Bring Blacks Back to the Right Side
Glory?
A few days ago, I watched "Glory" and, after a few moments of reflection, I became ashamed of many of my fellow Black Americans and, my fellow Americans in general.
Think about it; for what have we felt the need to risk everything we own, including our lives? Those black Soldiers of the 54th Massachusetts and other infantry regiments as well as the black and white Soldiers who fought in the Revolutionary War put everything on the line. As brave as our Founding Fathers were, and as much as they suffered, the men on the front lines were the ones living in tents, facing utter degradation if they were captured or even dying of disease and starvation. They were the ones who lived in constant fear that they wouldn't see their loved ones again. They woke up every morning knowing that they probably wouldn't make it back to camp. Yet, they fought... they fought bravely! They had their own reasons for doing it, but they did it!
Today, many of my fellow Americans, especially here in Washington, D.C., don't even acknowledge what a huge privilege it is to serve in the United States Armed Forces -- treating the military as a political laboratory and, there are even more who only pay superficial homage to our men and women serving -- mouthing words about the sacrifices that they are making. We have a president, who despite touting the fact that one of his relatives served in World War II, can't begin to understand or appreciate those sacrifices. What's worse, we have two parties, Democrats and Republicans, who get perverse joy from pointing fingers at one another in order to gain points with the electorate. As sad as it is, those who are supposed to represent the people of the United States of America only care about snorting the cocaine of money and luxuries and shooting the heroin of power and prestige. They claim to care about the people; however, in reality, they only truly care about their addictions.
Many of our young people don't listen to the stories their elders want to tell them because they think that they have better things to do... Sadly, this statement might even apply to us older folks too. What we are missing is that these stories are fraught with all kinds of lessons about patriotism, citizenship, being a good neighbor and friend and the consequences of not learning those lessons. In many cases today, our elderly can teach us more that a so-called "certified" teacher can. These are people who grew up during a time when the government didn't need to protect us from ourselves. They understand the importance of dragging our behinds to the precincts to vote because they lived during times when they knew that one vote mattered. They understand the era before affirmative action. In fact, it was my father who explained to me that back in the day, black folks had to work twice as hard and be twice as good, just to be considered equal with their white counterparts. Well, I say there is nothing wrong with that work ethic for blacks, whites, oranges, purples.... FOR EVERY AMERICAN! I would be quite remiss if I didn't acknowledge that there were whites who fought alongside blacks to change that and many other injustices. Unfortunately, there were many blacks and whites who made matters worse.
Look folks, the reality is that everyday, we are faced with losing those things that make us American and thus, SPECIAL. Forget what the Founding Fathers would think... I have a sneaking suspicion that had they known what we are on the verge of allowing to happen to our REPUBLIC, they would never have picked up arms in the first place. After all, would you, if you knew that your posterity would muck it all up?
Think about it; for what have we felt the need to risk everything we own, including our lives? Those black Soldiers of the 54th Massachusetts and other infantry regiments as well as the black and white Soldiers who fought in the Revolutionary War put everything on the line. As brave as our Founding Fathers were, and as much as they suffered, the men on the front lines were the ones living in tents, facing utter degradation if they were captured or even dying of disease and starvation. They were the ones who lived in constant fear that they wouldn't see their loved ones again. They woke up every morning knowing that they probably wouldn't make it back to camp. Yet, they fought... they fought bravely! They had their own reasons for doing it, but they did it!
Today, many of my fellow Americans, especially here in Washington, D.C., don't even acknowledge what a huge privilege it is to serve in the United States Armed Forces -- treating the military as a political laboratory and, there are even more who only pay superficial homage to our men and women serving -- mouthing words about the sacrifices that they are making. We have a president, who despite touting the fact that one of his relatives served in World War II, can't begin to understand or appreciate those sacrifices. What's worse, we have two parties, Democrats and Republicans, who get perverse joy from pointing fingers at one another in order to gain points with the electorate. As sad as it is, those who are supposed to represent the people of the United States of America only care about snorting the cocaine of money and luxuries and shooting the heroin of power and prestige. They claim to care about the people; however, in reality, they only truly care about their addictions.
Many of our young people don't listen to the stories their elders want to tell them because they think that they have better things to do... Sadly, this statement might even apply to us older folks too. What we are missing is that these stories are fraught with all kinds of lessons about patriotism, citizenship, being a good neighbor and friend and the consequences of not learning those lessons. In many cases today, our elderly can teach us more that a so-called "certified" teacher can. These are people who grew up during a time when the government didn't need to protect us from ourselves. They understand the importance of dragging our behinds to the precincts to vote because they lived during times when they knew that one vote mattered. They understand the era before affirmative action. In fact, it was my father who explained to me that back in the day, black folks had to work twice as hard and be twice as good, just to be considered equal with their white counterparts. Well, I say there is nothing wrong with that work ethic for blacks, whites, oranges, purples.... FOR EVERY AMERICAN! I would be quite remiss if I didn't acknowledge that there were whites who fought alongside blacks to change that and many other injustices. Unfortunately, there were many blacks and whites who made matters worse.
Look folks, the reality is that everyday, we are faced with losing those things that make us American and thus, SPECIAL. Forget what the Founding Fathers would think... I have a sneaking suspicion that had they known what we are on the verge of allowing to happen to our REPUBLIC, they would never have picked up arms in the first place. After all, would you, if you knew that your posterity would muck it all up?
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