“Black” People and the Bruce Leroy Mentality
It’s amazing how long the human brain can hold a thought. This came to me last year, but being tied up with other projects, I’m just getting around to writing this. Let me start by saying people are entitled to believe what they want, I get that, this is my take on things. With that, let’s begin.
The 1985 film The Last Dragon is one of my favorite all-time movies. I can’t tell you how many times I watch this growing up in the 80s. The story tells of Leroy Green, Jr., better known as “Bruce Leroy,” a well-meaning young man who was a martial artist in search for the “glow,” and the one, true “master”.
In the beginning, his teacher (I’m saying “teacher,” I’m not with calling another man “master”) implies that what he was seeking was in him all along, but at the time, for some reason, he just couldn’t see it. He thought it was some ultimate outside source.
So, he goes on this soul searching type of journey seeking this “glow,” and one, true “master,” encountering inner and outer adversity, namely in the form of, in my opinion, perhaps the most underrated villain in TV/film history in Sho’Nuff. Long story short, when adversity puts him in a critical situation is when he finally realizes he what sought was in him all along.
Thinking back on this movie last year, it came to me that is basically the mentality of most so-called Black people. I’m not sure nor am I saying this what Berry Gordy had in mind when he produced the movie, but it’s a connection that I personally made.
Collectively, for years and counting, I’ve been saying the majority of us have what I call an everyone-is-searching-for-a-hero mentality. We keep looking to outside sources (particularly unproven ones) for our everything, whether it be some “god” or some next “great ‘black’ leader.” We’ve been doing this for decades and none of it has worked. All of this seeking, searching, and serving some “higher power” or some individual — whether it be some preacher, “activist” or some organization — who comes off as if he, she or they are for the people, and all we get is bamboozled or it has made most “Blacks” passive pansies, especially when it comes to how they’re treated by other races.
They do or say the most blatantly disrespectful things to them, and most of them just accept it, and that’s part of the problem. No, I’m not saying violence is the answer to everything, but you can’t take crap off people, either.
You don’t know for sure if this higher power exist, and the majority of these people are out for themselves. They don’t care about us; they just know how to say the right things and dress a certain way to move you, get you riled up and eventually put money in their pockets, but it’s only helping them, none of it is helping your cause.
What I’m saying is I think what we’ve been seeking for generations is actually in us already, we’ve just been indoctrinated to depend on and seek outside sources for what we need. I suggest instead of looking to these outside sources, try looking in the mirror and within. Of course, I can’t tell others what to do, who to follow or listen to, which is why it’s a suggestion and not a command, but for me, this is where I am moving forward. Instead of looking up or to others, I’m looking and searching within to be and create the best version of myself.
