We live in an amazing world. There’s little chance my great grandfather, Big Pappa, could have ever envisioned world-wide communications at the click of a mouse. I’d like to say Big Pappa was a simple man. A country preacher from Gonzales, Texas. But he was so much more.
He always told me that my brains would carry me further than my ability to run or jump. Often, when I’m in front of a class and it seems I’m at the proverbial “wit’s end,” I can feel his essence seeping through my bones encouraging me to keep going. Wow.
We never talked politics, Big Pappa and I. Probably just as well. As a young Thundercat I wasn’t much interested in politics. I had a pretty little girlfriend from Louisiana that keep my mind fairly occupied. But I digress.
Politics during Jim Crow was a nasty business. Those elected to “serve” only did so if the constituents looked like them. Since the days of the Founding Fathers political partisanship has been an unfortunate part of our political system. Today, that nastiness has reached new levels.
Left, right, mine, yours, partisanship has forced American society to choose sides. So it has become an environment where it’s either my team or your team. My quarterback might be a bum, but since he’s my quarterback I’ll defend him. That kind of reasoning would make me a good Dallas Cowboy’s fan.
Anyway, this republic was founded on the principles of democracy and equality. Two principles the black community have never enjoyed in this country in any meaningful way. Keep in mind that as long as even one member of the community is oppressed, the entire community is oppressed. It’s kind of an archaic philosophy, but one that I’m should Big Pappa would believe in.
Next year marks the 400th anniversary of the arrival of Africans at Jamestown. Surely there have been some great achievements made by the black community to this country and the world. On the other hand, the black community has seen, and experienced, great sorrows.
No, Big Pappa probably could not have imagined the internet, cell phones, or Netflix. But if he saw the hatred in today’s politics he’d probably shrug his shoulders and tell me to keep praying. After all, God is the one that brought us this far and he promised he’d be with us until the end of time. Wow. If that philosophy carried him through the horrors of Jim Crow it will most certainly carry me through the horrors of Trump.
Talk to you soon.
PS: Anyone seen the President’s taxes? Still waiting.