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Editorials/Columns
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White On Outside, Black On Inside
he top headline for the
past two weeks was a mass racial murder that oc- curred in a Black church. A group of Blacks were having a prayer service when a mad murderer enter the church and patiently killed all but one of the church goers. The second headline grabber has been the story of the white lady who claimed to be Black.
This claim has stirred up a nationwide controversy. Rachel Dolezal, a Black want-to-be is the center of this storm. It appears Rachel wanted to slip between being White and Black depending on what was beneficial to her. Was she right or wrong? Should this have caused such a storm?
There are those who accuse her of race grabbing and these people say their race isn’t up for grabs. They don’t appreci- ate her playing games with it. There are those who say all she
had to do was tell the truth. They say they would not hold it against her for being white. Beside they felt like she was doing a good job with African American causes.
Then there is that final group which I fit into. As long as she is doing a good, sincere job on Black causes we don’t care. She could be Black, White, Russian or a lady from Mars, help African Americans and you’re alright with us.
Blacks need all the help we can get. I wonder why a white woman would want to be Black when you consider all the segregation and mistreat- ment Blacks endure.
First she grew up in a household with four adopted Black brothers. Did she ad- mire some of the traits she saw in and learned from them? Growing up, I am sure she en- dured some racial teasing that indicated that she was Black. Finally did she think if the four
boys were adopted, maybe she was adopted, too? Just as I am supposing these ifs, we don’t know what her reasons are even if she should say.
Ms. Dolezal has been more involved in the African American causes than a lot of African Americans. It should be noted that she is well edu- cated, having earned a Mas- ter’s Degree from Grambling University. She has taught classes on Black History and Black Culture.
She really raised eyebrows when she took over the strug- gling NAACP in Spokane, Washington. The organization was broke and totally ineffec- tive. Under her leadership, money was put in the Treasury and the organization once again began to effectively do the work of the NAACP. Her work with the NAACP was done without pay in her posi- tion of president of the organ- ization.
My group wishes that she had not lied also. With all the good work she has done for Blacks, let’s slap her on the wrist three times and say don’t lie anymore. Then reinstate her as president and instruct her to continue doing the great job for Blacks.
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What Every Black Church Should Talk About
et’s say the murderer Dylann Roof had entered one of
the mosques of the Nation of Islam in the West, what do you suppose the story would have been then?
The answer is most likely, there would’ve been no story because the suspect would‘ve been greeted, questioned, and frisked before he ever took a seat. But that’s the story of the Nation of Islam in the West, which leaves us to ask other churches who are not Black Muslim, “What’s your story?”
A service was held at Tampa’s Allen Temple AME Church in memory of the nine victims of the senseless shooting that occurred at a sister AME church in Charleston, South Car- olina. Much was said, but perhaps, much may have gone un- said. One asks, in the midst of the memorial service, was a manifesto suggested, which urged each Black church in at- tendance and throughout America to “Watch as well as pray?” In essence, was the issue of church defense discussed, not as Biblical symbol, but as a strategic life and death real- ity? And prior to the Allen Temple memorial service, had ushers been briefed as to what they should look for and what they should do in case of a suspicious or deadly emergency?
In all due respect, we ask these questions. For, if death could happen at Mother Emanuel AME Church, it could hap- pen anywhere. Is faith, therefore, a reason why pastors should do nothing?
The question is agonizing: “What would Jesus do?” But a possible answer is equally unavoidable: “God protects those who protect themselves.”
A Flag For Losers
arlier this week, South
Carolina Governor Nikki Haley announced that she's firmly committed to re- moving the Confederate Battle Flag from the grounds of all State-run property. Even though she acknowledged that removing the flag would re- quire a 2/3 majority vote from the two houses of State Legis- lature, Governor Haley stated that she wouldn't rule out using her executive au- thority to accomplish the task.
Governor Haley's stance and the recent uproar that has arisen across the country con- cerning this 19th century sym- bol of the Confederacy comes in the wake of recently re- leased photographs of 21-year- old Dylann Roof, the gunman responsible for the Mother Emanuel A.M.E. Church massacre in Charleston, proudly posing with the flag and the discovery of Roof's manifesto; a mani- festo that, not only, detailed why he felt it necessary to kill Black people but, revealed his affinity for the old South as well.
While I applaud the South Carolina governor for finally stepping to the plate and de- ciding that holding on to the divisive relic from a very dark part of American history isn't the best way to move forward from a horrific tragedy in-
spired by hate. In the grand scheme of things, I'm not sure how much of a difference this symbolic gesture will make? After all, the flag never shot anybody.
As ugly, unattractive and controversial as it may be, the flag itself never fire-bombed a church, hung a man from a tree, or denied a person a chance for employment be- cause of the color of his skin. It was the individuals, who chose the flag as a representa- tion of themselves, who partic- ipated in these gross atrocities. And, since 71% of white South Carolinians polled feel the flag should stay in its place, it stands to reason that this type of destructive way of thinking will be around long after the flag is in tatters.
The thing is, people like Roof don't need to see the Confederate flag being flown over government buildings to continue to embrace their ha- tred. For them, the replicas they have hanging inside of their homes, cars and trucks are enough to keep them heav- ily motivated.
Of course, there's no doubt that, like the burying of the N- word, having the flag removed from sight would be a moral and political victory for some. But, a person would be naive to believe that the absence of this rebel visage will somehow
sap hate groups and racists of their energy to unify. Though that simple way of thinking wouldn't be anything new since it wasn't that long ago when individuals were quick to claim that President Barack Obama's election annihilated racism.
My personal hope is that this all out assault on so-called "Confederate heritage" will force those who truly sub- scribe to the ideology behind the flag to become more em- boldened to embrace the "blue-cross" in public. That is mainly because their fondness and passion for being on the losing side of history will only make these hate mongers eas- ier to identify.
I imagine the passage of time will eventually tell if the actions being taken now to re- move the image of the flag from states throughout the South and store shelves across the country will have any ef- fect on the overall mentality of America's populace. Until then, this current wave of re- versed intolerance will proba- bly cause bigots like Roof to fear that their way of life is slowly coming to an end.
And, if that's the case, that means we'll have to be even more vigilant at keeping these cowards at bay because, like with any other wild animal, being backed into a corner makes them a lot more dan- gerous.
Reality On Ice is © by the Florida Sentinel Bul- letin Publishing Com- pany. Anyone wishing to contact Clarence Barr can email him at: realityon- ice@yahoo.com.
Blacks And Women Lose In The 2015 Legislative Session
eviewing legislation that passed and failed in the
Florida Legislature this past session, we thought our readers would want to know that African Americans, women, environmentalists, and the poor didn’t do too well. However, gun lobbyists, insurance industries, and busi- nesses did extremely well while other groups were ignored, altogether.
Surprised?
We’re still left wondering if the marginalized groups will still vote for Republicans during the next election, or will they let bygones be bygones as time progresses.
Black people lost ground because the Republican legisla- ture refused to offer an apology to the families of four un- armed Black men and boys who were killed by white deputy sheriffs in 1949 in Groveland, Florida. They also refused to increase oversight of state prisons and penalize guards who abuse inmates, and shielded video taken by police body cam- eras on private property.
The legislators also, refused to extend the Enterprise Zones programs that provided tax incentives to businesses that create jobs in areas with high unemployment, poverty, and crime. In addition, a constitutional amendment that would allow convicted, nonviolent felons to automatically re- gain their rights to vote was scuttled. Since the male domi- nated legislature killed a bill that required women to get equal pay as men on state contracts, it would seem women are viewed no more significantly as a power group than Blacks.
Whatever happened to the term “public servant?” Before voters return to the polls, they should insist someone in Tallahassee explain where it has gone.
FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 5-A
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