Equity and Justice

It seems that I am always sitting and thinking -- sitting and thinking!

Well, this morning, I am thinking about my road from Georgia to Maryland, but not in terms of my life, but the suffering that Blacks have endured in America.

I am always amazed how other cultures seem to come to this Country and mountains are moved to make sure that they fit in, that services are available, that jobs are open to them, that housing arrangements are laid out, that America bends over backward to make sure that the melting pot is working.

Having been born and raised in America, my ears still ring from "pull yourself up by your bootstraps," "make your race proud of you," "go to school and get a good education," work hard and make something of yourself," and the list goes on.

What has that gotten the majority of Blacks that do all of those things?

Let's see!

Treated less than human more often than not
Arrested while being Black
Shot while being unarmed
Unemployed because they can't speak dual languages
Last hired, first fired
Substandard housing
Drug infested neighborhoods with no way out
Lowest wages
Trainers of others to move ahead of them
Self-deprivation to try to fit in
Complete indoctrination of a culture that is foreign to Blacks
First on the news for crimes, but last for heroism
Depictions of Black men and women as not being leaders, engineers, scientists, -- intelligent or smart, and when recognized, labeled as exceptions
Absolute annihilation of Black leaders
Cowarded into staying quiet just to get along/make it
Associated with every dreadful thing that exist in America
A broken and forgotten history
Selected Black heroes/heroines that are docile and accepting
A fear to speak out for fear of being labeled a racist
Lousy schools with even lousier educators in Black neighborhoods
Substitute teachers without even a high school diploma in some cases
A system that allows a few to succeed to point to how great the system is working
A people that has been stripped of its pride, accomplishments, and contributions
...and the list goes on.

America is overtly willing to point out that we are lazy, but quickly forgets that we were denied a quality education or our many inventions that were stolen from us.

America does not seem to mind spending millions to teach English as a second language to everyone that comes here, but have not once considered teaching other languages as a second language to those that are born here (okay, when they are too old to really master it, America does offer other languages in middle schools, high schools and colleges, but they know the brain development process and when learning is at its best for certain subject areas – right?)

America is still educating Black children for substandard jobs and for a system that is rapidly changing. Most Black parents’ can’s pay for private education in private schools so that their children will be able to compete.

Thanks to ignorance, we got rid of most Black teachers that honestly cared for Black children and forced them to learn and excel. A whitewashed education was deemed to be sufficient and appropriate.

I fathom that there are no obligations to honesty, redress, fairness, or even justice that seems so elusive and yet deemed so necessary for some.

Blacks have been so beaten down that they are afraid to speak out loudly on any of the issues. Those Blacks who believe that they have arrived are so busy disassociating themselves from the real Black people that they have lost sight and insight and are part of the system that blames Blacks for being where they are in America.

Maybe, just maybe, the Black spirit has finally been broken, shut down, and now it is time to destroy the mind.

Too much sitting and thinking this morning
Too much sitting and thinking this morning
Too much sitting and thinking this morning

Time to get up, get dressed, and get out there and fight some more.

Someone has got to stand tall. Somebody can’t just go along to get along.

I came to Maryland with nothing, and it appears that I am going to leave Maryland with nothing.
CORRECTION: I came to Maryland with a clear mind, my integrity, my intelligence, and my character. No matter what when I leave Maryland I will still have those. In fact, when I die, I will die with those! I’ll just be old.

Peace and blessings today and always.