This past Wednesday’s “inauguration” was a “first” for our country, for Kamala Harris, the first African American/Asian/Caribbean woman was sworn in as “Vice President” of the United States of America! Wow! Wow! Wow! Could this be a dream, or is it truly a reality? After 250 years of slavery, 90 years of Jim Crow, 60 years of “separate but equal,” and continuous, police brutality towards and against us “black” folks, is this “really” real or am I dreaming?
Well, it looks like it was a “genuine” happening. Wow! Congratulations to President Biden and Vice President Kamala D. Harris! How does and how will this election truly benefit us “black” folks here in America? What, if anything at all, is going to “seriously” change for us? After us “black” folks experiencing 250 years of slavery, 90 years of Jim Crow, 60 years of separate but equal, and 35 years of state-sanctioned redlining in my country tis of thee, what’s going to “really” change for us, especially as it pertains to ongoing “police brutality” towards and against us? Truthfully, not much about “police brutality” was mentioned during their campaign. That is something which should garner much concern from us “black” folks!
In and throughout this country of the United States of America, we “black” folks have nearly “always” been condemned and mistreated. Why? Why did and do they hate us so badly? Being that most of those in power, throughout this country, are the children of those that mutilated and murdered our forefathers, they still are continuing to do the same unto us.
What hope can we really have and truly believe that a “genuine” positive change is going to come for us “black” folks here in the United States of America? Taking into strong consideration what we saw happen at the “white” house a few weeks ago, I truly do not believe that much will truly change. It really showed that “racism” is truly still alive and well here in America. I’m almost 81 years old and I have “never” seen anything like it. Noted in an article in “The Atlantic” magazine “the case for reparations “by Ta-nehisi Coates, which states, “American prosperity was built on two and one half centuries of slavery, a deep wound that has never been healed or totally atoned for-and that has been deepened by years of discrimination, segregation, and racist housing policies that persist to this day. Until America reckons with the moral debt it has accrued-and the practical damage it has done-to generations of black Americans, it will fail to live up to its own ideals.” To that I say that “truth,” such as this, which is crushed to the ground, will most definitely and continuously rise again !
President Biden vows to defeat “white supremacy” but truthfully I “seriously” doubt if it will ever be truly and completely defeated unless an intense “heart transplant” is done throughout this nation. I find it to be very strange that in a country that so loudly professes to be a Christian nation that so much racism and hatred can be so prevalently in its midst. Wow! Christians are “commanded” to “love” one another and to that I must ask “where is the love?” Where is it? How could professing Christians ever have supported an individual such as President Trump? How? Why? Taking into “serious” consideration his actions towards people of color, how could their support of him been possible? This is a question which should be “very seriously” thought about and addressed.
What is going to be the future of this country? How long is it going to be able to survive the hatred that is in existence throughout the land, as it pertains to race relations? How long is “racism” going to be ignored and denied by a large portion of this country? How long? Why can it not be understood that “racism” is the “disease” that is destroying this country? Until “racism” and “white supremacy” are “seriously” addressed, nothing will ever be “seriously” changed. We have a “new” president and vice-president now, but if the issue of “racism” is not very “seriously” addressed, this country is heading towards “serious” self-destruction! So sad to say but “racism” is the culprit that keeps this country in the condition that it’s in, but not many want to “seriously” acknowledge nor address that. Why not? Give some “real serious” thought to this most “significant” problem.
To the readers of my column I suggest that you give some “real serious” thought to this.
And I am recommending that you do some “serious” reading re: this issue. I suggest that you read “The Condemnation of Blackness” (race, crime, and the making of modern urban america) by Khalil Gibran Muhammad. An excerpt from chapter 6: “policing, racism, Jim Crow, justice in the urban north” is a good place to start, for it very “seriously” addresses exactly some of which I have addressed in this column and also some of my other columns.
Two other books that I suggest that you read are 1) “White Fragility” (why it’s so hard for white people to talk about racism) by Robin Diangelo) 2) “Dying of Whiteness” (how the politics of racial resentment is killing America’s heartland) by Jonathan M. Metzl. Those two books will most definitely help one to realize and recognize how an incident, such as what happened two weeks ago in our nation’s capital at the “white” house, was able to occur. Real “serious” thoughts must, and should be given re: this very “serious” and very “hazardous” catastrophic situation.
Last, but most definitely not least, I must give “strong” accolades to the young amazing poet, Amanda Gorman, who brought forth an “amazing” poem at the “presidential inauguration.” Some very important words from this poem are “we lift our gazes not to what stands between us, but what stands before us!” In fact, the entire poem was breathtaking. This is a young lady whom we most definitely will be hearing a lot from in the very near future.Yes! Yes! Yes!
This is “Lillie’s point of view” and I most definitely am having my say! Now you can most definitely have yours. Peace!