Undoing Willie Lynch

[Akyeame Kwame]

Undoing Willie Lynch


Can the Willie Lynch syndrome be undone? Yes, and in half the time it took to enforce it. According to the letter by Willie Lynch, "If used intensively for one year, the slaves themselves will remain perpetually distrustful." This strategy, if used, is made up of 3 words: fear, distrust, and envy, which are all practices of evil. Thus, if the 400-plus year division and subjugation of Black America is attributed to evil elements, then the practice of good on our part will break the cycle.

Fear, distrust, and envy works on all fronts in relation to who these evils are instilled in and imparted to, i.e., the slaves, the slave-masters, or Blacks and whites today, the point is for the oppressor in charge to implant these attributes into either or all of those in the path. The slave was to distrust his own people, the master, and the overseer. The overseer was to distrust the slaves only, which was instilled into him from the slave owner.

If the overseer distrusted the slave, he would keep a keen eye on him and punish him when he felt necessary and with what justice he thought right, be it lynching, whipping, or other. This is synonymous to whites in charge today and how Blacks are always the prime targets for mistrust in the workplace.

The way the strategy of fear, distrust, and envy of one another and whites in charge worked on the slaves and do Blacks today, was and is to point out differences first among Blacks and then between the character of whites and that of Blacks. As long as a difference is emphasized, there is always reason for doubt of one's self, especially when one is described as inferior to another.

Skin color among Blacks, age cohort, plantation positioning, size, shape, demographics and hair type were determinants of who to fear, distrust or envy. When Blacks were indoctrinated to these determinants and these determinants were pushed through publication and media then and now, Blacks became confused as well as caught in the hype of rugged individualism and therefore divided as to who and what to believe. Today, the syndrome is embedded deep within our psyche but not beyond restoration.

The first strategy toward breaking this cycle is acknowledging it exists. If we believe the Willie Lynch letter is simply a myth, we deceive ourselves and have failed at beginning restoration. Even if the letter is a myth, one has to acknowledge the evils that divide us and that they are extensions of long-implanted practices of the oppressor. We have to realize that these evils can be overcome simply because there are societies throughout the world and in the Old World, that operated more on goodness with little infection of evil destroying the community. On this bases of faith we can begin to build.

Next, we must dissect these evils by seeing them for what they are and how they affect us as a whole and our relationship with the rest of society. Then we combat the evils with its opposing force, which is courage (or confidence in ourselves to live and do without the devices and beliefs of the Western world), trust, which entails our ability to look deeper into one another's situation and judge according to oneness of character in relation to ourselves and not monetary value. And as opposed to envy, we must honor and respect what the other is doing or trying to do and understand that whatever talents or skills or intellect another has, it is for the betterment of us all and not for self only.

The supposition according to the letter is that distrust is stronger than trust, but this rationalization is flawed by reason of trust itself. If a person does not believe in trust, they cannot practice it. Trust is a need and is possible for Black America. Trusting one another is more important now than trusting any others, especially those who seek to oppress us. Why would a person trust those who do not believe or trust in the concept of trust itself?

Trust is knowing that your Black neighbor can do rather than can or will not do. This mindset - of doubting others and us - came from a constant subliminal pressing through media and academic literature. Blacks must write themselves into life; the power of the written word is of more power than the evils inflicted upon us.

With a full understanding of combating the above evils by documenting our abilities, Black America can and will overturn the syndrome by way of confidence, trust, and honor of each other. Though it supposedly took 300 hundred years to infiltrate the Black community with this strategy, it can take us less than a year to undo it. The first year is vital because it will set the pace for the next 300 years of breaking free of the psychological oppression we experience now.

We are a people, we are one, we are Black and the oppressor hates us. Money is not the key, knowledge of our situation is, and money will follow only after a foundation is laid. Know whom you are up against and tell your neighbor, your children, and the rest of the world. You are Black and are proud.

© 2005 By CR Hamilton