And you call yourselves Patriots??

 An ex President of the United States.  Senators and Congressmembers.  Governors of states.  Who would think that people in this category would be traitors to the Constitution and government of the United States of America. But such is the apparent case in the year 2022.  We all saw on January 6, 2021 when citizens of the United States marched on the capitol in Washington D.C. and violently threatened the government of the United States.

Now when the FBI attempts to retrieve documents under the pervue of its mission, the former category of people claim that the FBI is being misused to threaten innocent Americans!  These Senators, Governors, and Congressmembers are the people we need to fear.  Elected and former elected officials who support misbehavior of citizens.  Former elected officials who now seem to find themselves above the coverage of the law.  The law they swore to uphold.

As events move forward, be aware of people who support tyrants such as these. They are not patriots.  Instead they are a threat to the rule of law and order.  They only want to abide by laws and rules that benefit them.  Through your verbal tirade, they support the attack on the capitol building.  They support the attack on the capitol police.  And now they support an ex President being held above the law.

Let's not mistake who they are.  They are far from being Patriots.  They are the latest internal threat to the government of the United States of America.

Go Back to Africa? Show Me the Reparations Package!

Once in awhile you hear some racist spout that classic racist diatribe to black people, “Go back to Africa!”  My first thought of course would be to respond, “Sure, if you go back to Europe and give the Native Americans’ back their land!”  But, I thought of a new response.  I would now say, “Show me the reparations package and I’ll get back to you with an answer in about 4 months!”

Think about that.  What would I do if the government of these United States of America really wanted to give me a reparations package to compensate me for the past kidnapping of my ancestors from Gabon and Guinea-Bissau Africa?  A reparations package for hundreds of years of family disruption and loss of identity.  A reparations package for economic and social suffering over some 400 plus years.  What would the monetary amount of such a reparations package come to?  At least 40 million I would think.  A superstar athlete can make that much in one year including endorsement money.  I think a reparations package should pay at least 40 million.  What do you think?

We now have a Presidential administration that totally supports European American male domination and arrogance to include misbehavior towards women. So, under this administration it would be appropriate for the United States government to finally give those black people of African descent the reparations package long talked about but never offered.  Forty acres and a mule?  Forget that!  Give me 40 million, throw in a yearly round trip 2 month return to the United States (with Covid precautions), first class airline tickets and hotel reservations included so I could visit friends and family once a year, and I think we might have a deal.  And yes, flying first class is not negotiable.  The original black people kidnapped or bought from Africa already experienced one way substandard transportation in a ship’s cargo hold.  That initial voyage got us to the “land of the free”.  If I’m going back to Africa, I’m going back first class of course, once again with Covid free accommodations and arrangements.

My DNA results from African Ancestry show that I have paternal genetic ancestry with the Eshira and Eviya people living in Gabon, Africa.  Plus through my great grandfather's wife, we have connection to the Balanta people of Guinea-Bissau.  Would I give up life in the United States to return to Gabon, Africa and Guinea-Bissau?  For a decent, life sustaining reparations package yes I would.  I would need to travel to Gabon and Guinea-Bissau to see what my living options would be in the country.  I would like a home in both countries. That’s why I say give me 4 months to decide.  I have not been Americanized to the point that I would not change my current style of living for another option.  You never know what you’re missing, if you don’t know what you are missing. 

What does Gabon have to offer?  Apparently 11% of the country is parklands.  There are white sand beaches, rushing rivers and references to an “Eden” like travel experience. There isn’t a lot of reliable info available on the history of Gabon through the European American media.  If there was I wouldn’t trust a European American developed record anyway.  Apparently in the 1400s Europeans went to Gabon to kidnap people into slavery.  I would take the same considerations for Guinea-Bissau.

I’ve experienced many of the extravagant materialistic things of the American culture.  I was trained since child hood to think like a European American, absent all the rights and privileges.  In the past 20 years or so I have fought through the brainwashing I received on what makes an American successful. The European American education system did a good job of convincing African Americans to pursue the values of European Americans. Through the American education system black people learned what was important to European Americans and adopted many of their customs and beliefs while losing our true heritage in the process.

 I like to compare the experience of blacks in these United States of America to the experience of the indigenous “American” people, the Native Americans.  During the years black people were enslaved in the United States, European Americans did not really attempt to “Americanize” Native Americans.  Instead the emphasis was to rid the landscape of Native Americans through a forceful conquering.  Near extinction of many Native Americans became the result of those efforts.

So, President Trump still has a few months to have his  cabinet secretaries put together a comprehensive reparations package to get “those black people” out of the country.  If a package comes out, I might have to seriously review my options! At the age of 62 I have nothing to lose.  Spending the final years of my life in a country and region in Africa I would have likely grown up in seems like a good way to end my life on this planet.  It would complete the circle of life.  It would be a return to the life that God may have meant me to have originally.  But the laziness and evilness of many European Americans changed my destiny.

I would not miss the gallons of beer available here in the United States that I don’t drink.  I would not miss seeing all the aisles and shelves full of materialistic things in the American stores. Or watch items disappear from the shelves when materialistic people panic shop in pandemics. Maybe a life in Gabon or Guinea-Bissau would make for a better appreciation of the simple things in life.  In Gabon I wouldn’t have to worry, hopefully, about being attacked by some mass shooter here in the United States angry at who knows what.  Or killed while jogging in a neighborhood where some racist lives.  We all deserve to one day go home.  So twitter man, President Trump (I still can’t believe he actually won) tell your people to start working on that Back to Africa Reparations Package (BARP) and have it ready by election day. 

My passport is up to date.  You know I’m going to keep my American citizenship.  Black people have gone through too much nonsense to give that up!  Oh, by the way make that reparations package tax free in any new tax plan.  My ancestors already paid a severe financial penalty over the years for European American greed.  We as black people did help to do much of the hard work in building this country that you all did not want to do!  Lastly, for those black people who want to stay, good luck.  I support your continued effort to rid this country of racism or to blend in. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be an African American if that is your choice.   We have options.

Keep Your Eyes On The Prize

There was a documentary on the PBS network in 1987 titled "Eyes On the Prize". It was about the Civil Rights Movement in the United States.  The content of the documentary is still applicable to events occurring today.  It's still available and those of you 35 years and younger should definitely watch it.

Recently politicians, owners of professional football teams, and others have attempted to change the issue of black people being killed by police into an issue over protests during the national anthem.  It is a well crafted attempt to deflect attention from the real issue of black men being murdered by police, just because the police allegedly "feared for their lives".  This fear was even being justified by the police when the person they "feared" was unarmed.  That is the reason for the protests.  It's not about the flag it's about having discussions and then efforts to stop the "MBP" Murder By Police.  Videos have been shown in the past years documenting the murder of numerous black men by police officers.  No mass nationwide call for re training of police has occurred.  The city of Indianapolis has talked about starting Implicit Bias Training of policeman.  Otherwise apparently it's business as usual for the majority of police departments in the United States.

It is very cunning to attempt to cover up the real issues under the umbrella of "patriotism", respect for the military, and "respect those who have lost lives in Wars".  No one is attempting to disrespect veterans, so stop the lie that the protestors are purposefully disrespecting those who have lost their lives in past wars.  The attempts to cover up the issues with patriotism and the symbolic playing of the national anthem shows that those who condemn the protest really could care less about the lives of black people impacted by MBP.  Thank you for your honesty regarding your feelings towards black people.  I would rather you go further and just come out and say "you could care less about a policeman killing a black person" rather than hiding behind a flag and a national anthem as you are doing now.

You are artfully attempting to get our eyes off the prize.  You want to have the real issue ignored.  Just know that we will not let the real issue be ignored.  We will continue to protest, march, speak out and take action regarding the real issue.  We will put a stop to the practice of police killing us because they can hide behind the "fear" card. 

It is amazing to see how the patriots and anthem lovers never acknowledge that enslavement of black people, lynching of black people, racism against black people, MBP and other atrocities against black people really occurred in this country.  Playing a national anthem before sporting events and having people stand for a symbolic flag does not wipe out the past or change the present. Fix the issue that is causing the protests.

Thank You America - Affirmation of Who You Are

Thank you America!  The 2016 Presidential election results was affirmation of the mentality of millions of the citizens of these United States of America.  Over 47% of those who took the time to vote, supported a person who throughout the campaign spoke in a hateful, racist, bully tone.  Thank you America for reaffirming how you feel about minorities.  Thank you for sharing your views on how only European American immigrants are entitled to receive the best that this land offers.  Some say they voted for “change” and a non politician to lead that change.  But, did you listen carefully to what your non politician was saying about various groups?  Or is it that as long as he didn’t mention your category of human being, you didn’t care what he said?

For me as a black man life moves on.  I calmly went to bed election night before the final results were in.  My view was God is in control, no matter who became President.  When I heard the results the next morning, I nodded my head and told myself, “okay, affirmation has been received.”  Even before the results of the election it was clear to me that neither candidate would improve my life or the life of black people.  No, instead it was up to me to make my life better and to assist in helping other black people improve their lives.  Investing my money in black businesses and our youth is something I have always tried to do.  I will simply increase those efforts and strengthen my resolve to have a positive impact on as many black people as I can.  The only thing I expect from the government is to use my tax money wisely.  I’m not waiting for the government to come to my rescue or to rescue struggling black families or individuals.  Those days are gone and never really existed.  These days if you want something you go and get it or make it happen yourself.

The answer in overcoming generational impacts of slavery lies within each of us as black people.  Within my own generational family there are members who made bad choices.  My success is due to making fewer bad decisions, not because I was smarter.  Maybe we as black people went too far in absorbing the values of European Americans, who let’s face it stole this country from a native population that was already here when European American’s “settled” in this country.  We can’t get away from that basic foundation.  These United States of America are based on a group of invaders feeling they were entitled to land that was already inhabited by a burgeoning population of indigenous people.  The formula for success was to take someone else’s  land then forcefully enslave people from another continent to do the hard labor work that was needed to make the “new” country flourish.  Then hundreds of years later, preach the doctrine of building of a wall to keep immigrants from coming into the country.  It’s a great strategy.  A strategy of lessons learned from what the original settlers did to take over the country.  Self interest.  An attempt to keep what you stole.

So again.  Thank you America for the wake up call.  But, I already had received my wake up call many years ago.  Your decision only serves to motivate me to do what has to be done, by any means necessary.

It's Hate Time In America

It is unfortunate that this political campaign features an individual who has caught on because he has become a spokesperson for hate, biases, and prejudice.  Many people are voting for that candidate because he is making statements they themselves are afraid to say in public.  This candidate has become the de facto spokesperson for other people's' hatred, meanness, and bully tactics.  It's apparent by the positive response to the candidate that many people in this country are not as sophisticated in terms of feelings on race as they want you to think they are.  People are flocking to political rallies to support someone who expresses the racists biases and dislikes that they have kept under wraps for years.

That co worker of yours who has been trying to be politically correct, now has a spokesperson who can say all the hateful things they can not say at work.  That neighbor whom gives you a fake smile or no smile, now is sending in money or attending campaign rallies for their candidate of hate who looks and sounds like them.  Yes, it's feel good time for those hateful people in America.  The hateful people are fighting back and feeling good about themselves.  Under the banner of freedom of speech they and their candidate are overflowing with all that is bad about our so called freedoms.

Freedom supports the right to be hateful.  There is something about that which doesn't seem correct. We as people are still a long way from being able to express different viewpoints without crossing over into the realm of violence and hate.  If we don't want to compromise and try to understand each other, a second option is to stay away from the element you refuse to get along with.  It's not the best of solutions, but a problem not encountered is not a problem.

If there is an element of life that I do not like, I try my best to stay away from it.  I understand that people do what they want to do.  My likes are not the likes of everyone else in the world.  What I try to do is put my efforts into causes that I support.  Why should I waste energy trying to tear down something when I can easily put that energy into promoting what I believe in?  Of course protesting against the views of others is very good drama as the news coverage attests to.  It makes for good TV and contains the violent acts and confrontation that we as humans seem to like viewing.

My advice is to understand the viewpoints you are hearing and take positive action to support what you believe in.  If someone is just griping about other people but doesn't offer any solutions, what do they really have to offer you?  If you are looking for someone who just supports your hateful views, well you may have found the candidate you are looking for.