I'm catching Hell, and so is DeKalb County, Missouri

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi said, “Just think of any negativity that comes at you as a raindrop falling into the ocean of your bliss.” If you are a person of color in the United States, this attitude is essential today.

It appears to Jay Harold that a concerted effort is being made to place a negative image on Black Americans. When someone makes a peaceful protest highlighting unfair treatment of people of color, Colon Kaepernick¹ gets treated like he committed treason. In 2016, Kaepernick gained national attention when he began protesting by not standing while the United States national anthem was being performed before the start of games, motivated by what he viewed as the oppression of people of color in the U.S.

Contrast this with Cliven Bundy. In 2014, Cliven Bundy² led an armed standoff with federal and state law enforcement over defaulted grazing fees. Some viewed him as a hero for having led a movement of ranchers to encourage more ranchers to join him in defaulting on their grazing fees as per their federal grazing contract. Check out this photo:

Image: An armed man stands watch as protesters gather by the Bureau of Land Management's base camp near Bunkerville, Nevada

Eric Parker from central Idaho stands watch on a bridge with his weapon as protesters gather by the Bureau of Land Management’s base camp, where cattle that were seized from rancher Cliven Bundy are being held, near Bunkerville, Nevada April 12, 2014. JIM URQUHART / Reuters

I guess Vladimir Lenin’s quote is true, “One man with a gun can control 100 without one.” Jay Harold wonders what would make someone take up arms against a law enforcement officer. Maybe the more important question is why law enforcement didn’t act to the obvious threat? Would we get the same reaction if the man was a person of color?

It should be clear by now that the Donald Trump administration will be hostile to minorities³. The question is, ” What are you going to do to survive and prosper?”

Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants. –Epictetus

Poverty is found in many parts of the United States. Jay Harold will highlight some non-urban areas with a low Black American population that may meet President Donald S. Trump’s definition of “living in hell.” Jay Harold previously has highlighted Douglas County, MO, McCreary County, KY, McDowell County, WV, Owsley County, Ky, Brooks County, TX, and Hancock County, TN. Jay Harold will spotlight another county in the state of Missouri.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Dekalb County⁴ is a county located in the northwest portion of the U.S. state of Missouri. DeKalb County is part of the St. Joseph, MO-KS Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS Combined Statistical Area. This area is known for its abundant scenic beauty and outdoor recreational opportunities. Mozingo Lake Recreational Park and Nodaway County Historical Society Museum are popular tourist attractions in Dekalb County.

The 2016 U.S. American Factfinder Census⁴ shows that Black Americans make up 11.7% of the total population. The table below from the U.S. Census shows the demographics of the county.

Dekalb County Demographics⁵

Population estimates, July 1, 2016, (V2016)

12,613

I'm catching Hell, and so is DeKalb County, Missouri

Race and Hispanic Origin

Black or African American alone, percent, July 1, 2016, (V2016)(a)

11.7%

White alone, percent, July 1, 2016

86.4%

Educational Attainment: Percent high school graduate or higher (age 25 years+, 2011-2015)

85.5%

Persons in poverty, percent

20%

Foreign born persons, percent, 2011-2015

1.4% in Dekalb County. United States average is 13.2%

Median Housing Value (2011-2015)

$110,700

The median household income in Dekalb County was $41,406 (in 2015 dollars) according to the 2015 American Community Survey from the U.S. Census.

Jay Harold has discussed Black American’s economic status, “Black Household Incomes Below National Avera ge.” Black American’s median household income for 2016 was $39,490⁶ according to a U.S. Census 2016 press release. Black Americans had an 83.8% high school graduation rate vs. 85.5% for Dekalb County according to the same census survey.

Will Trump’s push for tax cuts help most Americans?⁷

In private talks, Trump advisers are pressing to eliminate or reduce several popular tax deductions, including the interest companies pay on debt, state and local income taxes paid by families and individuals, and the hugely popular mortgage interest deduction. Several officials from the White House and Capitol Hill confirmed that those options are being considered and that they are pushing to release broad outlines in about a week.

The Truth can be painful!

W. E. B. Du Bois said: I'm catching Hell, and so is DeKalb County, Missouri

“To be a poor man is hard, but to be a poor race in a land of dollars is the very bottom of hardships.”

The data suggest that Black Americans are struggling economically. We must find ways to increase our income and save more money. Please remember your goal of more financial independence!

Enjoyed this post? Share it and read more here. Jay Harold has put together a Resource page that you may find useful when trying to improve your health and wealth. Please take this advice of Muhammad Ali and give back to others. “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.”

I’m catching Hell, and so is DeKalb County, Missouri

Eric Parker from central Idaho stands watch on a bridge with his weapon as protesters gather by the Bureau of Land Management’s base camp, where cattle that were seized from rancher Cliven Bundy are being held, near Bunkerville, Nevada April 12, 2014. JIM URQUHART / Reuters