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Editorials
Get A Winning Attitude
Rename America’s Confederate Military Bases
T hough the Pentagon and other military officials say that they will under no circumstances change the names of any United States military bases that currently carry the name of a Confederate general or soldier, we urge our elected Congressional delegation to encourage
military officials to rethink their decision.
We launch our advice even while officials swear that
the “naming of these bases occurred in the spirit of rec- onciliation, not division.”
They obviously don’t consider such installations were named during a period (1930s through 1950s) when the dignity and humanity of Black Americans were not gen- erally considered or consulted.
Military officials also stated, “every army installation is named for a soldier who holds a place in (America’s) military history,” and “represents individuals, not causes, or ideologies.” We agree, but in the same breath, we also agree that such naming represents traitors who promoted slavery, were slave-owners in most cases, com- mitted war crimes, and who murdered more American soldiers than Hitler’s worst blitzkrieg.
As stated by an NAACP official years ago, “It’s offensive . . . to those African American troops putting their lives on the line now for the security of our great nation to be trained and housed in facilities named for those who be- lieved that they should be treated as less than human be- ings. . .
When Dylann Roof sauntered into Emmanuel AME Church’s Bible Study group, spent an hour dis- cussing Mark’s gospel regarding Jesus’ life, then stood
up calmly and executed nine church members, he forever tore the mask of racist-schizophrenia from the face of historically hypocritical America.
For your information, schizophrenia is a mental ill- ness characterized by people interpreting reality abnor- mally, or feeling indifferently about very important situations.
Investigators found that young Roof’s motivation was probably fueled by extremist propaganda he was ex- posed to on websites, radio shows or in writings by the leaders of one of the 784 hate groups currently active in the United States, the Council of Conservative Citizens (CCC), or by someone closer to mind if not closer to home. Known for racist, anti-ethnic, anti-Semitic and anti-immigrant views, the CCC was mentioned in Roof’s rantings and scribblings.
In addition, America’s schizophrenia can be found in the fact that in 1998, after several high-profile Republi- can politicians were connected to CCC, the Republican National Committee asked all party members to resign from the group because of its racist views. Yet, a year later, Congress could not get a two-thirds majority vote on a bill that would “denounce all those who practice or promote racism, anti-Semitism, ethnic prejudice, or re- ligious intolerance “because of disagreements over wording of the bill.”
In 2004, the Southern Poverty Law Center revealed the names of dozens of Republicans and a few Democrats with connections to the group. We will continue our con- versation on American—Schizophrenia next week.
“Nothing can stop a man with the right mental atti-
tude.”
Thomas Jefferson
Empowered Greetings.
I recently heard the testimony of a woman whom I believe has a winning attitude. She was playing Bible Trivia and throughout the game all she kept saying is, “I’m going to win this thing.” Those words immediately connected with my spirit and I knew that I would speak on it, teach on it orwriteonit-itbeingawin- ning attitude.
If you are going to be suc- cessful in life, you must have a winning attitude and a mind- set that says, “I’m going to win this thing.” No matter how in- surmountable the obstacles may seem, just continue to re-
This Fourth of July holiday was especially challenging as I reflected upon a speech, “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” delivered by Frederick Douglass at a Fourth of July celebration in 1852.
Even more challenging was the proliferation of our cele- brated American flag amidst a relentless fight by many Amer- icans to keep the “so-called Confederate flag” flying over state capitols and other tax- payer funded sites throughout America. Those reflections in- spired me to share reasons why I believe the “Confederate flag” should be retired to the walls of Civil War Memorial museums.
First of all, the ‘so-called Confederate flag” is NOT the Confederate flag; it was the battle flag of the Army of North Virginia, first used in battle in December 1861 under the command of General Robert E. Lee. The battle flag has consistently been in- correctly referred to as the ‘Stars and Bars,” the first na- tional flag of the Confederate States of America. Well, it isn’t.
Secondly, (a) the battle flag was never adopted by the Confederate Congress as its official flag, and (b) the battle flag never flew over any state capitols during the Confeder- acy.
The Confederacy selected three successive national flag designs that served as official
assure yourself that, “I’m going to win this thing.”
There may be times when you are in despair and feel in- adequate to complete the task called life. That is when you need to have faith in God and faith in yourself. Get up, out of that desolate place and look at yourself in the mirror and say, “I’m going to win this thing.” I’m going to win against sick- ness. I’m going to win against financial hardships. I’m going towininmycareer.Iamnota defeated foe. “I’m going to win this thing.”
You must cast down every imagination that exalts itself against the will of God for your life. Let the devil know, he has to pack his bags, get his grip and run for the border, be- cause you are a conqueror. You’re going to win this thing.
national flags between 1861 and 1865, and they each were predominantly white in color.
Thirdly, the battle flag is a flag that honors a legacy of treason, pays homage to trai- torous Confederate generals and soldiers who committed war crimes, and mocks the deaths of all soldiers who fought on the side of the Union. There is no more justi- fication for honoring traitors such as Robert E. Lee, than there is in honoring Benedict Arnold as an American Revo- lution traitor.
A fourth reason the battle flag should be retired is be- cause the Civil War has been over for 150 years and the Confederacy lost. Having been used to promote the cause of slavery and its barbaric prac- tices, the battle flag nearly be- came obscure after the war.
Those of us who were in- volved in the Civil Rights Movement remember that the battle flag was associated only with the Ku Klux Klan and the White Citizens Council until 1948 when Southern Democ- rats (aka Dixiecrats), who se- ceded from the party in opposition to its policy on ex- tending civil rights to Blacks, used the flag as their emblem during the 1948 presidential election.
During the 1950s and 60s when the Civil Rights Move- ment escalated, the Confeder- ate battle flag suddenly became a symbol of “Southern
A winning attitude gives you the confidence to believe that you can achieve any feat life throws your way. There- fore, the words, “I’m going to win this thing” should be the fuel that energizes you to max- imize on your full potential.
Reciting “I’m going to win this thing” builds a winning at- titude. It helps you to realize that even though it looks like you may have a lost a fight or a few battles, you are still vic- torious because you know that overall you will win the war.
Although haters will try, you cannot be blocked, and you cannot be stopped be- cause you have a winning mental attitude that says... “I’m going to win this thing.”
Stay inspired to maintain your winning attitude by con- necting with Selphenia or inviting her to speak, train or facilitate your next event. Call 813-956-0185.
Website: success- coachtowomen.com Sign up for free newsletter.Facebook: Selphenia Nichols Instagram: Selphenia Follow her on twitter @queenofsuccess1
heritage.”On the issue of “Southern heritage,” noted historian Gordon Rhea wrote, “KKK and white su- premacist groups picked the Confederate battle flag be- cause it was the flag of a na- tion dedicated to their ideals: that the Negro is not equal to the white man . . .we are told the flag represents heritage, not hate.
But why should we cele- brate a heritage grounded in hate, a heritage whose self- avowed reason for existence was the exploitation and de- basement of a sizeable seg- ment (14 percent) of its population.”
Moreover, does anyone care that the Confederate bat- tle flag represents for Blacks a similar angst felt by Jews whenever a Swastika flag is flown? Thus, this Fourth of July, Frederick Douglass’s words about this holiday haunted me. He stated that the Fourth of July was “a day that revealed [to him] more than all other days in the year of the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is constant victim . . . a sham of boasted liberty, an unholy license . . .your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless, your denunciation of tyrants, brass fronted impu- dence, your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers, your hymns . . . mere bombast, fraud, decep- tion . . .hypocrisy – a thin veil to cover up crimes, which would disgrace a nation of sav- ages...”
When America is willing to release its heritage of hate and cruelty tied to the Confederate battle flag, only then will the Fourth of July be embraced by all of Black America. Only then will the United States be truly united.
Retire The Confederate Flag
CCC: Hate With Political Connections (Part One)
TUESDAY, JULY 7, 2015 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 5