Building Bridges Over Troubled Waters

Description

Amefika Geuka prides himself on being a “practical” Black nationalist as contrasted to the “cultural” variety; the operative distinction being between theorizing and doing. He cites the following definition of ‘practical’ from Webster’s Dictionary for Students to illustrate his point: 1. engaged in some work; 2. of or relating to action and practice rather than ideas or thought; 3. capable of being made use of; 4. ready to do things rather than just plan or think about them. Geuka is convinced that the true worth or value of an idea or theory must be proven by being put to the test of applicability — will it work “where the rubber-meets-the-road?” From a practical black nationalist point of view, all of the beautiful sounding philosophical and theoretical concepts we nationalists so love to swoon about must be subjected to the scientific method according to Geuka: 1) Ask a question; 2) Do background research; 3) Construct a hypothesis; 4) Test with an experiment; 5) Observe and record; 6) Analyze data and draw conclusions; and 7) Communicate results.