It’s bad to be caught at the junction of need, desperation, hope and greed. It is a terrible place to be. Those left out or denied relief in the Black Farmer Discrimination Litigation find themselves at this junction.

Everywhere I go, people ask me how to get “my Black Farmers money.” I also field calls each and every day. The form of the question may vary but the thrust is the same “How can I get my Black Farmers money?” Some examples of the questions are: “Why was I left out,” “Why didn’t they let us know in time to get in,” “Why was I denied,” “Is it too late to get in the Black Farmers lawsuit?” Each question indicates the questioner is caught at the junction of need, desperation, hope and greed.

I tell people there is no way to get in this lawsuit. There is no process for appeal, review or reconsideration. Still, they believe what they want to believe. And they want to believe that there must be a way to get into the Black Farmers cases to secure the $50,000. They are caught at the junction of need, desperation, hope and greed.

One black farmer organization is really big time. They hold meetings at big hotels in Montgomery, Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, etc. There were over 1,000 at a meeting in Montgomery. They charge a $100 annual fee and a $500 lifetime fee. People pay willingly. The leader of the organization says it is a membership fee. However, they go on to tell people they have three choices: (1) file a lawsuit themselves; (2) hire a lawyer to file a lawsuit; or (3) join their organization, which will file a lawsuit for them.

I cannot say these people are lying, because anyone can file a lawsuit whether they have a case or not. No matter what I say, people go and pay anyway. That’s what happens when people struggle at the junction of need, desperation, hope and greed.

One friend said, “We should not worry. The $100 they pay is like playing the lottery. In the lottery, we invest a dollar or two for a chance to win millions. However, our chances of winning are one in several million. In the Black Farmers case, we invest a little more ($100) with the hope of getting a lot less ($50,000) but we feel our odds are better.” That’s what happens when we are caught at the junction of need, desperation, hope and greed.

A woman in Perry County is charging $250 to get people in the case of Black Farmers, Women Farmers, Hispanic Farmers and the Native American Farmers. She is careful to say her fee is for notarizing the papers. The hustlers are so slick. People go and pay anyway. That’s what happens when we are caught at the junction of need, desperation, hope and greed.

Another group is holding meetings in small Alabama towns such as Clanton, Uniontown, Marion, etc. They tell people that if 500 people sign a petition, the Black Farmers Discrimination Litigation case can be reopened. They do not ask for money right away. They ask people to donate and nearly all do so. That’s what happens when people are caught at the junction of need, desperation, hope and greed.

Let me explore this junction of need, desperation, hope and greed. Most of us are poor and therefore in need. Many of us are desperate because we missed out on the first Black Farmers case, the second Black Farmers case, the Women Farmers case, the Hispanic case and the Native American case.

In our minds, we cannot afford to miss this time. Then there are those of us that just want the money even if we did not attempt to farm and were not discriminated against. It is terrible to be caught at the junction of need, desperation, hope and greed.

When we hear that others received a $50,000 Black Farmer check, we feel we are just as entitled. After all, we have certainly been discriminated against. We don’t understand the law authorizing the second Black Farmers case only covered those who filed a petition to get in the first Black Farmers case and were too late. In addition, a sworn 17-page claim form had to be submitted to judges (neutrals). Only about 55 percent were approved. Most of those who were denied still believe there must be a way for something to be done, because they are caught at the junction of need, hope, desperation and greed.

I cannot cease trying to prevent people from being ripped off. Too many of us have been scammed most of our lives. I am fighting a losing battle but I must fight.

It is amazing how we convince ourselves of things so inconsistent with the truth. And few of us are exempt from this malady. I have experienced it myself. When we are caught at the junction of need, desperation, hope and greed, we are begging to be hustled by those willing to tell us what we want to hear.