpose and meaning in life.

H.E.L.P is the collective glue that binds person into people. Whites don’t need a rally, convention, or emergency action meeting, to tell them how to behave towards others or unite behind a cause. Their mindset, actions, and conduct are hardwired and programmed into their heads to function in the same manner and pattern under all conditions and circumstances. It is an instantaneous response. So when an icon dies in the white community their mindset based on H.E.L.P. is readied to ensure the protection of legacy and the continuation of power. However, to its detriment the black mindset is unfortunately encouraged to rely on hearsay, innuendo, rumor, and emotion; H.I.R.E. These articulations only exist to ensure one outcome, the destruction of legacy and the interruption of power. Slaves were never taught H.E.L.P.

If we are ever to break out of this mind trap we must abandon H.I.R.E. and embrace H.E.L.P. We must resist the temptation of our lower selves to engage in the self-destructive dismantling of our icons. We must treasure and celebrate our icons in life as well as death. This will ensure the establishment of legacy and the continuation of power.