black…MYstory

I’ve been waiting a long time to call someone else President.  So long, in fact, that I thought this day would never come.  Today, I am happy to say that George Bush is no longer president but, I am more happy to say that Barack Obama is now our nations 44th President!

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Well, it’s about 15 minutes to go until we start the ceremony.  Like it or not, Change is coming.

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Donna Brazile offered appeared on the panel at the New Yorker magazine’s “If I Were Running This Campaign” forum.  In this segment from the panel, Brazile offers wisdom and understanding about the intersection of race and politics, as well as why, regardless of the outcome of the presidential race, America can’t afford to go back on the issue of race.

The video is below:

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In 1944, 28 black soldiers where convicted and dishonorably discharged for the lynching death of an Italian P.O.W. in Seattle, Washington.

However, none of them were involved.

In World War II America, Italian (and German) prisoners of war had more privileges that black U.S. soldiers.  In Seattle, it meant that Italian P.O.W.’s were allowed to freely roam the streets of Seattle and charm the young ladies.  On a particular night in 1944, certain white military policemen had enough of these Italian “prisoners” cavorting with the local women and started a riot.  In the midst of this, they hung one Italian P.O.W. from a cable noose.

So, how did these black men take the fall?

This is a narrative that has been repeated time and again in our history in this country.  The Army prosecutor for this case, Leon Jaworski, was not unlike too many of the civilian prosecutors of his time.  He withheld key information that could have exonerated these 28 black men in order to get a quick conviction.

The truth lay buried for more than 60 years, until Jack and Leslie Hammon published their book, “On American Soil”, detailing the true events of that night.

A fight broke out between a black soldier and an Italian POW.  A larger melee ensued and, according to the Hammons, white soldiers took it upon themselves to lynch an Italian P.O.W. out of spite because, unlike them, the Italians were allowed to drink alcohol and date local girls.

When the dust settled on the trial, 28 black men were unjustly convicted and sentenced to a combined 200 years in prison.  After their time was served, these men were dishonorably discharged from the Army, which, as one put it, was a “death sentence” for them in terms of employment.

It was not until this past Saturday that the Army officially apologized for this travesty.  Sadly, only two men lived long enough to receive this apology for themselves.  One of these men, Samuel Snow, died just a few hours after receiving his exoneration.

The rest have long since passed on so, some of their families stood in their stead.

These soldiers have had their dishonorable discharges changed to honorable discharges and their survivors will receive their back pay but, this will by no means cover their lost honor and opportunity that six decades cost them.

When we honor soldiers for their service, we need to remind ourselves that some soldiers fought wars not only abroad, but at home, as well.  This is one of those stories.

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Given my previous post, I found this clip particularly appropriate for what I was trying to convey, especially seeing what’s going on in the current presidential race.

Tim Wise has been on the forefront of dealing with the issues of race and racism for quite some time, now. Here’s an excerpt he’s given on white privilege and the roots of racism in America. He clearly breaks down down something that I have shared with my circle of friends for years — race, as an issue, is really a facade used to tell white people that, if you have nothing else, you have white skin privilege and that makes you superior. However, in the end, those conveying that notion are using it to preserve and expand their own power, influence, wealth, etc.

The video is below:

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…and, ABC News, your debate stunk.

I understand that there have been a lot of Democratic debates (last night made the 21st) but, seeing how they sunk to the levels of tabloid journalism in presenting this debate, they could have left it at 20.

Many bloggers have already panned this debate. It was over 50 minutes before a single policy question. Instead, we were treated to a rehash of Rev. Wright, Hillary Clinton’s Bosnia story, an obscure reference to 60’s radical William Ayers and — *gasp* — flag pins.

However, it’s not just me and bloggers. Just check out the comments on ABC’s web site. There are over 12.000 at this point and from what I have read, the general consensus is that ABC did a horrible job last night.

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Today marks 40 years since the day Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated.

I know some will take this opportunity to raise questions about his character but, let me be clear — regardless of what one might say about Dr. King, it’s takes extraordinary courage to keep going knowing that your life and the lives of your family were under constant threat.

I can only say thank you to a man that tried to leave the world a better place than he found it, which is much more than I can say for the current leadership of our country.

So, to remember Dr. King, I want to share with you the last speech he gave before he was murdered.

The audio is below.

 

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It’s a shame that so much of Dr. King’s life is presented without context. You would think that the last thing he ever did was to give the “I Have A Dream” speech. However, there were 5 more years to his life that no one discusses. It was a period where he transitioned from not just focusing on the civil rights of black people to looking at the impact of war and poverty on this nation (in fact, many believe it was his stance on Vietnam that ultimately cost him his life).

April 4th will mark the 40th year since his assassination and CNN profiled his last campaign. From what was contained in this article, it seems clear that King knew that he was embarking on a mission that could very well mean the end for him.

Many of us heard of the “Poor People’s Crusade.” It was King’s most revolutionary effort to get America to really focus on the issue of poverty in this country (sigh…just think of where we’d be today if Dr. King’s crusade had been allowed to bear fruit).

However, what is not shared often about King is the degree to which he believed in this effort. Just check out some of these passages from the article:

Read the rest of this entry →

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Today is the day we set aside to commemorate the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who was struck down by an assassin’s bullet nearly 40 years ago. Despite what some may want to say, Dr. King’s life and actions have had a profound effect on what direction America has taken in regards to the fight for racial equality. Though there is still much work to be done, had it not been for Dr. King, as well as those who passed the torch to him and those who carry on his mantle, who knows how much worse America would have been. So, today, I personally want to thank Dr. King for not only his inspirational words but, also, his actions and, ultimately, his sacrifice.

Today, I share with you the speech he gave the night before he was killed. It is as profound, and relevant today, as it was in 1968. I can only hope that the words inspire you as much as they do me.

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I always find it interesting when a white guy wants to tell black folks that slavery really wasn’t that bad. Understand, this is not a man whose family history was virtually lost forever or whose grandparents had to live through Jim Crow and, now, his offspring, James Crow, Esq.

This time, the offender is right-wing hack, Michael Medved. In his latest piece at Townhall.com, he wants to tell us how wrong we are on our perception of what slavery in the U.S. was and how the millions who died in the middle passage weren’t victims of genocide — instead, they were, basically, the unfortunate victims who died when slavetraders were moving product between shores. Also, America is really not to be blamed for its role in slavery but should be commended for its “rapid” abolition of slavery (despite slavery going on for nearly two and half centuries in this country).

I suggest you read for yourself. As for me, I’m not shocked, suprised or amazed, considering the source.

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