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Killing The System
am not a sucker. At least
that’s what I keep telling myself.
Using this positive affir- mation is my way of dealing with the realization that I al- lowed myself to get played or, to put it more accurately, that I played myself. This is the conclusion that I’ve come to after learning the truth about the so-called criminal justice system.
Like most people I once be- lieved prisons were strictly places bad individuals were sent for punishment. And, while they still serve in that capacity for a few, the reality is that they also operate in several other functions as well, including the ability to control the African American birth rate, provide economic stimulus to rural (read: poor white) communities and, most importantly, create a steady revenue stream for the wealthy elite.
All of these uses ultimately invalidate the commonly held misconception (lie) that these institutions are needed solely for the purpose of public safety.
The truth is that you could probably house all of the na- tion’s most dangerous crimi- nals inside of 40 large complexes. Yet, for some rea- son, even small states like South Carolina find it neces- sary to maintain more than 100 of these correctional facil- ities alone. Why?
The only plausible reason
such a skewed dynamic exists may stem from the fact that there’s a more conniving and sinister agenda at play. One that is rooted in a desire to keep this country from ever reaching its full potential as the true land of the free that it has advertised itself to be for centuries.
As long as income can be generated from the incarcera- tion Black bodies (the whites who end up behind the wall are mostly there to give the il- lusion of balance) there will always be a demand that has to be fulfilled which makes the concept of “justice for all” a fantastical bit of propaganda.
And that, of course, trans- lates to keeping a system in place that works tirelessly at maintaining the accepted sta- tus quo.
In order for them to be successful in this venture an endless supply of Black babies (whose fathers have already been swallowed) have to con- tinuously be fed into the ma- chine that employs thousands of the poor and uneducated white working class who, in turn, fight tooth and nail to keep the system running in an attempt to make their over- lords happily rich which ulti- mately leads to their jobs being forever secured. It is a vicious, self-sustaining, circle of life that, at least on the sur- face, seems almost impossible to deconstruct.
This, unfortunately, is why it’s so hard for me to deny my
lollipop status. Having a firm understanding of how things work makes me keenly aware ofhowmuchofachumpIwas for, basically, giving up my life to make someone else’s bet- ter.
And the truly pathetic part is that I’m not alone in my lameness. There are countless other individuals out there who, just like me, couldn’t re- sist the tune of the Pied Piper’s flute and who were also lured into the infamous trick bag.
The irony is that many of them even took to calling the places where they did their dirt “traps.” Meaning that they subconsciously knew they were entering into some- thing inescapable, yet were still willing to take the risk for a small portion of cheese.
As much as I’m mad at how the architects of this sys- tem have misled most people into believing that what’s oc- curring is for the betterment of society, I’m even more upset with myself for engag- ing in an activity that helped them validate the deception.
For those of us who know better, and who are currently being digested in the belly of this beast, accepting our role as food for the monster is a bitter pill to swallow.
Thankfully, though, the saving grace is that, now that we understand completely what’s keeping this life-suck- ing creature alive, all we have to do is prevent ourselves and our children from being it’s consistent source of nourish- ment and allow it to die slowly from starvation.
Reality On Ice is © by the Florida Sentinel Bul- letin Publishing Com- pany. You can contact Mr. Barr at: cbar- ronice@gmail.com.
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C. Blythe Andrews 1901-1977 (1945)
C. Blythe Andrews, Jr. 1930-2010 (1977)
‘Sticks And Stones . . .’
o doubt, you’ve heard it enough to have memo-
rized it by the time you were two years old: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Unfortunately, life has taught us that such a saying isn’t always so . . . even when it comes from people we admire.
The smoke is clearing from yet another forest fire started around the White House wherein comedians went to war with words – one on behalf of Donald Trump; the other relating to the insult against Trump’s daughter and her child.
Both comedians used words like match sticks, etc., to draw laughter and perhaps comedic fame.
Yet, somewhere along the line, we forgot the terrific healing and horrific poisoning power of the written and spoken word. Despite the eloquent statement, “It doesn’t matter what you call me, but only what I an- swer to, “there looms the timeless Shakespearean axiom, which warns, “The wound of a word is the un- kindest cut of all.”
We are living in a word now where we are verbally squeezed between a presidential administration with closed eyes and a public, Facebook society with big ears.
Both groups who use words like ice-daggers and air bullets with projectiles whose only trace is the impact they leave behind.
And with that said. We, whose business is words, say only this: In a war of words, everyone loses. So, watch what you say, because our children are listening!
Mid-Year Motivation
mpowered Mid-Year
Greetings! Half time is here and it’s time for some locker room motivation. If you’re going to position your- self to win, you should be playing in this game called life like never before. You must get out there and give it your all! You’ve got to be strategically in the right place on defense, while moving with perfect timing on of- fense, to yield an advanta- geous result.
If you have been reading this column since the begin-
ning of the year, you should no longer be cheering from the sidelines. You should be off the bench watching life pass you by and playing this game with intensive zeal. You should be in hot pursuit of your passions, preparing for your purpose and driving to- ward your destiny with a no holds barred attitude!
Now, if you are behind in this game and it doesn’t look like you can catch up, I want you to stop your crying and get up! Get up and pursue. If you pursue it, you can over-
take it. If you overtake it YOU HAVE WON!
Remember winners never quit and quitters never win! Don’t give up now. Hold on, giving it your all. Push be- yond the limits of the things trying to stop you. Stretch yourself, even though it may seem unbearable. You will be able to close the gap and po- sition yourself to win.
Until next column, be em- powered to stay in the game.
Let’s get connected. Join me on Social Media for some daily motivation: Facebook: Selphenia Nichols Suc- cess Coach To Women; Instagram: Selphenia; or Twitter: queenodsuc- cess1.
To request me to speak or train at your upcoming event, retreat, conference or train- ing program please call (813) 603-0088.
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FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2018 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 5-A