Whewww… 2022 has been a doozy, and a lot of people are looking forward to its end. The year 2022 saw the proliferation of a triple pandemic with new strains of COVID, a rise in incidences of the flu, and the spread of RSV.
Many individuals made their transitions, and the war in the Ukraine, which began in 2022, continues to rage. Climate change is wreaking havoc, and it has been said that it’s only a matter of time before it will be too late for us to offset the problems generated by it.
On another note, at press time, there were 611 mass shootings during 2022, revealing that the extreme dysfunction of domestic terrorism has come to America.
There were also some positive things that happened during 2022.
Democrats were successful in putting the kibosh on a widely anticipated “Red wave,” thus staving off a takeover of Congress by Republicans. There was also progress made by the January 6 Commission, which came to a verdict regarding the culpability of former President Donald Trump in the insurrection. It remains to be seen what happens next, and the Commission’s recommendations regarding Trump have been forwarded to law enforcement authorities.
WNBA star Brittney Griner was released from a Russian prison camp after being caught with a small amount of cannabis oil.
One thing is certain; for those of us who are alive, there is always an opportunity for positive change. Being alive allows us to see the consequences of our errors and makes it possible for us to correct them. Because of this, positive change is possible.
One of the things that leading thinkers have discovered is that the world is created by its inhabitants. In other words, it is the collective thoughts, actions and deeds of us all that determine the direction that the world takes.
The latter point is the main reason why it is important to get a proper education and to learn to discern truth from falsehood. Those people who want to control what happens on this planet from an economic standpoint know that if they are able to control the thinking patterns of the population, they can control the world.
What are some of the changes that we should consider as we emerge into a brave new year?
In the Black community it is clear what is needed: unity and self-love! Regarding this, there is a schism between the sexes that has split the community in a very toxic manner due to a very surprising event; a celebrity rapper, Megan Thee Stallion, was shot in her foot, allegedly by rapper Tory Lanez.
For some reason, a lot of people, particularly Black men, have developed a very deep hatred of Megan, and a lot of people thought that Tory would win against her, even though it was obvious that she had been shot. People opposed Megan, partially due to the fact that she allegedly lied about a couple of things related to the incident, but it was certain that she didn’t lie about being shot.
The fallout was so bad against her that you would have thought that she was the one on trial. Most people predicted that Megan would lose her case. As it turned out, Lanez was found guilty on all three charges. But even before the trial, Megan had garnered a lot of animosity. So, this incident has revealed a great rift in the Black community, and this rift is between Black men and Black women.
As we move into a new year, we must realize that we have new opportunities to make things better. The rift must be healed. The Black community has been damaged a great deal by social media via gangsta rap, misogyny, and Black-on-Black crime. It is time that we realize that we will not be successful as a people unless we make a greater effort to work together and to love one another.
Nonetheless, there is light at the end of the tunnel; there is some pushback against the toxic rap music that has spent years infusing the community with negative, self-destructive ideas. People are starting to connect the dots between popular culture and community violence.
We now know that life does imitate art, which imitates life. We have a new year with new opportunities for success, and it is up to us to forge a new positive course for our lives and the life of the community. One of the best tools we have to help make our success a reality is the Nguzo Saba, the Seven Principles that are highlighted during Kwanzaa.
Let’s do this; let’s change our circumstances and, in so doing, change the world. With this said, The Crusader wishes you and yours a very Happy New Year! A Luta Continua.
