Happy Birthday America. Part II
Happy Birthday America. But who is truly an American? Who can truly celebrate this day? Fredrick Douglass articulated this point most eloquently:
”Are the great principles of political freedom and natural justice, embodied in that Declaration of Independence, extended to us?… I am not included within this pale of the glorious anniversary. Your high independence only reveals the immeasurable distance between us. The blessings in which you this day rejoice are not enjoyed in common. The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity, and independence bequeathed by your fathers is shared by you, not me. The sunlight that has that brought life and healing to you has brought stripes and death to me. This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn.
Wow! My sentiments exactly. Without doubt many must say that America is a much better place for African-Americans now than it was then. I can say that is true. Consider the words of Malcolm X penned a full decade after these words… “Sitting at the table doesn’t make you a diner, unless you eat some of what’s on that plate. Being here in America doesn’t make you an American. Being born here in America doesn’t make you an American.”
Douglass later stated “for revolting barbarity and shameless hypocrisy, America reigns without a rival.” America is a fraud. Consider the founding fathers. The vast majority had kidnapped and pseudo concentration camps on their own property; and, believed in the vile institution of slavery for Africans. While they were fighting their battles for freedom, they still kept a whole sect of people oppressed and far from the rights they were willing to die for themselves.
So, why do I still love America? Because there is no perfect person; and, there is no perfect nation. America will have to pay for her iniquities and transgressions. Thomas Jefferson the author who penned the beautiful words of “all men are created equal” was known to be vexed over this contradiction. He stated “I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just and that his justice can not sleep forever.” However because God is a just God, he is willing to forgive when we show a true repentance.
The struggle of Jefferson demonstrates the battle in all of us to struggle to be good and “do right” in the midst of a bad world. I do get mad at my White ancestors from America, but I sadly must admit that if it the positions were switched between the races, I can not say for certain that I would attempt to change the status quo. But, I would understand why the oppressed would want to exercise their right to abolish the government that abandons them consistently.
Bottom Line: Martin Luther King Jr. stated he wanted America to live up to her creed; if she did; this would truly be a good nation and not just one better than the others, if you understand. I am at the table, America. I am going to maker her live up to that creed. PLEASE give me some food America, don’t make me snatch it off the plate. A hungry man is a desperate man, when I snatch the food, we both starve. Let us, Ebony and Ivory, be brethren and eat together in perfect harmony, if you understand.
God Bless America
The BLAQUESMITH
you are deep dr. Smith