Can we talk? When will Blacks stop running to the white man’s defense at the expense of our own domestic needs? Business as usual is acceptable to too many African Americans, as we continue to just want to go along in order to get along. Although civil liberties are being abridged for many other Americans now, nothing has changed for America’s Black Communities—except our issue for compensation for years of slavery and discrimination has been assigned to the dustbin of history caught up in the country’s bosses’ preparations to "eradicate terrorism."

Since the days of slavery, in spite of our obvious and lowly status in this country the Black Mentality is that of identifying with the white master’s problems without any discussions of our own. In the old days, the slave mentality dictated that when the boss man was sick, we were sick. Nowadays, instead of asking questions about "what got us in this mess in the first place," and "what’s in it for us," Black political and social leaders are waving flags from the war bandwagon with no thought of any such discussions.

"Ask me no questions and I’ll tell you no lies" is how the nation’s big bosses are handling both the war, and our reparations issue. And, "bust their butts" African Americans don’t seem to care that it’s a manifestation of America’s colonialism mentality in the Middle East that’s all the core of the Islamic Terrorism problem. But, just like their attitude about reparations, Bosses in America refuse to openly discuss the problems of our past actions in the Middle East.

Black Americans’ adherence to identifying with the white man’s problem, at the expense of our own, is starkly illustrated by actions of the first African American to hold the post of U. S. Secretary of State. Just over a week before September 11th Colin Powell endorsed what he knew was a canard at the World Conference on Racism in Durban, he told the U.S. delegation there would be no discussion of Israel’s Zionist-related actions being racist and genocidal toward the indigenous Palestinians. Although none of the political or national defense bosses want to discuss it, the attack on America’s financial and defense symbols have much to do with the terror that is being rained on the Palestinians in the Middle East.

"Can we talk?" is definitely not what the Congressional Black Caucus is about in this instance. "America, right or wrong" was their mantra as they fell on the war sword with only one mumbling dissident. Eager to stay a part of America’s ole boy network, many of the war’s "yea" voters were the same people loudly complaining in Durban about being stiffed on the reparations issue. Counterparts to our Congressional members, Black members of America’s middle class want to be a part of the water cooler discussions at work and have made this country’s policies and problems theirs, and allowing themselves to be led into the same "bunker mentality" as others around the water cooler. Although, it should be obvious to African Americans that racism still exists in our government, institutions and public policy we still refuse to alienate our bosses for an issue that could pay all of us for the years of travail.

In their pursuit of "Infinite Justice" the U.S. Government has given Pakistan and other countries over $38 billion in compensation for aligning with them to "fight terrorism." Blacks need to be asking: "When will we get our infinite justice and get paid?" When will we demand a dialogue on race matters and relations in this country? Will it be before or after thousands of Blacks die fighting a war against our non-white people, many of whom have legitimate concerns about how America’s foreign policy has impacted their countries and lives?