In the Black community at every socio-economic institutional level, we have too many so-called leaders who desire to lead by being served, rather than serving others. Most assuredly, in the political arena this is the case to the nth degree with most Black politicians, because generally politicians desire privilege rather than community service. The political principle is if you serve me financially, and with your vote then I promise to give you whatever my office will bare; but oftentimes the promises are just promises. This is why most individuals think of politics as a “pile of s–t”. Hence, most Politicians cater to those who help finance their election campaigns; not ordinary voters. Consequently, politics becomes campaign contributions, not public service. More often than not Black politicians are financed by White and Asian businessmen who do not reside in the districts they represent. This is why in the City of Houston small or large Black owned businesses do not receive their fair share of business contract opportunities or minority set-asides from the City of Houston, and very little from the county; yet Blacks represent (23.7%) of Houston’s population. The same scenario operates at the state and federal levels.
Political leadership is about two important questions: how do we live? What are we willing to sacrifice in order to live the way we say we desire to live? Hence, life is not lived in social isolationism, but community. Therefore, what life do we have if we do not have life together? Surely, we cannot live lying, cheating, stealing and killing each other, because those activities do not create human community; only chaos.
Currently, at every level of government: city, county and state there are federal investigations occurring concerning political-economic corruption. The question is why? Is the “smoke-filled-room” (politics) inherently corrupting? Or is it the motivation of individuals who go into politics? Or is the old adage universally operative: power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely? Is the smoke filled room so monetarily polluted that no individual can escape the corruption? We all know that it is written: “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” (1 Timothy 6: 10). The question of questions is how do we change the structure of community leadership governance as well as political leadership mentality in the Black community? To be sure, what is going on in City and County governments benefits no one; not even the criminal perpetrators, because eventually they end-up where they belong: prison! Questions: whatever happened to the concept of leading by example? And, how do we change the structural leadership mentality in the Black community? Leadership is about serving others, not self-service, because: “The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8: 2). More importantly, “he that soweth to his flesh shall of his flesh reap corruption: but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” (Galatians 6: 8). Politicians get right with God! Amen.
