Tag Archives: Blacks

05

Mar. ’23

Yes I Can

I am a loner. A strong statement but one that is true. I’ve found that staying to myself and keeping my thoughts to myself have taken me further than I thought I would go. Playing one side against the other and simply listening to what is said around me have given me insight into those that pretend they are my friend but is giving hints of attempted manipulation. Some attempts are under the table, softly spoken, and some are outwardly loud. I see them and most of the time I go along with them to meet my own end, but sometimes, when I feel it is necessary, I reject them.

               I was born during segregation and schooled under segregation going to an all-Black school. I used secondhand books with barely a whisper of Blacks mentioned in them. I learned Black history the way most Black people did, orally, the way it has been passed down for generations. As I read the hand-me-down books, I soon learned that much was left out, much was bull, and much was manipulated to the benefit of the White people.

               CRT theorist still does not want the learning of Black history and probably does not want a Black History month in which we tell our children about the accomplishments of Black people nor who they were and are. We were always told that we were incapable of doing anything, but that is untrue. We, as it was said back in the day, were to ‘get back’, meaning ‘get to the back of the bus’. Rosa Parks and others stood against that because they had enough of the BS.

               When I went into the military, I went primarily to beat the draft (I did not want the army, I wanted my own choice). I still could not get into what I wanted but it was still better than what I would have been in the army. I had been on the radio all of my high school years, but the military did not accept Blacks into any part of the communication services, including radio or tv (AFRTN).

               As an air policeman (later as a security policeman and I am not sure what they call it now), I was used as an augment for K-9 but could not formally be a K-9 handler because I was Black (this was whispered to me). I made a promise to myself to do it anyway and four years later I made it (this went well with me being a loner. Just me and my dog doing our thing). I went through much shunning, racial harassment, and I had to fight my way to the top of the K-9 field (I had to do more and know more than the average airman). I even made it to being a First Sergeant in the security field. Low rank equal low pay but I had my pride knowing I and others can do it as Blacks especially when told you can’t do it or that field is closed to you (remember the Tuskegee Airmen?).

               So, we have had the Black History month. With CRT theorist getting a stronger following, how many more Black History months will we have? When or how will people learn the true Black History? When will Black people stop being denied something because of their color? I will always say ‘yes I can’ and I did.

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14

Nov. ’21

I Remember

It is ludicrous that people are still hating, riling, and believing stupid rumors about wearing masks and getting COVID vaccine. This have been going on far too long for anyone to still have an argument against it. After millions upon millions of people have taken the vaccine and only a handful of people developed an adverse effect from it there should not be a wait and see attitude.

               I am an old man now and I still remember seeing pictures and news clips of people in iron lungs to help them breath. I also remember going to school, on a Saturday, to eat the sugar cube to eradicate people having to be in an iron lung. It worked. Only people in my age group and older can remember the iron lung. There was not much fighting about the vaccine and the iron lung is a thing of the past.

               I remember getting measles and chickenpox (among other ailments) were normal diseases and sooner or later you knew you would catch it, just like everyone else. Then vaccines were developed for that and now it is seldom that anyone catch the diseases. Now everyone can walk around with the knowledge that there is not anyone around them with it.

               I remember when I was a child, I heard about the Tuskegee experiment. I did not understand exactly what that was but later in life I fully understood. The implications of the experiment still affect Blacks today because the story of the experiment is passed along, I would imagine, forever. There were other experiments on people especially those ordered by Hitler in Nazi Germany.

               I remember seeing the Television news, reading the daily news, and seeing the internet about what those that do not take the vaccine or wear masks say. Like, along with the vaccine shot the government have a tiny tracking capsule mixed in the serum. There are many conspiracy theories going around and far too many people are believing them with little or no proof. Here is one; a six-year-old child have a heavy menstrual cycle after getting the vaccine shot. The truth is the person is forty-one years old, not six years old.

               I remember when my daughter registered for a school season, I had to show proof of many different immunizations that she had to have before she was allowed to register and go to school. This was not only for her protection but also for the protection of her classmates and, in turn, the classmate’s family. The same thing applies for this vaccine.

               It is said that it has not been out long enough to prove it works. My response to that is to ask the multimillions of people around the world if it works. Then the naysayers say they made the vaccine too fast to be any good. I say, why wait for half the world to die before there is a vaccine? If a family does not want the children of that family to take the vaccine, homeschool them. That way the family does not have to take the children to a school that they disapprove. There is also no fuss and no fight.

               I remember a lot of things that can be added here but these are only some of the highlights and a little of what is on my mind. I have my three shots and I wear my mask when I am out among the public. I truly wish others thought the same way. When they catch the COVID I will remember them when they are gone.

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12

Apr. ’20

Ethnic Pandemic

Listening to the pandemic report the other day, I was taken aback by the report of Blacks having the ailment more so than other ethnic groups. I believe it is because the black people, most of the time, segregate themselves into one large area over another. Most of these areas you can call a food desert.
These areas are not only apartment housing but there are many single-family housings with minimal scattering of other ethnic groups. In this area, rarely will there be medical offices, pharmacies, grocery stores, etc. Where these places are is far from the areas where people live. When there is an illness, transportation is required to transit the long distance.
Then there is that most young people, across all ethnic groups, rarely (if at all) read or listen to the daily news. They rather tweet or text others and maybe they may hear something that is going on, usually from someone much older. Ask a young person about a worldly event and the answer usually is that they haven’t heard anything about it. In this way, they knew of the pandemic much later than others. They could have been a carrier or have the full-blown virus and never knew it was possible or what was happening to them.
Young people love to party and take chances. They normally say that it’ll never happen to them or they are careful and there is nothing to worry about. The President would not demand a national wearing of face masks but, instead, left it to the individual states to impose the law. When the states imposed the law most young people disregarded the order. When the states demanded social distancing among all people and establishments, most young people didn’t do it.
I’ll give you an example about what I am talking about. I had to go out (one of the very few times I ventured out) to make a quick pick-up. In the store I noticed a Latino couple with three kids. They didn’t have a face mask and the kids were loudly running and playing all over the store. A couple of times the kids ran into me while they were playing. The parents did not say anything. At the check-out, two people were working, one had a mask and one did not. Neither had gloves. I noticed a few Blacks shopping, not a mask to be seen. Ironically, all of the White shoppers had masks.
The pandemic is hitting the Black population hard but, from what I have witnessed, most can blame it on lack of caring for themselves and others. They can be a part of the solution by trying to protect themselves and others. To do this, at least wear a mask (factory made or homemade) and practice social distancing. If we all work together, maybe we can beat this virus sooner than later and save a few lives. Young people, no matter what ethnic group they belong, can catch this virus and, at worst, die. Babies as well as adults, no matter the age or health, have also caught it. Be smart and live.

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01

Sep. ’18

Funerals

I am scraping, at least for this blog’s issue, what I originally wrote and will write about this weekend’s funerals. We have lost two great people, in our time line, and they both will be sorely missed. These were contrasting funerals; one somber and one long with hype. Both were expected to be the way it happened.

Aretha Franklin was the Queen of Soul and will never be forgotten. Her music will live on forever. The funeral was over eight hours long and most of the entertainers of song were there. The funeral was filled with music coupled with speeches. Quite a few celebrities sang her songs and a few sang traditional songs that Blacks usually sing during high spirited church services. The eight hours were long although the music didn’t make it seem so.

She passed on as the queen she was. During her lying in state to the interment, she had three wardrobe changes and a viewing by thousands of people. She was driven in a nineteen forty nine (I think) white hearse, the same one her father was carried in. From all over the country pink Cadillacs were bought in and the long rows of cars were parked outside the church. This was in remembrance of her hit song “Pink Cadillac”. What a sight and what a way to go.

People were there that I have not seen in a long time and are very old as well. They all looked and sounded good. Stevie Wonder started his time by playing the harmonica, something I have not seen him do in many years, before he played the piano and sang. The church was jubilant with all the music and singing.

Senator John McCain’s funeral was solemn and the church was filled with dignitaries from all parts of the political world as well as both sides of the political aisle. Former President Obama and Former President Bush both spoke. President Trump was dis-invited and the eulogies, which include his daughter Meghan, took swipes at Trump. It was not a surprise.

I admired this man, not only as a military veteran but also as a politician. This was one person that was well known to reach across the aisle and work with everyone. He would disagree and, when shown something different that he could go along with, he would be man enough to agree. He did not put party ahead everything but cared about what was right, lawful, helped the USA, no matter the party view.

Unfortunately, Senator Graham, who was his very beat friend, a person that stood beside him on many, many views, and was against Trump as was Senator McCain is now staunchly in the President’s corner He has reversed almost everything he have said in the past. Oh, what can happen in a week (a day?).

So I watched funerals and I wonder, as I have in the past, what will mine be like? I really don’t want all the hoopla that go on (it’s a waste of money, in my opinion), just have a few prayers and bury me. I just hope I have lived up to the hopes and standards that was expected of me. I hope I haven’t done any wrong to anyone. I also hope I have been some help to someone that needed it. We all must pass on some day, let’s hope there is something good to say after you’re gone.

 

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05

Mar. ’17

Black History Programs

With February being Black History Month I was a little busy. Actually, the way I feel about it, there should be some way Black History is incorporated into each and every month. There is too much history, up front and much, much more hidden (think about the movie Hidden Figures), that is relevant and should be remembered. I have thought about the direction I wanted to go while writing this particular blog but there are many directions and my mind was mixing them all. I think I have a grasp of it for now.

I did not want to write anything that I have read or heard about. I want to give you personal experiences, experiences that are in line with what I am writing. My mind seem to drift off the main subject and I could write much more than I post. I’ll try to make it short and to the point although it is difficult when writing history or about historical figures. For instance, when I wrote about The Last Graduating Tuskegee Airman, I only wrote about the time before he went into the military up to his graduating as a Tuskegee Airman. If I had written his entire story (I have him telling it to me on an over an hour long digital audio recording).

I was a part of one program where I was portrayed as Sen. Obama and then as President Obama. I read his speech when he was running for president and his farewell speech (I used my radio voice from my radio days). That was a nice program and I was told I did well. The audience was very small and I only counted three Black people in the place. Imperial Plaza have enough Black residents to fill the auditorium yet they come to very few programs and this was about them and for them. Yet, they complain there aren’t any programs for them, etc.

The second program was at the Virginia War Memorial. I was on the stage panel for a discussion plus a question and answer period. There were six of us and among us were Tuskegee Airmen, a woman (Army Retired) whose story would make you think of one of the women in the movie Hidden Figures), Viet Nam and the Iraq era. I can’t tell you who was more interesting, the Tuskegee Airmen or her. My input into the program did not hold a candle to theirs and I could have been listening all day to their stories.

The crowd was small and , here again, there should have been many more. After the panel stories, question and answer period, we went outside for a wreath laying. Franklin Military Academy presented The Colors and I assisted in the wreath laying ceremony. We pledged allegiance to The Flag, a female Franklin Academy Cadet sang the National Anthem and a cadet blew “Taps” on his trumpet. The weather co-operated. PBS was there and it aired the next morning and the papers were there but I did not see the article. All of it was beautiful. I could do this all year, not only during February.

The thing I am sad about is for the young people. Most are not interested in history, especially Black history. They know about some of the famous Black people but they do not know about the small things that were accomplished. Most do not want to know who did what or why. They seldom understand what the conditions and hold backs were. I have even found they have a lot of misconceptions about ancient history, like the Pyramids or the oldest operating library in the world. Things like this are important to me, personally, and it helped shape my mind and all my actions through life. The few that soak up history seem to be better because of it.

All of us on that stage at the Virginia War Memorial was a tiny sample of the history that is sort by historians. It was sad only three of four kids were there to hear about the tiny portion of history from the people that produced it. Yes, I am a part of it although I rarely talk about it. It started with Civil Rights and ended at my retirement from the military.

To those before me and/or accomplished more than I have, thank you. To those that are learning about past history, keep digging. There is a treasure trove to find. And, as I have said before, you will never know who you may be talking to because most will not say unless asked. That person may have a background that would shock you. Keep digging…

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