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20BODYOFCHRISTNEWSFEBRUARY2014WellBlackpeopleitsthattimetimetolookinthemirrorandatourchoic-eswhetherindividuallyorourleadershipchoices.Ihatetobethebearerofbadnewsbutoverthepast20-plusyearsBlackbusi-nessinDenverandDenverMetrohasfallentojust28ofwhatwasonceathrivingBlackBusinessCommunity.Thishastobeembarrassingtoourleadersbutmoreimportantlytothoseofuswhoputtheminthepositionofleadershipnotwithstandingourbelovedclergyleadersofthepulpit.OverthelasttwodecadestheAfricanAmericancommunityinDenverhassataimlesslybyandwatchedbusinessafterbusinesscloseandnotbereplacedbyanynewvibrantAfricanAmerican-ownedbusinesseseitherwithinintheBlackcommunityoroutsideofit.ThisHolocaustontheBlackBusinessCommunityisobviouslybydesignthequestionisnolongerwhetheritsbydesignbutwhohelpeddesignit.OurleadershiphasnotbeenaccountabletotheBlackCommunity.Equallywevebeenjustascomplacentanduncommitted.ThedaysofaBlackleadersputtingitallonthelineareoverandhavebeennon-existentformorethanfourdecades.Sinceleadershipisthedefinitionwechoosetousewhichisalmostlaughableforourentirecommunitywedesperatelyneedtoadoptthepolicyofrepresenta-tioninsteadofleadershipJohn1316.Ourclergyhasbeeneitherleftoutoftheprocessorjustdidntengagetomakeadifference.NotmediasoundbitesbutTrueChangeisneeded.ForthoseofyouwhosayhowdareyouspeakaboutourclergyasIunderstanditweresupposedtobeChrist-likeJohn134-17.Soletusaskourselvesaquestion.JesusChristwashedhisdisciplesfeetandfedthemfirstbeforeheate.HowmanyofourclergywouldbewillingtowashourfeetorletuseatfirstormakesureourneedsaremetbeforetheirsareLetsreviewtheeconomicdesolatenessoftheBlackBusinessCommunity.Thefollowinginforma-tionmaybeoverwhelming.Thebadnewsisthatthisisatrueandfactualpartofourcommunitythegoodnewsiswehavetheopportunitywiththerightrep-resentationtocorrectpastandpresentdevastation.ThequestioniswillwedoitLetstalkaboutthenewestBlackresidentialcom-munityamiddle-classhousingcommunitycalledGreenValleyRanch.GreenValleyRanchhasthehighestincomeforAfricanAmericansintheDenverMetroAreaactuallyforthewholestateofColorado.Withthatbeingsaidtherearent2Black-ownedbusinessesinthewholecommunity.Black-ownedbusinessOwnerofthebusinessownerofthebuildingownerofthelandWithalloftheeducatedmiddle-toupper-middleclassNegroesnooneownsmorethanresidentialpropertyintheirowncommunityNowasGod-fearingpeopleandonlyfearingGodweasadultsaretellingourchildrentostayinschoolanddotherightthing.Howeveragoodjobisntasappealingasmaybeitwas20or30yearsago.Ourancestorscer-tainlyknewagoodjobwasanoxymoron.WehadmoreBlackownedbusinesses60yearsagothanwedotoday.Werealwaystalkingabouttheimpactonus.Hereissomethingwecandoletsensureourleaderscantrulylead.Jesusledbyexamplewaterintowinesighttotheblindraisingthedead.John21-11John91-11John111-44.SohowisitourBlackleadersexpectustofollowblindlyjustbecauseofcolorWemustbecarefulforthoseofusthatstudiedAmericanHistoryasitrelatestoSlaveryknowthattheonlyonefastenoughtocatchsomeoftheslaveswereotherAfricanswhowerebeingusedattheirownperilduringtheheinousMiddlePassageandimmoralandUn-GodlyNorthAmericanSlaveTrade.IsthattacticstillbeingusedintheBlackcommunitytodayWerestillwaitingandhavebeenwaitingforover40-plusyearsforacertainAfricanAmericancom-munitysuchasFivePointstobouncebacktoitsoncebrillianthighlyrespectedbusinessandenter-tainmenteconomicstature.TherearewhispersfromtheimportedNegroesandotherswhodonthaveatruestakeinthecommunityandthatarepossiblycontrolledbyoutsideforces.Unfortunatelytheyseemtobethesubsidiarykeyholdersnottruekeyholders.Holdersofenoughtoblockbutnotholdersofenoughtotrulybuildorrebuild.WillthoseinandfromthecommunitybenefitorbeexploitedagainasusualBlackLeadersPreachersandPoliticianshavetheirworkcutoutforthemnAreourleaderspromotingproducersorconsum-ersnBlackmalesaregraduatingatanall-timelowalsoanall-timelowincollegeenrollmentnOurwomenare20timesmorelikelytohaveHIVvs.WhitewomennMentalHealthrecreationalsubstanceabuseisstilldetrimentalintheBlackCommunitynWeretainlessthan110thofthewealthinourhouseholdsthanWhitehouseholdsretainnShrinkinginactualpopulationdowntoapproxi-mately7ofDenverMetronStillstrugglingwithgangsdespiteallthemoneywevereceivedfromtheFederalGovtnStilldouble-digitunemploymentnStillthefirsttobeinstitutionallypunishedina71ratiointhecourtsystemvs.whitesnStillthefirsttobuyluxuryitemsandthelasttopurchasepropertyRealEstatenStillfirstindivorceperhouseholdvs.WhitesHispanicorAsiannLastinteenageemploymentnLeadinginmarriageinfidelityamongmenandwomenalikenStilllesslikelytoreceiveaninstitutionalloanbankcreditunionthanwhitesata131ratioInconclusionImnotsayingweshouldbemono-lithicorevenraciallyexclusive.HoweverIamsayingweshouldbeequallywellrepresentedandnotfortheleadershipshisorherprivategroupsandorfundersbutforthecommunitytheysuppos-edlyrepresent.Thisincludesbutnotwithstandingblackleaderspreachersandpoliticians.Weshouldprayforthemandalsoholdthemaccountable.Remembermostifnotallleaderschoosetobeintheirrole.The64000questionisWhyLastbutnotleastIdontwanttopointoutprob-lemsorissueswithoutafunctionalandreadysolu-tion.Weshouldfirstpayattentiontowhoweappointorallowtobecomeourself-appointedleadersintheBlackCommunity.Secondevaluatehowandwherewespendourdollars.Thirdifyoureinachurchorreligiousentitythatonlyservesbasedonexclusivityholdthepastorpriestorbishopaccountable.RememberJesusservedamultitude.Fourthtalktoouryoungpeoplegetadifferentperspectivefromourowndontbeafraidtolearnortrysomethingnew.Fifthandfinaldontbesocriticalofourownwithoutequalcriticismofothersincludingthosethatarepopularbutnotproductive.RememberwhenelectingordefiningaleadermakesureyouknowwhereyourebeingledSOURCESWEREUSEDFORTHISARTICLEAREASFOL-LOWSCDCU.S.CenterforDiseaseControlCSOS-TheColoradoSecretaryofStateBlackEnterpriseMagazineUSCensusDepartmentUSPostalServiceDOC-USDepartmentofCorrectionCDOC-ColoradoDepartmentofCorrectionUSDepartmentofEducationColoradoDepartmentofEducationColoradoDepartmentofLocalAffairsCNNMoneyReportUSDepartmentofLaborCDOL-ColoradoDepartmentofLaborColoradoDepartmentofPublicHealthvitalrecordsstatisticsWouldChristConsiderYouaLeaderAREPORTCARDFORTHEAFRICAN-AMERICANCOMMUNITYITSLEADERSCURRENTAFFAIRSByT.H.MackSr.T.H.MackSr.isaDenver-areabusinessmanCLOSEDForBusinessTheincompletelistofshutteredBlack-ownedbusinesses.SelmanChristianRecord80205MrDuncansclothing80205MDsRestaurant80205MsEthelsRestaurant80205ZonasThePigEarStand80205TrueValueHardware80205Hue-manBookstore80205RootsCornerStore80205RussellsRecordStore80205SidsSupperClubBeehiveClub80207MrJs19thHoleClub80207MarionsLounge80216SmittysEbonyRoseLounge80205BigAlsLounge80205BJsLounge80205715Lounge80205BigAlsThriftShop80205CapreLoungeRestaurant80205McGillsBarbershop80205TroysBarbershop80205ClubSpiceLounge80239DukesBarGrill80205UndergroundBookstore80239HowardsDrugStore80205VFWClubinBlackCommunity80205MortgageFinancialServices80205DrThomasHickmanservedBlackCommunity80205DrBookhardtservedBlackCommunity80205DrPhillipsservedBlackCommunity80205QsHairSalon80239KGscornerstore80205ButlerFishMarket80205TommiesFloralStore80205WiseHarrisLiquors80205BrownSugarRestaurant80205DixonsShoesRepair80205GillFordsShoeRepair80207JuniorsCornerstore80207JohnnyCopelandLiquors80207TonyRichardsStateFarmInsuranceAgency80205KDKORadioStation80205TheCrestMovieTheater80205TheRoxyTheater80205TheMontbelloAMCTheater680239HouseofBeauty80207ThePictureMansStudio80207ConocoGasStation80207TexacoGasStation80205ScottsMarket80205DsLaundryMat80205FourSeasonsCleaner80205WilliesCleaners80207LaDonnaRealty80207SamTaylorsBar-B-Que80205JordansGrills80205MsCharlenesSalon80205GQClothingStore80205DairyQueen80239HisHersNightClub80207McCoveysBarGrill80207BigOTires80239ShermansTVSalesRepair80205PeoplesCommunityBank80205FreedomCabTaxService80207AmericanWoodmanInsurance80205FamilyBuffet80207RitzCabCompany80205CashesSoda-FountainGrocer80205OsirisBookStore80205PlacetoPlayBar80205BlackberrysIceCreamParlor80205KaroBurger80205MahoganyModelingAgency80205DahliaRollerSkateRink80207HouseofBarbecue80205HowardsLiquorStore80205TexacoGasStation80205TastyKing80207NOTEunfortunatelytherearemanymore