Posts
It’s been nearly four hundred years since that fateful day in the year of our Lord 1619, when people from Africa were first dragged onto the American shores. People of African descent have been chastised, criticized, punished, beaten, robbed, and murdered from that day to this. Today, even when we have ascended to the White House there are those who castigate much vial abuse upon this uniquely qualified man of African heritage who lives in what they view as their house. To that end, the same people by extension view all of us as the Constitutions categorized us - as three/forth’s human.
All while the culprits, people of little conscience have enjoyed wealth and prosperity as a result of our never ending patriotism. When I think about America’s enormous wealth and power derived from its tremendous control of the resources and “the least of thee”. I think about the sacrifices our families and forefathers’ made to make all of this possible. It was our labor that built this country and we are responsible in large part for the great wealth and power America possesses. We are a unique people, a forgiving people, a steadfast people, and a brave people unlike any known to man-kind.
Upon our backs, laden with the stripes of punishment for what they believed was for discipline and in spite of our loyalty, diligence and tenacity - we loved America. Even when America refused to allow us to even walk in the shadows, we followed, believing that someday we would come to be accepted and treated like men and women. We have looked out for this country for hundreds of years and still doing today; it’s simply amazing.
Our history is one of unbelievable struggle. We’ve been brave on the battlefield, despite being classified as second class citizens but in every conflict we went beyond the call of duty. Our strength in the face of adversity is vastly understated. Let me add something her: we’ve lived under an Apartheid like system, which is what James Crow offered. We have raised America’s children, attended to its sick, and prepared their meals while those forefathers were occupied with the trappings of the good life. This is to include the times when they found pleasure in our women and enjoyment in seeing our men lynched, maimed and burned. Yet, we continued to watch over America’s soul.
We labored in the hot sun from “Cain’t to Cain’t”, that’s can’t see to can’t see, to assist in realizing the dream of wealth, good fortune, and making America great. Those same people of little conscience have controlled at least 90 percent of all the resources and wealth from the beginning and we were there from the beginning; and we are still here today. Ironically, these folks of ill repute continue to protect the system, or try, from those Black people who have the temerity to speak out against America’s past transgressions and they do this by using us.
It was us who warned about Denmark-Vessey, told them about Gabriel Prosser's plans, called their attention to Nat Turner, Malcolm, and Martin. It was us sounded the alarm when old John Brown came calling on Harper's Ferry and there are still some people of color sounding the same warnings to those people like today’s bigots – the Republicans. Black Nationalism has died and as result our community brings 95 percent of what it earns to businesses owned by others and keeps little for themselves. We purchase things like Hilfigers, Karans, Nikes, and all of the other brands that have nothing to do with our survival through our patronage.
After all, in the past, the brands and scares placed upon us were worn quite painfully, but those of today can be proudly worn because they give a false sense of self-esteem. Our community’s super-rich; athletes, entertainers, intellectuals, and business persons, both legal and illegal, exchange most of their money for cars, jewelry, homes, and clothing.
The less fortunate among us spend all they have at neighborhood stores, enabling them to open even more stores; simply put we will allow anyone to open a business and patronize it in our communities. Some say we, as a people, are successful today but I shake my head and say really! I am going to take a guess that there is at best a thousand wealthy blacks. To which certain people may say great. Let me remind them that there are about 40,000,000 of us here!
Wake up people, you know what happens when you began to build your own communities and do business with one another – you’re destroyed and put out of business. Couple that with the fact that, we do not support each other, which is the results from our not doing business with each other and just keep doing business with the larger community or in fact any other community. So how can we move forward!
Sure, we dance, sing, fight, get high, go to prison, back bite, envy, and hate one another; and even kill each other for virtually nothing! Oh, less not forget we pray a lot too. We resisted the messages of trouble-making Blacks like Washington, Delaney, Garvey, Bethune, Tubman and Truth, for fighting and dying on the battlefield for us. Yet, most have forgotten their names and hardly ever considered their sacrifice due to a lack of reciprocity and equity.
This includes our acquiescence to political agendas, abdicating our own economic self-sufficiency, and working so diligently for the economic well-being of other people. Even though the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments were written and many died for the rights described therein. We did not resist, at all, when they changed Black rights to civil rights and allowed virtually every other group to take advantage of them as well, which was just another way to divide and conquer.
After all these years and the enormous sacrifices this goes beyond the imagination, irrespective of the many promises that have been made and broken. A lass, don’t worry, when you die you will find a place where there is a mansion waiting for you with streets paved with gold.
Finally, we went beyond the pale and allowed our children to be turned over to the American educational system. With what is being taught to them, it's likely they will continue in a mode similar to the one we have followed to date. I wonder if Mr. Lynch, when he walked the banks of the James River in 1712, realized the truth in his prediction when he said, “What I offer you will make African’s slaves for 300 years, maybe even a thousand”. Guess what, it has been exactly three hundred years. Let’s not let the other half of his prediction come to fruition.
When you continue to do what you’ve always done; you will get what you always got. Don’t you think it’s time that we have cried our last tear! Wake up and free your mind and your ass will follow! And that’s my Thought Provoking Perspective…
Legacy – A New Season
Just a Season
No comments:
Post a Comment