The Politics And Power Of Street Signage In Atlanta

As I was watching the newscast this morning I learned that yet another street in the city of Atlanta will be renamed to commemorate an entity that was relevant in the "civil rights struggle" for social justice for the Black America. The new name will be the "SCLC Way". Unlike many of the previous renamings, "Raymond Street" was not named after a Confederate General by the previous establishment that once controlled the city of Atlanta's government machinery.

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The logical connection is clear:  The previous municipal regime used its power to hoist their own heroes upon the street signs and thus fortify their projection of their own establishment power.  As these communities changed the presence of these symbolic images had a particular mental impact upon the Black residents who began to populate these places.  The new establishment power has already taken down all of these Confederate symbols and are now projecting their own power over signage that was not offensive to their spirit.  This is their right to do so.

My argument, however, is that beyond their trek through symbolism must exist the dispassionate accountability for the outcomes that must be rendered upon them by the "rank and file" Black community who had yield their individual power to this establishment group.  They were entrusted to make decisions not only for the INTENTION of advancing the standard of living in the community but were commissioned to actually deliver upon these promises.  Absent such a "closed loop" management disposition between the "rank & file" and the "establishment" it is the Black Community itself that will be susceptible to the "constant chase".  The water of "empty symbolism" will be the most abundant ingredient in the container as the detergent of "effective results" will be made into an inert ingredients or perfumes and coloring to make the contents of water more appealing.

Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard - Atlanta:  The Symbolic Apex Of The Civil Rights Violations That Exist Today "WITHIN The Black Community"

The story that was shown on the newscast a few segments prior to the one about "SCLC Way" took place on "Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard and Howell Street".  I knew immediately where this was.  I last ventured there to get a first hand account of the 80-something year old Korean woman that was murdered in front of her laundromat by a street pirate who tried to rob the place as she swept the sidewalk.

Over the past 20 years in Atlanta the Civil Rights Establishment leaned upon their brothers in the Political Establishment to change the signage so that it better reflected the people who now lived within.  The rhetorical question was asked: "How do you expect the people to begin to live in peace when they look up and see their long time oppressors being honored?".

Like so much that occurs with the Black Establishment powers within our community the "AUDACITY" on the front end trumps the RESULTS on the backend.  As the mental resolve of "We Shall Not Be Moved" that was shown on the front end deflates upon their victory against the threat that was stood up before them by the establishment - they are rendered limp.  Disgruntlement and depression seeps back in.  The "Serial Racism Chasers" must find some other point by which the fire in the belly of the people can be reignited like a scented candle - done for its perfume effect rather than the function of shining the light where there is darkness.

A Black man was gunned down as he rode in the back of a car that was sprayed with bullets from one or more firearms.  More than 10 individuals stood around and watched this assault.  Not one of them are speaking to the police.

Indeed the infinite universe upon which the Black Civil Rights Establishment had the pleasure to work within has looped around on itself.   The low hanging fruit in which external oppressors could be focused upon are GONE.  Today's "civil rights"/ "social justice" struggle needs to take place in INNER-SPACE.

Unfortunately the expert rhetoricians who ask the question aloud so that others might hear them: "What rights does a Black man have to even expect to walk down the streets of America and not be shot in the back by someone who believes he has none" .......are NOT inclined to turn around ask this same question to those who he once struggled on behalf of so that they might have their rights recognized today.

Sadly another Black man had his civil rights violated within the Black community. The attributes of his killers have rendered him as "Yet another Nigga who has gotten himself kilt.   HE should have known that this is a dangerous neighborhood.  He had clear sight of the street sign which said 'MLK Jr Blvd' " .

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