We Need a Good Whuppin -- November 2004By James Clingman Jr.
0 No doubt you have memories of your parents giving you what we called a whuppin. You probably thought they were mean and didnt love you, right? Your parents, on the other hand, probably felt terrible too, even though you deserved that whuppin they didnt want to see you hurt, and they surely didnt want to be the ones to inflict the pain. Its the same way today with us as adult Black people. Our elders, which I have officially joined, as of August 2004, love us and do not want to see us hurt, but they need to give us a good whuppin every now and then.
In my frustration, not only after the voting irregularities in the 2004 election, I pulled out a cassette tape I bought four years ago, right after that last presidential selection. It was recorded by an elder whom I love and highly respect. His name is Kwa David Whitaker, of Cleveland, Ohio. The presentation on the tape is titled, The Wake Up Call. I am telling you right now, you must get a copy of this brothers discourse.
Brother Whitaker recorded his insightful, enlightening, and prophetic words in November 2000. He expertly weaved the Gore/Bush election scenario into an easy-to-understand football analogy, explained what position Black folks are in vis-à-vis the U.S. political system, and told us how to win, despite the system being stacked against us. When I first heard it, I called Kwa David and thanked him for turning out such a fantastic piece of communication to our people. I then bought several copies of the tape and gave them to others.
No one loves Black people more than Kwa David, but I know hed rather whup us than to see someone else do it. So, how about another one, Bro? I dont believe there has ever been a time that Black people in this country have been so dysfunctional, so apathetic, so gullible, so afraid, so irresolute, so unconcerned, so lemming-like, and so willing to capitulate to the whims and desires of every other group, while turning our backs on the interests and needs of our own people.
In Cincinnati, I see black folks selling their souls to an inept, corrupt, and biased political administration. I see them acquiesce to greedy power-hungry corporate executives, denying Black people even the slightest opportunity for collective economic advancement.
I have seen it all in this city, and it is getting worse. We have ignorant, cowering, volunteer-slave blacks who have been chosen to do the bidding of the establishment, and they do it with the pride and aplomb of a Colin Powell, Armstrong Williams, or Condoleezza Rice. No, let me make that Clarence Thomas.
Yes, we need a good whuppin, and I hope it starts right here in Cincinnati, Ohio, and moves out from here, because as Kweisi Mfume said in reference to the boycott of this city, this is ground zero. He also said, 'If [racial discrimination and mistreatment] are not solved here, they won't be solved anywhere. Tell that to Dick Gregory and Bev Smith, who are scheduled to break the boycott of Cincinnati, and all the other black entertainers who have already broken it. Good luck, Mfume.
Kwa Davids Wake Up call was apropos in 2000, and it is even more apropos in 2004, except now it must be accompanied by a good whuppin. Remember how you wouldnt get out of bed when your parents called you in the morning? Remember what happened when they stopped calling? They started whuppin you out of the bed Well, thats what we need now Brother Whitaker.
Whup us until we stop relying on weak, ignorant, uninformed talking heads on radio and television for our directional information. They are flunkies and lackeys, and will say whatever they think will put them in good stead with someone elses checkbook. Give me more of Tom Pope, Cliff Kelley, and other Black talk show hosts who are unafraid and will not compromise the economic future of their own people.
Whup us until we stop sitting back and taking the injustice of a racist police department, such as the one in Cincinnati. Whup us until we stop consenting to economic apartheid and exclusion, such as what we have in Cincinnati. Whup us until we no longer accept the corrupt voting systems, such as the ones we experienced in Cincinnati and around Ohio.
Whup us until we stand up like Black men and women and do what we must for ourselves and for our children. Whup us until we wake up, get up, stand up, and start fighting back. Until then, keep whuppin us because we need a good whuppin.
Please get a copy of Kwa David Whitakers Wake Up Call, and listen to it with your children and everyone else in your circle. If you contact me I will tell you how to get it. Meanwhile, ponder on the quote by Whitaker of Martin Delany: The liberty of no man is secure who controls not his own destiny; for people to be free, they must necessarily be their own rulers. Whup us, Brother Delany. Whup us, Kwa David. 
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