Page 5 - Florida Sentinel 1-5-16 Edition

Editorials
D espite fireworks, speeches of congratulations as well as songs of a struggling yesteryear, the New Year de- scended upon him like a cold rain. As President of a war- torn nation, he, no doubt gazed out of his oval office windows and wished the sleet of January was, instead, a
spring-like breeze of hope and peace.
But it was not to be. So, instead, this beleaguered Com-
mander-in-Chief did what he had threatened to do, several years previously when he warned a warring South that if it did not come to heel, he would set in motion a catastrophe more deadly to the plantation way of life than anything the South could imagine if indeed, it could have conceived an atomic bomb.
But, Southerners sealed their fate as President Abraham Lincoln brought to bear a paper tiger that had claws, and had been a reality since September of the previous year.
So, on January 1st, one year later, in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln, like a political Johnny Appleseed, sent copies of his Emancipation Proclamation throughout the South where the seeds took root and its fruit was tasted suc- cessfully by every Adam and Eve in the Gardens of Southern slavery. So, the South’s Peculiar Institution caught cold and would later die of pneumonia.
Therefore, as we celebrated the New Year with whistles, revelry, and toasts, hopefully we remembered, what also oc- curred on that magical day, 152 years ago, when “Auld Langsyne” on New York’s 5th Avenue was outshouted by Freedom songs in Southern cotton fields. Think about the men, women and children, Black, White, and Native Amer- ican who gave both life and dream to Abraham Lincoln’s successful poker hand.
Then when you’ve said “Thanks” to both God and Coun- try, here’s hoping you returned to the dinner table, and en- joyed your black-eyed peas.
Empowered Greetings.
I want you to know from the start that today’s column, well... IT’S A SET-UP! It’s a set up to help you seize your year of success. It’s a set up to help you focus on your future. It’s a set up to empower you to believe for bigger and better. It’sasetuptohelpyousetup your vision and goals for a prosperous 2016.
Did you know that you have everything you need to create the life you desire? Well you do. You’ve been led to believe that your life’s outcome is up to God. The truth of the matter is He has given the authority to you to choose the direction which your life will take. There is a way to take what little you have and turn it into much. I’m going to quickly give you a few nuggets on how to do that.
First of all as your success
Many of us gathered in local churches this past weekend to celebrate the 153rd anniversary of the issuance of the Emanci- pation Proclamation by Presi- dent Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863.
While the proclamation freed slaves in states that were being disloyal to the United States, at least 800,000 slaves in other states were left in bondage until ratification of the 13th Amendment in 1865.
There are many interesting facts and events that preceded and followed the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation that remind us that our free- dom was an act of reluctance and was not free. Today, I will share some of those facts and events.
Of particular note is Lin- coln’s attitude about slavery and the action of Major John Charles Fremont, a major general appointed by Lincoln. In 1861, Fremont freed slaves of the masters who fought against the Union in his juris- diction as commander of the U. S. Army Department of the West. Lincoln quickly coun- termanded Fremont’s orders, restoring the slaves to bondage.
In 1862, Lincoln proposed a plan for the gradual compen- sated emancipation of slaves, which included a provision to pay $50 for the emigration of each freed slave to Haiti or
coach I want you to make time, to take time and fast forward yourself through time to the end of 2016. As you’ve jour- neyed through to the end of the year take time to contemplate on these questions.
Where do you see yourself attheendoftheyearasitre- lates to the following 6 areas?
1. Spiritually & Ethically. 2. Family & Relationships. 3. Mentally, Academically
& Personal Development.
4. Socially & Culturally.
5. Financially, Business &
Career.
6. Physically & Health wise. Now ignite your imagina-
tion to use the canvas of your mind to arouse your vision and awaken your senses to the pos- sibilities of your success. See yourself already where you want to be. Feel the excitement of already doing what it is that
Liberia, Africa. Lincoln also penned a letter to newspaper writer Horace Greeley in which Lincoln stated that his paramount objective as saving the Union, “not either to save or destroy slavery.”
Moreover, Lincoln signed bills that abolished slavery in the territories and freed slaves of masters disloyal to the United States as an act of war, not compassion.
Later, military commanders were forbidden from returning fugitive slaves to owners and in September, 1862 Lincoln is- sued an ultimatum, which gave hostile areas until January 1, 1863 to cease fighting or lose their slaves.
That same year, many groups joined together to help slaves make the transition from slavery to freedom and in- cluded groups in Philadelphia, Cincinnati, and Chicago, which formed an alliance as the American Freedmen’s Aid Commission. Congress enacted a bill that authorized the enlist- ment of Black men in military service.
Also, during 1862, Black Union troops who were cap- tured by Confederate soldiers were hanged or forced into slavery.
Furthermore, any Union general using Black troops was declared subject to immediate execution. On December 31,
you desire to do and achieve. Doesn’t it feel GREAT? (Join my vision board party on January 9th, and learn how to see it yourself in the future. Visit my website to register).
After you have visited your future, set yourself up for suc- cess by writing it down. There is power in the pen. There is a greater guarantee that you will accomplish your goal if you sim- ply write it down in a SMART manner. (Learn the keys to cre- ating smart goals on my free conference call on January 7th. Details on my website.)
Lastly, after you’ve written your success goals, the next thing you need to do is create a success action plan. Your ac- tion plan should include the steps you’re going to take to make it happen.
It is my pleasure to em- power you to empower yourself so you can empower others to succeed. So let’s stay con- nected. Follow me on Social Media. Let me know you read the column by visiting Face- book: Selphenia Nichols Suc- cess Coach to Women, or Twitter: queenofsuccess1, or Instagram: Selphenia. Visit the Website to be Empowered. Ed- ucated. & Elevated for success at successcoachtowomen.com.
1862 Lincoln signed an agree- ment with Bernard Kock, a Florida plantation owner, to deport approximately 500 freed slaves to an island off the coast of Haiti where they would provide cheap labor on a cotton plantation.
By December 1863, Lin- coln had to send a ship to Haiti to bring the remaining 453 freed slaves back to America because of the failure of Kock to establish the proposed plan- tation.
In 1863, the War Depart- ment formed the USCT (United States Colored Troops) to fed- eralize Black regiments which resulted in 75 to 100 Black men becoming officers who served with distinction in Louisiana.
New Laws passed by Con- gress to draft men to fight in the Civil War fueled the largest civil and racial riot in American history. A provision that al- lowed wealthier men to escape the draft by paying a $300 fee to send a substitute in their stead caused poor men to riot against the draft. White (mainly white immigrants) ri- oters attacked Blacks wherever they could be found.
The homes and businesses of abolitionists or sympathiz- ers, public buildings, two Protestant churches, and a Black orphanage were ran- sacked, burned or destroyed. Certain sources listed the death toll (mostly Black) as high as 1,200.
These are just a few of the in- teresting facts surrounding the Emancipation Proclamation as we reflect upon the document that bore our freedom. As his- tory attests, freedom was not free and we continue to pay for it daily. Harrambee and Happy New Year to you all.
It’s A Set-Up
The Emancipation Proclamation And More
Another Reason To Celebrate New Year’s
TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 5
No New Year For Bill Cosby
I n a press conference, the other day, the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office in Pennsylvania (of all places), filed three charges of “aggravated indecent assault” against one of its most revered native sons. Bill Cosby, the man who single-handedly saved NBC, who bankrolled countless efforts of fellow celebrities, sports-figures, politicians, and budding intellectuals, and whose television and movie persona helped change the world’s opinion of what it meant or looked like to be young, gifted and Black, now no longer at the top of the
mountain, finds himself at the bottom of the heap.
Indeed, it is true, what Shakespeare wrote centuries ago, “The evil men do lives after them while the good is often in- terred within their bones. But there’s a difference between Shakespeare and Cosby. Shakespeare was writing about a dead man. And Cosby, though his career is in an unre-
deemable shambles, is still very much alive.
And so, the New Year confronts Bill Cosby, creator of Fat
Albert and the Cosby Kids. But the New Year is not kind. In- stead, it accuses Cosby of drugging more than 30 women in order to have sex with them. Readers gasp though Cosby is not the first luminary to be laid low by deeds done and public opinion.
Nineteen twenties movie star Fatty Arbuckle was accused of being a pedophile; musical giant Michael Jackson also was charged of sexual impropriety, and the list includes many oth- ers. But Bill Cosby, the Darling of Jell-O Chocolate Pudding, and America’s favorite Dad, may soon find himself inexorably disgraced if not utterly destroyed.
Indeed, it is safe to say, for Cosby and those who love him, this New Year has been kidnapped.