A Call To Action, A Knock At Midnight!

Then I will go to the king . . .
and if I perish, I perish. (ESV) Esther 4:16

Now, more than ever, especially in post-Obama
America, we must passionately rally to preserve,
protect and promote our own vital interests and
to save our own institutions. It is absolutely essential that
the African American people have the means and ability
to tell our own stories on our own terms, to each other
and to the world! The progress of our children and the
integrity of our African American culture, values and traditions—our
collective soul—mean everything!
Today, in New Jersey, there are but only two
black-owned media companies functioning in the entire
state! In northern NJ, The Positive Community (TPC)
Corporation remains an exclusive and unduplicated
media outlet. However, our company’s ongoing challenge
means that we must compete with large, outside owned,
well-financed, media conglomerates who would
claim to represent black consumers (and our children)
in the marketplace for short-term financial gain through
advertising and sponsorship. TPC stands alone in representing
our community’s best in this diabolical, most hostile
media and corporate environment!
Unwittingly, we African Americans have all but surrendered
our cultural sovereignty to the enemies of
progress! Others now speak for and on behalf of—our
news, our music and our image. The major advertisers
and corporations that derive enormous wealth from
black consumer spending fund these big media companies
with large multi-million dollar marketing and sponsorship
budgets.
The majority of these media firms are functioning
contrary to the short or long-term interests of our people!
And this is all justified by unfair, undemocratic practices
or “rules” that reward advertising dollars to media
companies that have the highest quantitative metrics or
“numbers” irrespective of content or accountability.
The Dignity of Our Humanity
Collectively, we have been so duped into playing by
other people’s rules; we take for granted or even ignore
the value of our own inherent, qualitative relationships
and cultural assets. Hence, in this year 2017, in the
NY/NJ metropolitan area—the largest (#1) black consumer
market in the USA; in NYC, the media and advertising
capital of the world; the financial capitol of the
world; the fashion and theater capitol of the world,
we own not a single radio station, TV station, cable franchise,
major newspaper, major internet site or large theater.
The Positive Community is the only locally-produced,
African American-owned lifestyle magazine serving this
entire region!
After eighteen years, TPC continues to deliver a qualitative
experience to our community of readers, our
advertisers, and the161 churches in NY, NJ and Conn.
that subscribe to TPC’s Great Roll call to Progress (see partial
listing page 7). Our love for one another and love of
God is, indeed, a qualitative experience that can never be
measured by either scale or the latest technology. While
we are very far from matching the resources and money
of the entrenched “giants”, our publication does enjoy
the respect and goodwill of the people. TPC has unique
value: it never fails to affirm or reflect the dignity of our
humanity—the truth, beauty and goodness of a loving and
gifted race!
Saving Our Own Media
The Positive Community seeks the advocacy, the encouragement
and support from our institutions, including
every single, forward thinking man, woman and child of
God! We need multiple voices from our community’s
leadership, the people of God, to speak-up on our
behalf. We simply cannot do this alone.
In addition to NYC’s Baptist Ministers’ Conference’s
endorsement and commitment to advocate (see
www.thepositivecommunity.com, May issue, page 16), we
are also calling on other clergy leadership organizations
and community institutions to join with us in this noble
effort to save our own media; our own community; our
children; our culture; our future—save our country,
Now! And yes, we the people, descendants of the Great
Emancipation of 1863; liberated sons and daughters of
the Most High, will prevail, if we faint not!
The health, happiness and prosperity of future generations;
the integrity of our culture and the progress of
the race very much depends upon the quality of our
thinking and the decisions we make today! At such a
time as this, are we willing to engage in a conversation
regarding the business about our future? Can we count on
your support for a righteous cause?