The first Black slaves were brought to America in 1619. As slavery developed and took a socio-econimic foothold in the new country so did mythical beliefs of White's perceptions of Blacks. Don't forget the fact that for 244 years Whites 'owned' Blacks and therefore generations of Whites grew up with the misconception that Blacks were endowed with greater physical strength but at the same time had lesser capacity in intellect when compared to Whites.
Long after the emancipation of Blacks the obstacles for them to achieve were difficult if not nearly impossible. In track and field White America applauded a Black guy named Jessie Owens who stuck it in Adolf Hitler's ass during the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Before that Boxing Champion, Jack Johnson caught America's eyes. It was in the late 1940's that Jackie Robinson and Larry Doby endured the slings, arrows and race baiting ugliness of White baseball fans and other White players. Even as the Black man proved his worthiness on the sports' stage it wasn't good enough to earn him a place at the table, same restrooms or any bus seat with Whites. Nothing illustrates this better than when a 22 year old Cassius Clay dethroned Sonny Liston to claim the World Boxing Championship but later realizing he would be denied service at a lunch counter back in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. Then Whites vilified a Muhammad Ali for refusing to serve in a USA military.
As some laws demanded equality, i.e., civil rights, voting rights and federal laws prohibiting job discrimination, White people still get pissed off if a person of color dares to speak his political opinion or protest against or for a cause. An NFL player kneeling during the National Anthem sets off the anger of a President who lied about a his own physical disability to avoid military service for that country. Fox News anchor, Laura Ingraham probably epitomized that 'White' superior attitude when after NBA player LaBron James spoke out about politics. Ingraham said, "I'm not interested in the political advice from someone who gets paid 100 million dollars a year to bounce a ball...shut up and dribble." Ingraham also took the opportunity to make light of James' language skills saying his speech was "Barely intelligible and ungrammatical." She could have added what many Whites have said for centuries, 'Those people need to know their place.' Perhaps Trump said it another way when on the heels of the NBA boycotting games after a police killing of a Black man, Trump suggested The NBA is a political organization. In short a group largely comprised of Blacks should not have an opinion.
I am a privileged White American. Thank God I was not born Black in this country. I cannot imagine the hardships facing my brothers and sisters of color. Make no mistake this imbedded sin of bigotry and racism in our beloved America is coming to a sociological crescendo with the 2020 Presidential election. This election is all about COLORS: It's about Green, White & Black; not Red, White & Blue.
Thursday, August 27, 2020
Saturday, August 15, 2020
'Us Against Them' Sadly Within
I cannot say that I predicted what has become apparent in this year 2020, but in hindsight and based upon my experiences it sadly makes perfect sense. No, I'm not talking about the coronavirus pandemic. Only few could have imagined that nightmare. I am talking about making openly known that which has always existed, America's 'Bigotry' and Racism.' The catalyst or vehicle bringing this issue into the light of day has been the speech act of one President Donald J. Trump. It began with veiled subtleties, innuendos and coded language.
To best connect the dots, I would offer my formative experiences of the 1940's and 1950's. I was raised by hardworking, God worshiping parents and an extended family in multicultural/diversified East St. Louis, a city of some 80,000 people who understood the unspoken boundaries of forced and unforced separation. Many second generation immigrants continued to intentionally settle in geographical pockets, which afforded the desired comforts of practiced language and customs similarities. I don't recall shared fears that folks from Poland, Italy, Ireland, Checloslavia, France, etc. would move into your neighborhood but woe betide should the 'Colored' people from the 'Southend' move in. Oh, it was okay if Black women came into those White neighborhoods to do domestic work but they best be on a City bus headed to their 'own' area come four o'clock. Those folks best 'know their place.' The Blacks of that period were denied many good paying union jobs and forced to live in slums. Whites could then point to them in a condescending tone suggesting 'laziness.' However if a black man looked to be energetic and bent on upward mobility, White folks could label him as an 'uppity ni*#er.' I heard it over and over.
I can't speak for other cities but I can for St. Louis and East St. Louis when I state that ignorant prejudices unsubstantiated by facts were muted and consealed in those times but nevertheless existed. I heard those conversation that promoted those 'white-man' fears and negative attitudes towards people of color. It was confusing. Most in my neighborhood were Church going people. Following the teachings of Christ but sure the hell not living those teachings. (And Christians today weigh-in on abortion and gay-lesbian rights while ignoring racism as obvious as brown children locked in cages separated from parents).
In the past three and one half years our President, propped-up a complicit Republican Party has gone from negative racially charged coded hate language, ie, "Drug dealers, Thugs and rapist," to the less subtle fear mongering about safety in the suburbs should he (Trump) not be re-elected..."Your home will go down in value." Trump sells the fear of Blacks coming into your neighborhood would cause crime to go up while home values and safety decreases.
America's hate filled divisiveness nurtured by a President who wishes to play upon fears promotes racial intolerance and rippens the field for conflict, which may soon culminate with horrible sights in our streets. I fear circumstances following our 2020, Presidential election. The most powerful nation in the world can defeat all outside enemies but cannot protect from within.
"A house divided against itself cannot stand." Abraham Lincoln
To best connect the dots, I would offer my formative experiences of the 1940's and 1950's. I was raised by hardworking, God worshiping parents and an extended family in multicultural/diversified East St. Louis, a city of some 80,000 people who understood the unspoken boundaries of forced and unforced separation. Many second generation immigrants continued to intentionally settle in geographical pockets, which afforded the desired comforts of practiced language and customs similarities. I don't recall shared fears that folks from Poland, Italy, Ireland, Checloslavia, France, etc. would move into your neighborhood but woe betide should the 'Colored' people from the 'Southend' move in. Oh, it was okay if Black women came into those White neighborhoods to do domestic work but they best be on a City bus headed to their 'own' area come four o'clock. Those folks best 'know their place.' The Blacks of that period were denied many good paying union jobs and forced to live in slums. Whites could then point to them in a condescending tone suggesting 'laziness.' However if a black man looked to be energetic and bent on upward mobility, White folks could label him as an 'uppity ni*#er.' I heard it over and over.
I can't speak for other cities but I can for St. Louis and East St. Louis when I state that ignorant prejudices unsubstantiated by facts were muted and consealed in those times but nevertheless existed. I heard those conversation that promoted those 'white-man' fears and negative attitudes towards people of color. It was confusing. Most in my neighborhood were Church going people. Following the teachings of Christ but sure the hell not living those teachings. (And Christians today weigh-in on abortion and gay-lesbian rights while ignoring racism as obvious as brown children locked in cages separated from parents).
In the past three and one half years our President, propped-up a complicit Republican Party has gone from negative racially charged coded hate language, ie, "Drug dealers, Thugs and rapist," to the less subtle fear mongering about safety in the suburbs should he (Trump) not be re-elected..."Your home will go down in value." Trump sells the fear of Blacks coming into your neighborhood would cause crime to go up while home values and safety decreases.
America's hate filled divisiveness nurtured by a President who wishes to play upon fears promotes racial intolerance and rippens the field for conflict, which may soon culminate with horrible sights in our streets. I fear circumstances following our 2020, Presidential election. The most powerful nation in the world can defeat all outside enemies but cannot protect from within.
"A house divided against itself cannot stand." Abraham Lincoln
Tuesday, August 11, 2020
Time To Sell...Sellers Market.
We Americans have little control if any control over the events governing our nation. I once thought that our voting exercise was powerful but between the foreign influence from Russia and the fraud laced mail-in voting reported by our current President, it (voting) is 'smoke n' mirrors.' If reasonable minded countrymen (a fast dwindling number) would step back and clear their heads they would see all kinds of indications suggesting the time is ripe to cut a deal and sell America. Relax! Don't work yourself into a dither or tell me to "Love America or Leave it." I love this country but I've been paying attention to the obvious things that support this notion to 'sell.' Hear me out...
It's been a terrific run. Starting with the Pilgrims, the Westward expansion, the industrialization and high technology, we did ourselves proud notwithstanding a few moral missteps along the way, i.e., cheating and massacring Native Americans, enslaving Black people, operating Japanese Internment Camps and turning away Hispanic immigrants while they support our economy with the cheap wages given to those illegals we ignore. We got filled with ourselves and got cocky. Bob Hope and Bing Crosby made all those 'Road Movies' back in the 1940' & '50's and it pissed off the Arab nations who slowly starting getting even with us. The Mexicans never got over their war lost to America and the land we stole from them and now the descendants of Santa Ana keep sneaking into our country screwing up the economy, our schools and the health care system, however they do keep our lawns looking good. If you have been paying attention foreign countries have been buying up American land.
Today, we got a pandemic that soon will kill over 200,000 Americans and obviously our leaders cannot make intentional and intelligent decisions to arrest the plague. We need to 'sell' America to the highest bidder and that's not an irrational statement. An irrational statement is when somebody says, "The Spanish Flu of 1917 caused a lot of soldiers to get sick and probably ended World War II."
America has already allowed foreign countries to control and manage our Port Terminals, as well as selling off United States' tollways and bridges to foreign countries. If we check into an American hotel or motel these days or visit a 7/11 Store, we are frequently greeted by a Middle Eastern person whose grandfather owns the property.
I'm convinced we can get a good price for the country along with some important desirable perks. Consider: 1) Give us reservations just like the Indians have but make sure it's gated so we don't have to live next to people who don't look like us. 2) Make sure we can get cheap gas for our SUV and plenty of beer and brats for our tailgating parties. 3) No restrictions on hunting game with semi-automatics. 4) Television access for porn movies, preacher programs, game shows, reality shows and sports. Since the national passtime will become Camel racing, we should be guaranteed revenue off one Camel race track ownership. (Note: We would give the profits to our educational system).
It's been a terrific run. Starting with the Pilgrims, the Westward expansion, the industrialization and high technology, we did ourselves proud notwithstanding a few moral missteps along the way, i.e., cheating and massacring Native Americans, enslaving Black people, operating Japanese Internment Camps and turning away Hispanic immigrants while they support our economy with the cheap wages given to those illegals we ignore. We got filled with ourselves and got cocky. Bob Hope and Bing Crosby made all those 'Road Movies' back in the 1940' & '50's and it pissed off the Arab nations who slowly starting getting even with us. The Mexicans never got over their war lost to America and the land we stole from them and now the descendants of Santa Ana keep sneaking into our country screwing up the economy, our schools and the health care system, however they do keep our lawns looking good. If you have been paying attention foreign countries have been buying up American land.
Today, we got a pandemic that soon will kill over 200,000 Americans and obviously our leaders cannot make intentional and intelligent decisions to arrest the plague. We need to 'sell' America to the highest bidder and that's not an irrational statement. An irrational statement is when somebody says, "The Spanish Flu of 1917 caused a lot of soldiers to get sick and probably ended World War II."
America has already allowed foreign countries to control and manage our Port Terminals, as well as selling off United States' tollways and bridges to foreign countries. If we check into an American hotel or motel these days or visit a 7/11 Store, we are frequently greeted by a Middle Eastern person whose grandfather owns the property.
I'm convinced we can get a good price for the country along with some important desirable perks. Consider: 1) Give us reservations just like the Indians have but make sure it's gated so we don't have to live next to people who don't look like us. 2) Make sure we can get cheap gas for our SUV and plenty of beer and brats for our tailgating parties. 3) No restrictions on hunting game with semi-automatics. 4) Television access for porn movies, preacher programs, game shows, reality shows and sports. Since the national passtime will become Camel racing, we should be guaranteed revenue off one Camel race track ownership. (Note: We would give the profits to our educational system).
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