When people say “its old and it doesn’t matter” is the most insensitive
and unintelligent thing a person can say. Whew now that that is off of my
chest, let me tell you what I mean. Today is February which is also Black
history month. I read an article today about that they have found more
unreported lynching of negroes in the south ( over 700) . I decided to read the
comments and man how disappointing is it. You would be surprised how many
people say “get over it”, but man this is supposed to be America. America is
all about legacy. We have holidays based on history and legacies, but why when
we bring up slavery and the atrocities committed in this country that people
cry “race bait” ? Nobody asks how did America become the power it is today, or
how we became so wealthy. How about why companies are billions ahead of
everyone else ? Let me tell you. America
is built on free labor. Before mass production slaves made everything in this
country that required work. Let’s take a look at who profited and was built by
slaves briefly. The entire tobacco
industry, Lehman brothers, Aetna, Chase bank, New York Life, USA today (the
paper), the railroad companies, Most of the major banks and larger financial
institutions were built off of the slave trade. Slavery was Americas first GNP
and first currency and status symbol. So
with wealth being built off of the slave trade is quite relevant because it’s
still around today. So we can celebrate the wealth and achievements in this
country but we should turn our heads to the victims and those held back.
Let’s
talk about relevance and how the repercussions are still felt today. “follow
the money “ is one of my favorite sayings. As an insurance professional over
the last 8 yrs. There was a process called redlining that was used even until
the 80’s. the practice of redlining was to limit the amount of insurance
allowed to black people. Life insurance and various other insurance products
were used as tax shelters and also the #1 source of transferring wealth in the
world. With insurance products it allows for wealth to be recycled without
touching the actual money. So when a community or region can recycle wealth it
keeps the money revolving and also helps to maintain business and the foundation
for legacy. With nothing to pass down imagine how the next generation has to
work just to get even ? I digress. In this country if you look at the major
industries and the Titans of those industries, go back and look at when they
were built and you can see directly how that setback of not being allowed to have anything benefits
whites. The NFL is a sport that I love but, there are no black owners and never
have been. Most teams were founded in a time when blacks could not own a team
and had to drink at separate water fountains. The NFL generates billions that
blacks only have access to through being employed not by owning. Take that and
multiply it by every industry in America and tell me that no one benefits from
blacks not being allowed in. People will say what they want about blacks have
ample opportunity and they are correct right now is the greatest time to be in
America for anyone. We have access to education and jobs that were not
previously allowed. My thing is that
people wonder why blacks complain about the “man” it’s because he is still all
around us with the benefits to boot behind our labor. People say what their
parents and grand parents accomplished and built in this nation and they can
speak proudly. But say one thing about slavery and how that institution and
watch the island you will be left to. People don’t want to acknowledge slavery
because it requires a sense of owing somebody. People feel responsible for
something they didn’t do and are forced to acknowledge the benefits that come
with being in this nation and also look at blacks with a deep feeling of
remorse. Now I have no idea how to fix this just like you my white brother, I
don’t know where we go next. I don’t know how to acknowledge it either. So
don’t feel like you have to turn your head cause you don’t want to look at the
scene of the crime. Which is where denial comes in at .
Denial is a strong word and what people do is use the old bait and
switch of false equivalency. People will say the holocaust But I mean the
holocaust lasted for just 7 years from 1938 to 1945. Let’s do a quick
comparison . The first slaves were brought to America to Jamestown Virginia in 1619 and the end of
the civil rights movement was in 1968. Just 47 years ago. Hmmmmmmmmmmm . So
that’s like comparing a sip of water to an ocean. Another thing they say
“whites were slaves too” whites were enslaved in particular the Irish. The
Irish were transported to the West Indies and the Americas and actually mated
with slaves. They endured the same atrocities as the negro. But not to
minimalize their plight because they too went through it . But as time went on
they integrated with society namely their second generation. As they mated it
was easier for them to join white society because after a while you really cant
tell the difference. In the history books you may be able to find that there
were Irish slaves but I dare you to tell me when it stopped. Now the Irish did
have civil wars going on but again, that part really isn’t American history is
it ? Also you will hear “blacks owned slaves too” This is a true myth blacks
did own slaves. These slaves were called mother ,father, son, daughter husband
and wife. They always leave that out. There were also black owned plantations, that is until a white felt a negro unfit to
own his or her farm and burned it or simply took over without any police
recourse. History won’t tell them that part. People will always use these
tactics to minimalize what happened. Im here to tell you that no one can. It
happened but I refuse not to acknowledge the beneficiaries and those who still
suffer because of it. This is the American negro struggle , this is the plight
of what we face. This is a very unique situation in comparison to the rest of
the world. But unlike where other atrocities happened and were given
reperations of some sort like the natives . The American natives have their own
and although they can relate to the current struggle of the negro. But they
have something to call their own. The American negro has nothing nor an
identity to claim and daily we see our little history demeaned and dismissed as
irrelevant. I am the son of slaves…….. Either get right or get left, but you
will get it
