Good day, Happy Friday even!! So TGIF with me if you’d be so kind!! Cool! Thanks!
Before I tackle such a tough topic, I wanted to acknowledge yet another group of fine Men. Some of them are white, and some went to the same boarding school and/or college as me! I was in some good company academically, and the organizations were benevolent – they didn’t have to do what they did. This first guy I call “G”. “G’s” name is Gary and he’s an attorney. He’s a white gent … He’s taken me WITH his family to see the Panthers play ice hockey and have dinner together with them when I lived in Ft. Lauderdale. He’s come through with spiritual and mental support, too. He calls me “Senator”!! Then there are two brothers (African American) who fit that spiritual support group for me … “Vee” and “Woody” both of whom I’ve met and tried to stay in touch with since college and boarding school respectively! And yes they are both African American men. Another guy, Peter Zachary, is no longer with us. My Jewish friend and his family were a huge support for me, as I tried to be there for him … when I could, One of our junior high school football teammates, “Howie”, is still a good friend of mine after so many years. There probably are more, but … Oh, but wait!! I have to mention a guy whom I met here … also from the States, “Darren”, who when Caleb Isaac (my GrandSun) was here made sure we had enough to eat every day!! I always pay my “tab”! Thanks, Darren!!
So, first of all, let’s congratulate the many many African Americans who have made it to see another month dedicated to “Black History”. It’s a tough job being a “person of color” in the USA today. I have continued to broaden my information about the country I was born in that was initially an experiment. I just recently learned how closely related the “Free Masons” were with the founding fathers and the Federal government itself. In fact, the first Black Free Mason, Prince Hall, started the Black Free Mason’s Lodge for African American men. He did this because he was denied entry into the original Free Masons because of his skin color. Many of “us” people of color owe our existence not only to our immediate families but to ALL those people of color who came to the country and those who inhabited the land before near extermination – Amerinds!
Haven’t you heard the expression: “If you don’t know your history, you’re destined to repeat it!”? It’s scary! I had been reading about how the French government charged the Haitian people and government for the profits they lost in agriculture when the Haitian slave revolts forced the French to leave! The sum of money was astronomical for this already poor country and this “fake” repayment scheme plopped Haiti’s economy into the toilet! You see, the conversation of reparations to African Americans is not so far-fetched!! It’s about “man’s (humans) inhumanity to man (humans)”! African Americans have spent a good part of American History trying to make the country better as they sought to assimilate and make their own lives better. And even when “they” were rejected by the wider “white” society, they “respected” segregation and built “BLACK WALLSTREET”! Have you ever heard of that?!? It was so successful with ALL BLACK-owned and operated banks and businesses, that the “jealous” whites in Tulsa, OK came up with a “fake” story and attacked, and killed innocent people who were making a living that was better than their white counterparts … and burned the ENTIRE city to the ground!! This event is seldom mentioned in regular “American History” books. This was another reason that the students in the classes I taught appreciated the FACT that there was more to “Black History” than happy little slaves!! Once again, people who are “different” including people of color are attempting to help “America” live up to its promises …
Sad news in the States … Memphis, TN to be exact … where five African American police officers stopped, beat, punched, and kicked another African American male, and lied on the reports! Shortly after he died! Another “Black” father, son, and brother … all in one … unarmed … and killed by “police”. You see, it doesn’t matter the color of the officers’ skin, what matters most is to realize that the States MUST put into law the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. Law enforcement has a long history of corruption dating back to the post-emancipation of African Americans and their connection to white supremacist groups like the Ku Klux Klan and the John Birch Society. It’s an intellectual piece missing in current law enforcement practices that needs to be put into place IMMEDIATELY!
In closing, simply try to pay attention to the numerous contributions of African Americans, especially those NOT included in the “history books”. Be decent, be HUMAN, and try to learn the TRUTH about those contributions and “the people”, too. Trust me, as a “Black Man”, I know it is no easy topic. Yet, we have to talk about reducing and eliminating “man’s inhumanity to man”! It’s a tough job … but WE have to do it … or else face self-destruction! Civil WarII? World War III?? They are not on my bucket list!
Thanks for reading!
Peace,
John I. Cook, Director
Thank you for your readership!! 😉
Educational Excellence 