HERE - WE - GO - AGAIN!
By Albertina Lane
1619 – Africans brought to this land.
Bound with ankle shackles, neck shackles, wrist shackles – shackled together to toil in a foreign
land.
Slavery – the most inhumane societal institution on Earth; sanctioned by the wealthy; fueled by greed. THEN…
A war between the States – these UNITED STATES – A Civil War – North vs. South and the
North won.
1865 - Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation.
The enslaved are “free” – no more slavery “they” say. What about Texas?
All was “supposed” to be – equitable and respectable.
Ha!… not so fast… time of Reconstruction.
Reconstruction (1865 – 1877). Men of color sat in the legislatures, making decisions and representing – for a moment. THEN… fear gripped a populous AND…
Black Codes and Jim Crow (1865 – 1964): SOON…
Segregation, intimidation, separation – ball of confusion! So much confusion that we the ex- enslaved created our own living spaces to the chagrin of disbelievers. Towns filled with businesses, churches, schools, prosperity – unbelievable to those “in charge”. THEN… MORE…
Separation, domination, discrimination – ball of confusion! And the beat goes on. Power grab, greed, control, wealth; no respect for others – respect only for “my” own – ball of confusion.
Black President (2009-2017) - 8 years of a “coming together”…somewhat. Civil Rights, Voting Rights, Women’s Rights, Education Rights, Human Rights, Immigrant Rights, Animal Rights, Land Rights. So many rights! Too many rights, too much harmony, too much togetherness AND… not enough division for the very RIGHT.
Next in charge – hatred, anger, division, lies, bias, narcissism, separation, “right is “right’ and “left is wrong” – ball of confusion. Here we go again!
Four years later (2020): recognition, validation, progress, growth, upward mobility, a piece of peace in the land and… oops… on the precipice waits a ball of confusion.
NOW – here we go again! We are almost at the same old place where it all began – 1619 – 406 years ago! When will we stop the madness? America, must it always be a ball of confusion?