The Real Deal

            Black people today are not really looking at whom and where they came from.  These vague references to slavery are tired…and that’s not even scratching the surface.  Hearing the word “slavery” from a 2012 black person is disturbing.  Not a single black person alive has experienced slavery in the way it was practiced over 150 years ago, and not a single white person living today has been a slave owner.  Both races are now free to work at whatever vocation they find the most pleasure in pursuing, free to live anywhere they choose, and marry whomever they choose…..a huge departure from slavery, and subsequently, Jim Crow.  

            What I find most disturbing, despite black people’s freedom from oppressive restrictions, is how eager and willing they are to play the victim role…..especially where it is inappropriate and disingenuous.  And I think all of that comes down to lack of knowledge of history and culture.  Moreover, I discovered that many black people ARE JUST PLAIN NOT INTERESTED in acquiring that knowledge….only to find out later that this lack of knowledge is why they are not effective competitors in the marketplace of ideas or why they cannot forge out positive interactions with others.  When you don’t know where you come from, you don’t know where you’re going, as the saying goes.

            I am challenged to find out whom and where I come from for exactly that reason…to REALLY know where I come from…and not use nebulous slogan-engineered references to inform my understanding.   Without getting all emotional and butt-hurt, like a lot of black people tend to get when discussing issues that impact us collectively, I want to know how my ancestors lived, what resources they used to carve out a meaningful existence from, and, if available, what other activities they engaged in.  Were they social activists?  Community leaders?  Professional people?  Farmers?  What were they?  I am committed to knowing exactly what my history and culture is and how it was played out.  I want to collect and preserve my family history for myself and the next generation of family so that WE ALL can interact with the world in a positive, optimistic way.