When we begin to place the focus on freedom, rather than rights, well have our answer.
by Tina Grazier
Weve come a long way since the Funk Brothers brought a generation of kids together with their uplifting down right fun and funky sound. From 1959 through 1972 their music represented a true revolution that carried the promise of black and white brotherhoodthe sound, and the joy that brought it forth, was a revolution of the heart. But by the time Marvin Gaye sang Whats Goin On the cry for freedom had begun to chang to “activism for special rights and a divisive worldview was born. Not everyone heard that un-American call:
Where does one start when you were born in Detroit, Michigan, and raised during the great “Funk Brothers” era? Or, raised during the era of “The Originators of Music”, as one scholar has described the Funk Brothers. I am not alone when I say that I could not escape the Sound of Motown. The world could not escape the great sound originated by the Funk Brothers. – Wendal & Eddie Willis, Guitar
I dont think anyone noticed, but that music played a small yet significant part in Americas history regarding freedom.
The Motown phenomenon began in a small house in Detroit by individuals seeking to create and sell a productit was a celebration of freedom and of the pursuit of happiness. Berry Gordy didn’t ask what can the government do for me, he asked what can I do for myself…and the rest is history.
Berry Gordy III was the seventh of eight children born to the middle class family of Berry Gordy II (a.k.a. Berry Gordy, Sr.), and Bertha Fuller Gordy, who had relocated to Detroit from Milledgeville, Georgia in 1922 Gordy was brought up in a tight-knit family with strong morals. ** His grandfather (Berry Gordy) was the son of a white farmer and a female slave in Georgia. Berry Gordy II was lured to Detroit by the many job opportunities for blacks that booming automotive businesses like Ford offered.
Berry Gordy, Jr., started Motown Records in 1957 after his record store in Detroit went bankrupt and he turned to songwriting for R&B acts. The name was an abbreviation of “Motor City” and was located at 2648 West Grand Boulevard, called “Hitsville, U.S.A.” He hired high school students Eddie Holland, Lamont Dozier and Brian Holland for $2 per week plus 1/2 cent per record royalties to write songs. By 1973 when Gordy left the company at age 46, he had built the “nation’s largest black-owned entertainment conglomerate.
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Long before the Funk Brothers and Berry Gordy, however, we find other examples of black Americans who answered freedoms call. The following is from a book about the Civil War:
The service of nearly 180,000 black soldiers in the Union army sped the transformation of the Civil War into a war against slavery.
180, 000 black men fought and died to be free in the land of the free during the Civil War. Its a part of American history that we can all be proud to claim; its a heritage that all Americans share. Its a heritage that will lead to great success, if we have the courage to embrace it.
Through the years, regardless of the barriers that made our pursuits challenging, people stepped forward to become successful and realize their dreams. In sports, in music, in business and acedeme, ordinary people studied and worked hard to find a place at the table in America. The following website perfectly illustrates how opportunity abounds when freedom is embraced:
The Kiara Group Unlimited, LLC.
First opened in 2000 in a single office in Hamden Connecticut, the Kiara Group is succeeding against all odds. The Kiara Group is owned by Patrick Mitchell and Christina Walls and is a glowing example of how successful doing business in Black America can be. The company’s initial offerings were tax preparation and mortgages and they have since added computer networking, debt counseling, property management and other services to the fold. The company offers products which seek to “make a difference in people’s lives by helping them achieve financial independence.” ** The Kiara Group’s target audience is its neighbors. We are looking to influence the community in abundance of constructive and optimistic ways. We want to help you build your business and your household. We want to provoke a positive change in your life. Whether you are looking to improve the look of your home, or purchase your very first house, broaden your client base through technology, improve your credit, lower your debt, save thousands of dollars by reduced penalties and interest to include IRS, The Kiara Group can make it happen for you.
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There have been a number of stories in the news recently about the following words spoken by Michelle Obama:
“Let me tell you something. For the first time in my adult lifetime, I am really proud of my country.” ** “And not just because Barack has done well, but because I think people are hungry for change. I have been desperate to see our country moving in that direction and just not feeling so alone in my frustration and disappointment.”
For the millions of men and women who have worked hard, bled and died, for themselves, their families, their neighbors and yes, for America, let me finish by saying that it is freedom that makes it possible to realize our dreams. I dont know Michelle Obama, and I certainly cant say what was in her mind when she uttered these words about pride of country and change. I do know she lives in a very different reality if she hasnt been proud to be an American before now. I also know that if she is looking for ways to uplift the less fortunate she should begin to talk about freedom. The freedom to pursue happiness is a great blessing in this land of the free. It is the better answer, better than the empty promise of government programs and tax policies that keep people stuck in a soft form of slavery…but it is not free.
“Whats Goin On” with me is that “Im Proud to Be an American” and I leave you with these words; words that work for all Americans:
If tomorrow all the things were gone
I’d worked for all my life,
And I had to start again
with just my children and my wife,
I’d thank my lucky stars
to be living here today,
‘Cause the flag still stands for freedom
and they can’t take that away.
I’m proud to be an American
where at least I know I’m free,
And I won’t forget the men who died
who gave that right to me,
And I gladly stand up next to you
and defend her still today,
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land
God Bless the U.S.A.