Perseverance — Page 14
14 – the story of al-haj Rashid ahmad american was going to smash his head with the bottle. However, an acquaintance of mine who saw me asked me what I was doing out in the cold and I asked him who the guy in the restaurant was. He told me that he was a policeman. Alarmed, I changed my plans pretty darn quick and I withdrew. On a third occasion I saw the man again and I enquired a person who he was and was told that he was nothing but a man who robs dope dealers. I simply left the situation at that and did not pursue it any further. This paints the picture of the environment I was in. PERCEPTION IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY Back in those days, black men were afforded a great deal of respect if they had the outward appearance of success and money, but did not have to work. A black man was not respected by the Black Community if he worked the 9 to 5 routine and was paid by the establishment. The “establishment” was generally known to be the Jews. They were commonly viewed as wealthy and shrewd business people who exploited black people as cheap labor. One of the primary ways young black men were able to make money without working was through women. They would attract them with flashy clothes and a flashy lifestyle. When the women would be attracted to them, they would be used by the young men for prostitution and theft. Young black men would often advertise themselves on the street to attract women to work for them, but they were even more effective in attracting another unwelcome visitor: the Chicago Police Department.