If you look at me, you know I am a black man, not from Africa but that I was born here in America. Without a question or doubt, you will see me as a son of America. I am the product of the American culture whose roots date back to slavery and at some point, to Africa, Europe and, from my understanding, a Spanish culture as well.

I think of myself as one who has inherited the true nature of what America stands for. And for the record, I am proud of who I am, all of me.

Senator Barack Hussein Obama, according to the controversy surrounding him now regarding the man he calls his spiritual advisor, speaks volumes to me about who he is and what he truly stands for. To me, he appears to be a man still in search of whom and what he is.

If I didn’t know the man’s history I would swear that he was one born to a black father and a black mother. I am basing this observation on what I’ve seen of him, heard from him and the actions of those with whom he has chosen to align himself.

He has a spiritual advisor who rants and raves like some white bigot out of the old days of America. He is supported by a black female celebrity who has been quoted as having said ‘I got some good white folks who worked for me.’

For a man who has spoken at length about bringing a change to America, one has to question as to what this change might be when all those around him speak as if America is a place where one has no reason to be proud of this nation’s accomplishments.

America has taken imperfect people and made a place where the impossible is possible. While there are still obstacles to overcome, hope gives reason to the effort.

I’ve heard Obama speak of how he and his spiritual advisor have known one another for more than twenty years and how he understands what being black in America feels like. How he has struggled in his own right as a black man. Obama is well educated with a well-educated wife and a future, with or without the Presidency, which says neither he nor his family will ever have to struggle to make ends meet. Yet, his wife has found very little about America with which to be proud.

I am the father of two children who share both black and white genes and cultures and if either of them were ever to act as if they are more of one race than the other, I would feel as if I have failed as a parent. My children are both black and white and all the other things in between, and if my wife and I are lucky, we can pass this love of who they are on to them.

It appears to me that Barrack Hussein Obama never had the love of who he is, passed down to him, and this is a sad, sad thing for a man who intends to be a leader who intends teach love and understanding to others.

What can one think of a man who has climbed so high and has such little regard for his heritage, his past, his mother or his nation?

America looked to Obama for hope,,,

and found a Politician.

    What would happen if lawmakers and politicians began telling the locals to ignore the laws in their communities? What would happen if the lawmakers and politicians took it a step further and began ignoring them themselves? I do believe that our statutes would become nothing more than stone, soon to crumble into dust and blow away on any prevailing wind.

    I don’t know about you, but that prospect frightens me.

    As a black American who, though young, lived through the black civil rights movement of the sixties and seventies. I came away from that movement with a great respect for the law, not because of the way the law treated the people fighting against the injustices of that time but because of the way those fighting against the injustices treated the law. The affect of what they did, the black civil rights leaders and those in the struggle, had a positive and resounding affect on the rest of society because of their respect for the law.

    However, what do you think would have happened if the black civil rights movement had become one where breaking the law had become the way in which civil rights was to be achieved? I think the outcome would be a much different one than what we witness today. Every American alive today has felt the affects of the black civil rights movement in one fashion or another, the undulation effect of that movement and the way it was waged has swept across America in resonance.

    The illegal alien movement occurring today has described itself as such a movement, a civil rights movement intending to affect how America will look at itself in the tomorrows.

    However, what that movement failed to grasp is, not once did Martin Luther King ever advocate breaking the law to change the law, for he realized the effect such a strategy would have on the future, how hopeless and futile such an approach would have on lasting strength within the American community.

    Perhaps the lawmakers and politicians advocating the breaking of our current laws failed to understand the message they are sending to average Americans.

    The undulation effect of such radical way of thinking can lead to but one end. When you cross such a line as that of allowing people to break the law because you believe that their services are more important than the law itself, you’re telling the average American contemplating breaking the law in order to feed his family that it is justifiable to do so.

    Ludicrous, I know, to think that anyone could relate the two issues, a guy robbing a liquor store to a guy crossing the border illegally, both of whom are trying to provide better for their family. You might believe that even the blind lady of justice should be able to tell the difference. Well, in fact, she should not.

    I say, if you don’t like the law, change the law. If you want to make it so that illegal immigrants can come to this country by crossing the border illegally and therefore become U.S. citizens than change the law to make it so. Protest; demonstrate down the streets of every city. Refuse to ride a bus or eat at certain diners, but when you have broken the law and stand before the American people and demand rights reserved for a citizen of this country, the ground on which to stand to demand is flawed.

    Well, I think the only reason those who are advocating this anarchy and refuse to limit it to such civil tactics as that of the black civil rights movement are those who realize that the difference between what illegal immigrants are demanding and what black Americans requested is simple, one is demanding privileges while the other was demanding rights.

    For all those who are in need of a definition of the two, an attempt to define the differences between a Right and a Privilege is a letter for another time.

    As a black man, I understand those who strive to improve themselves, to do things that will allow one to better ones self. Nevertheless, as a black American, I have a great love for the laws by which we govern ourselves. They are the cornerstone by which our society stands and you start shipping away at that, then you lead me no choice but to believe that your intentions are to bring down that which I so strongly believe in.

    Where do we draw the line America? Our system of democracy is designed so that changes are brought about in an orderly fashion, for every thing we do as a nation affects each, and every one of us. The undulation of anarchy is chaos and bloodshed.

    I know, I know, I’m being overly dramatic but I would like to ask those leading the Mexican movement a question.

    What America has built in this land of freedom, took generations. When will places like Mexico be forced to provide hope and prosperity for its own people? When will the people of such countries stand up and demand this hope from their government?

Well, it will not happen marching down the streets of American cities.

          Trying to comprehend the mindset of a democrat is mind-boggling. They seem so eager to fight against friends and allies rather then stand up against those who openly claim to be our enemies. Enemies who have openly declared that a part of their war strategy against America is to break the will of the American people, an old war strategy the democrats seem unfamiliar with.

The democrats stick out their chest, pick fights with those whom they figure they can wage a verbal war, and say that they are doing the humanitarian right thing, all the while placing in jeopardy those who are on the front lines fighting in America’s war.

        This vote by the democrats to fix a label to an incident that occurred between the Turks and the Armenian people, nearly a hundred years ago is a typical ‘self-righteous’ stance of the democratic party. Though noble on its outward appearance, I cannot but wonder about their inner agenda.

          What happened to the Armenian people in 1915 as well as before and after is no doubt a travesty and should be recognized as such. But why now do the democrats deem it all so important to make this stance?

        As for the Turkish people, while serving in the Army, I spent a tour stationed in Turkey and found them to be an honorable and good people and greatly undeserving of this label the democrats are attempting to place upon them. This past between the Turkish and Armenian people should not be remembered as genocide, but a life lesson that should never be allowed to happen again.  

          As for the democrats and their agenda…

          If I didn’t know better, I would swear that there are some in the democratic party fighting against American victory in the war on terror. But saying such things could be considered calling unpatriotic those who leak vital information or bad mouth their President and their country on foreign soil. What about those insisting that America make public sensitive information used against our enemies, or those who think that American privacy goes beyond American safety? Tell me, is it patriotic to encourage our enemies to commit more and more outrageous acts of violence in order to make headlines so that politicians can point out how bad the war is going? Or is it patriotic for one who is running for President, the representative of America, to refuse to wear the symbol of America, our flag? In another place and time in our history, such acts would be considered treasonous and had they gone unchallenged, America would not be the America we know today.

          Tell me, what should I think of a congressional representative who would, in a time of war, deem it more important to anger an ally over something blatantly irrelevant at this point in time? Should I feel safer with him or her in office supposedly looking out for the well-being of the country? Should I think them a man or woman whose judgments are trustworthy and sound and that they are looking out for my best interest?

          Democrats are running around looking for a battle to fight when the greatest battle in the history of the world rages around them, yet they have chosen to fight against their President and American allies in this war on terrorism. They have decided that those who fight in our militaries and those whose lives have been lost in this battle against terrorism isn’t worth more than a political statement.

Freedom brings with it growth for all, and has never, not once been given without the price of blood.

Sad to say that that is the history of our world.

The day you tell me that my self right, or my economical freedom isn’t worth fighting and dying for, or that my neighbor’s isn’t worth fighting and dying for, then those who wish to take such freedoms away, have won.

           It makes me wonder if democrats understand the term friend and ally, let alone countrymen!

            What do you think would happen if every senator or congressmen running for reelection in the 2008 election was voted out of office and replaced with someone new, someone who perhaps has held no office higher than that of something in their own home town, city or state? What a shake up that would be.

            So many Americans complain about how tired they are of how things are being run in Washington yet continue to reelect the same officials and expect change. I think that is the definition of insanity.

            You want to send a message to those living off the American tax dollar, vote those currently serving, out of office. Or, at least those who have served more than two terms. Why not replace them with a new face and new ideas and I’ll bet the farm, those whose terms are up in the next election will make changes so fast it’ll make your head spin. After all, those serving in Washington are there to represent the people who elected them and if they refuse to do the people’s wishes, perhaps its time for the true bosses of democracy, the people, to step in.

            So much of the American dollar is spent on waste and profit for those serving currently in congress that I’m sure my words will fall on deaf ears. Those who have served in congress for too long have money and will enough to keep themselves living off the American dollar, they can spin words and say the right things to make the American public believe that they are the right people for the job. They will tell you that change is hard but they will fight for you, again. Your answer to them should be, thank you, but no thank you. You have served now kindly step aside and give someone else a turn.

            This vote for change by the American people should cut across party lines, both democrat and republican need to be held responsible for the failure of Washington to get anything done.

            Now, I know that my words will more than likely go unheeded, those in power will remain in power, and the status quo will continue. Because the American people have shown an emotional rather than rational desire to do anything but complain about how bad things are while refusing to do the obvious. The American democracy is designed to force change, if we truly desire it, by forcing those in power to exercise their power according to the will of the people and if they refuse to do so, they need to make a living doing something other than serving in congress. Remember that those who have been in office too long are a part of the problem not the solution.

            You want change, vote for it!

The simplicity, with which one could pick up a book, read an article or watch the History and Discovery channel to find out about the past of human kind, is relatively simple. However, trying to decipher and organize this information can be quite challenging. Nevertheless, a sincere search will lead the seeker to truths that perhaps will leave one wondering how so many people could possibly be ignorant to facts so readily available. Try to remember that if you wanted a lie to become the truth, all you need do is repeat it often enough. Therefore, when searching for answers and the truth keep an open mind and avoid preconceived notions that favor your inner beliefs. Make a list of both sides of the quest and then remember Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s character Sherlock Holmes famous quote, "It is an old maxim of mine that when you have excluded the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."

I read an article were the Comptroller General David Walker compared America’s future to that of Rome, or more so, to the fall of Rome. And if you’re familiar with that once powerful empire that ruled the world for more than five hundred years, was founded around 753 BC and conquered the known world until the last of the Caesars in 476 AD. It is unquestionable that an empire whose dominance, which lasted so long, should be looked at and compared to other nations both past and present. And one should wonder how such a once mighty empire could have become so inconsequential. And since America herself has risen from a vast wilderness of ideas to the most powerful nation in the world with envious enemies who would relish in the fall of our great nation, we Americans need to take a long look at who we are and where we plan to be in the future. Fore I guarantee you that those who founded this nation cared greatly about her future, whereas many of those residing in this country today are focused more on self-centeredness and the instantaneous, caring little about what the future holds outside of their immediate desires. Sounds Roman, doesn’t it?

With all that said, remember what I said earlier, that if you wanted a lie to become the truth, all you need do is repeat it often enough? Well that leads me into my topic about ‘The Right's and Rome's’ (wrongs). Bear in mind that I am referring to Mr. Walkers comparison of America to Rome in its death throws.

Great empires that establish themselves on the battlefield time and time again can be beaten eventually, but their defeat can always be traced back to an inner problem which weakened their military to the point that defeat was inevitable. When that empire forgets the things that made it what it became and ventures off into detrimental areas, there is always the possibility of doom befalling the mighty. Granted, change is to be anticipated, but an intelligent individual will allow the past to be its guide as to what changes are beneficial and which are harmful. And, if the past has no reference on which to plan your next move then a smart calculated guess will have to suffice, and I stress the word, calculated.

The American and the world’s judgment are being called into question.

We are a society who can’t accurately predict tomorrow’s weather but we warn people that in ten years or so, our weather is going to drastically change and mankind is doomed if we don’t change our ways. Yet, these same individuals refuse to tell you that our weather has been constantly changing since the dawn of time and will continue to do so. Where there was at one time a single mass of land and un-breathable air, freezing temperatures and heat unbearable, we now have prospering societies on a planet that will do what she pleases as it pleases her. She is an old place whose time will eventually run out but a mother that cares enough to provide its inhabitants with what is needed to survive in spite of her temperament.

The American judgment on the life of a child can’t even be decided. The same people who tell you that a woman alone has a right to choose whether or not to have an abortion are the same people who can’t decide when life begins in a woman’s womb. Is it not true that where there is a struggle to survive therein lays life? For example, is there not a struggle to survive when a sperm cell, in most cases one out of thousands, attempts to reach the egg and implant itself? What about when the egg struggles to attach itself to the woman’s uterus? Could that not be described as an instinctual struggle to live? How much more of a struggle needs to take place before we deem it life?

The American judgment on who is a man and who is a woman has become so blurred and distorted that regardless of the facts, scientists have spent millions on ways to prove that homosexuals are born to be what they are. Despite the fact that science has proven nothing of the sort, I ask, is not life a series of choices that lead us to become what we become? Some choices are forced upon us while others are made out of self-satisfying needs.

The sexual desires running through the human mind and body are very powerful and often times uncontrollable. It is the one thing the human body can do without the aid of a drug that gives pleasure beyond words. How this urge is activated is a product of life experiences starting from the beginning of our being. Something in our lives, sometimes passing unnoticed, often triggers a gravitational pull towards what will become the satisfaction of this powerful urge.

To call the acts of homosexuality normal is disingenuous, unless you can reasonably explain to me what could possibly be normal about how the sexual acts performed between two men is normal when an organ used for reproduction is interacting with another bodies waste disposal. The only thing possibly normal about such an act is the need to self-satisfy and the inability of a species to control the most powerful and natural urge on the planet.

It would appear that mankind is ready to walk away from that which made us the dominate species, perhaps our intellect has allowed us to transcend beyond the belief that we actually need to procreate in the old fashioned way. Two men need not be able to reproduce as long as there is adoption or a possible future where we can grow a baby in a test tube. Two women need not produce a child together as long as one or both can go to a sperm bank and impregnate themselves. Countless studies have shown that offspring do better in a traditional home setting where there is a loving mother and father whose sole purpose is the well-being of their children, but what does that matter? As long as the individual is happy, who cares?

Now think about this, we already live in a society that has begun to place the value of family and even life as something secondary to self-satisfaction. With crime and violence on the rise, how much further downward do you think our society would fall if the norm became where two men adopted a child and claimed to love them dearly but could never, not ever, pass on the value and understanding of blood ties between family? How much easier will it become for one to pull away from the ‘well being’ of society if that understanding eroded? A society of one parent being a step-parent and the other blood is noble and works in many cases, but are statistically very troubling. If I have to explain to any of you who read this that, the bond between family runs deeper than even love, then I doubt that you’ve understood anything I written.

The American freedom is a noble thing and wields great power, but remember what Peter Parker’s grandfather told him, “With great power comes great responsibility.”

America has an opportunity to show the world that great societies can stand the test of time, but not without limits. It is a glorious thing to be granted the freedom to be whom and what you want to be, but never forget that if society as a whole fails to stand, we all fall. Every time a powerful nation falls, the chance for hope and freedom has to start all over again.

I beg you; let it be here, in America where people of all races have gathered to build one voice in the call for freedom and understanding for all. A place where the sky’s the limit, but there are limits on how one chooses to reach the sky, safely yet daringly.

No matter what many might say, there are right ways to go about a thing and there are wrong ways. Humanity thinks itself so smart, so intelligent, yet we constantly duplicate our mistakes. I think the other animals roaming the planet have a better understanding about life than us, yet we look upon them as uncivilized, animalistic. They understand the need for survival and no doubt wake every day with that goal in mind. But not humankind, so empires are built and torn down because humankind can’t seem to accept life as it is, as it should be. Our evolutionary process that brought us from our humble beginnings to our age of enlightenment should be the reminder of what we are, who we are.

We could uncover the secrets of the universe should we choose to do so, or we could become fossils for another growing species to wonder, just who the hell were they?

Should America fall, it won’t be solely because we are defeated outwardly, but our demise will be because we were too smart to realize how dumb we truly were.

In one of the most influential times in American history, I ask this question; Where are the black American Leaders of old? When black Americans, such as Condoleezza Rice, are helping to shape American policies, where are those black American leaders who should be standing behind her in support? The answer to this question is, they are opposing her and what she stands for, as if she doesn’t realize her place in the great scheme of things. Our black leaders have lost their way I believe, and have become so caught up in the “looking out for number one” philosophy that they could never face a resolute person unscripted, so they prey on the uninformed.

The American nation is at a crossroads, with great political infighting, a radical group attempting to overthrow our country, an unpopular war being fought for economical and social reasons. You would think that a number of black leaders would be standing side by side with the President of the United States and supporting those in the field, many of whom are black, fighting this fight for freedom and economic stability for America and its allies. I think the question of where is black America deserves an answer.

I don’t know how many times I’ve heard blacks tout their dislike of President Bush, and when I ask them ‘why?’ they all seem to repeat the same statement, “he cares more about the rich than the poor,” with other similar-like comments that indicate a dislike of him simply because he’s white. Many of these blacks think that they are reviving the ‘black power’ spirit while ignoring the fact that ‘black power’ has already been obtained, just ignored by those who merely want to pick a fight just to have a fight.

At what point in history will a black man stand and make himself heard over the many forms of communication flooding our society with a voice that cares more about protecting America, than a bygone myth that the black race is in jeopardy? At what point in history will a black leader realize that every black man or woman whose roots trace back to America’s beginning should now stand and say in one voice, “I stand with the President, I stand for America!” Black America has been there at every point in American history, living and dying right along side white America in order to make this country what it is today. We have earned the right to be called Americans time and time again, and yet our black leaders have constantly misinformed us that we still have a fight on our hands against white America. Many black leaders are looking to make a name for themselves by standing against the current administration, demanding change. And when asked what change would make things better, they mention the likes of Obama. Well please forgive me for not bowing down to the first, so called, real black candidate for the Presidency of the United States, but I need more of a reason to vote for him other than the fact that he’s black, and I still haven’t figured out if he is a Christian or a Muslim. I think America has grown enough to expect more from its leaders, and if that were not the case I would not be writing this letter today to the, so-called, black leaders of America.

I expect more. I demand more.

What a great opportunity I’ve been granted as a black American, to show the rest of the world how much I honor and appreciate the thousands of Americans, both black and white who put on a uniform went into battle and died so that my great great, great grandfather could be a free man in 1864. Many of those who shed their blood over the American countryside probably cared little about the plight of black Americans, or for that matter, the economic stability of this new country but were more concerned with the idea that their country was about to go to war. Moreover, in spite of the fact that brother would have to fight brother they served.

Many of these self-reliant individuals who died in the American Civil War, I have no doubt disagreed with the reasoning behind the war and thought that perhaps giving their lives for people they thought where nothing more than savages was ludicrous, yet they fought and died anyway. To them I say thank you, for their deaths made way for the opportunity for there to be a me.

When will black Americans stop looking outside of who we are? We are the product of a people who have become what is America. Those of us who live in the now should remember those who have come before us who have paved the way for black Americans to be the embodiment of what America has to offer. From slave, to Secretary of State, with higher heights and further accomplishments to achieve. However, beyond what black America could possibly achieve here in America, imagine what we could represent to the rest of the world. A people once slaves in a history so recent that the descendents of those who lived in captivity can speak of there enslaved ancestors with imposing familiarity.

Where is the black leader who will represent the true image of black Americans? Hard working individuals who wake every morning with one goal in mind, security for home and family.

As long as separate but equal is preached in the pulpits of the multitudes of black Americans, divisions we will have. As soon as the many disenfranchised blacks of America realize that right is right and wrong is wrong, and that America was built on a system of laws that are meant to protect all no matter how unjust they may sometimes seem. The laws are what define who and what we are and the only way we can survive as a people is through the fact that each of us respect the laws that have been laid out. And if we don’t, there are means by which to change things where no blood is split and the only thing hurt are feelings.

Where is the black American leader who will demand that the emotionally driven people seeking to blame someone for their life’s troubles, focus not on an outside source for their hardships but that they find a mirror and look at the reflection glaring directly back at them.

Who and what my life is going to be is defined by me. Can you hear that black leaders of America? If you’re not going to look at helping all of America, you can’t help me. If you’re not going to expect the world from me, how could I ever dream of giving you the stars?

When I heard that Virginia had apologized for slavery, I was a bit taken aback. The question that kept playing in my head was, I thought they already did that, so why did they feel the need to do it again? As a black American and a descendant of slaves, I’ve never felt that Virginia or white America has ever owed me anything. I did, however, grow up feeling that America owed me a fare opportunity to be the best that I could be, and it has granted me that opportunity.  An opportunity for which I am deeply grateful. I have accomplished all that I have put my heart and soul into and became the best at what I was doing at that time. So, as for me, no apology is needed.

In fact, I’m certain Virginia has already done what was needed in order to show its regret for its treatment of black America. The more than 4,000 Virginian soldiers who died in the civil war fighting for the Union, was apology enough. Men, for the most part, fought and died, not because they believed that slavery was wrong, but because their country asked them to stand up and bare arms against their brothers for the sake of God and Country. It was, for the most part, a bringing together of the country. The leaders of that time realized that in order for this country’s written documents to hold any value, then the words of those documents had to ring true for all who lived in this country. A nation was torn apart due to the economic growth of one part and the belief of another. It could have easily been decided that everyone would prosper from slave labor, and grow this country on the backs of those whose skin was other than white. But, a decision was made that had far reaching consequences, and I stand here today as a result of it.

I am grateful for such leaders as Martin Delany, a Virginian, W.E.B. Du Bois, Booker T. Washington, Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X, Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice. But, I think a great much of my appreciation should go to those white Americans who gave their lives, in spite of their beliefs, in order that my great, great, great grandfather could be freed from slavery, which in turn granted me the opportunity to write this letter. And, I dare say, for you to read it. For without the sacrifices of those who died for the Union, in this country’s most troubling period, many of us would not be here today, the world would be a much different place. For those who can't realize such sacrifices for what they are, I feel sorry for their misguided comprehension.

In my lifetime, I have never heard the so-called black leaders speak to this truth. Or, use it as rallying cry for blacks to remember that though this nation, for a time, lost it’s way, there were a great many, both black and white who gave their lives so that we could become the great nation we are today.

I know racism is still a factor in our society today, but an understanding of how the world works could give you great incite to the fact that racism, in one form or another has always existed and always will, in one form or another. But, I can live with that, and have, because I realize that I’m not always going to be liked or appreciated, and will not always like or appreciate others. And, my take on that is, it's human nature.

Leaders of Virginia, you have already paid your debt to black America and you owe us no more.

I ask, as any American should, for no special treatment, I ask only for what my qualifications qualify me for, no more, no less.

That is the American way.

Cliff Brotherton

March 10, 2007

To African American Leaders
From a Black American

I’ve never been to Africa, no one in my family, that I know of, has been to Africa. Aside of a few visits outside the United States on military duty, I’ve never called any other place home except America. So why, for heavens sake, should I call myself an African American?

Let me explain my descent to this African American cause and to those who insist that there is viable reason why I think the idea of black Americans calling themselves African Americans is in no way a part of the ‘Dream’ for all Americans.

My great, great, great grandfather was a slave, as were his parents. As to what time during America’s history, my family came into the country, is uncertain. But, let’s say, for the sake of argument and to the point of this letter, that my family was among the twenty sold in Jamestown in 1619 and lived their lives in slavery until the end of the civil war in December of 1865. Undoubtedly, that would give my family 246 years on American soil, more importantly, 246 years off African soil.

So possibly from 1619 until 1961, the year I was born, my family would have been on American soil for 342 years, and according to current U.S. law would be considered an American citizen. So, any reasonable person would understand why I’m having a hard time calling myself an African. But, what if, again for the sake of argument, my great, great, great grandfather was among the last African slaves to arrive on American soil just before the end of the civil war in 1865. That would mean from 1865 to 1961, my family would have had 96 years in America. Obviously not as long as those who arrived in Jamestown in 1619, but still nearly a hundred years of residency in America, which again qualifies me for citizenship. In fact, the first child born to an African slave would, by today’s laws, be considered an American citizen. So, after several generations of this process, without ever stepping foot on African soil again, which would be the country to which that individual should be considered a citizen of?

I don’t really understand the reasoning behind the African American leaders switching, yet again, to another title by which blacks should be addressed. The ethnic designation, or official titles of the black Americans in this country, has gone from African slave, to n*****, to colored, to negro (which technically is the same as black just in a different language), to black (in English), to n***a, to African American.

A title well traveled and altered.

The African American title is presumed to give us a base of where we come from, a connection to the motherland, to Africa. Apparently, however, the term white American is all right for white America, but the African American leaders have decided that black Americans can no longer be identified by a color, but need something more grandiose. I suppose being known as something outside of an American gives us more sense of who we are. I can only guess that this was the African American leaders’ way of thinking. But, unless there was a call to go back to Africa at some point, the logic of black Americans switching to African Americans, escapes me. Besides, changing my homeland is even less desirable than changing my title.

At any rate…

I begin to take into account all of those who lived and died in this country as slaves over the many years, and wonder whether their suffered lives were for nothing. I wonder about those who lived and died for the right just to live in peace and freedom, or those who lived and died just for the right to be considered Americans, whether what they lived and died for was for nothing. Please, don’t tell me that all the tribulations my ancestors went through, were for nothing. And, just when the deaths of those who died in this struggle was beginning to pay off, don’t tell me that 342 years of living, working and dying in this country was all for the objective of separating ourselves from the only home and people we have ever known.

Our beginnings in America, we, the black Americans, is one of conquered people, but to look at where we are now as opposed to where we came from, one would have to say we have dawned into a great people. I, of course, give thanks to all those who came before me, for without their sacrifices I would not be here today. But, how could I give thanks to the black Americans who endured those times without giving equal praise and thanks to those of white Americans, a great many of whom, nearly a million to be exact, gave their lives during 1861 thru 1865 so that black society could become black Americans. I have heard the arguments that those who died during the civil war didn’t die for black America, yet here I sit because of their sacrifice. It is impossible to count the sacrifice of one without the counting those of the other, in fact it is just plain wrong.

I think Martin Luther King Jr. said it best…

…there is something I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold that leads into to the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers are, as evidence by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone.

Martin Luther King Jr. August 28, 1963

Such powerful words from a man who has earned, and most surely deserves his place in history.

After the death of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968, in my opinion, black America has been without a leader capable of picking up where he left off. I regret to say that I was denied the honor of ever meeting the man, so I had to get to know him through his words. I was around seven years old when he died and can vaguely remember the sadness of the time. America was suffering a great much during the 60’s, with the death of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Francis Kennedy. The pain of those tragedies brought about such confusion and fear in our society that those who had to live through it, have yet to recover. But, that is another topic for another day.

The words of Martin Luther King Jr. influenced my life in such a way that as I listened to those who attempted to pick up the baton and continue with his vision, I became confused. Their words, unlike the King, seemed different. Even in the early days of Martin Luther Kings Jr.’s death, the new leaders attempted to revive the spirit of black America’s most noticeable leader and nation altering movement, but something had changed. What had been a movement of hope and promise for all Americans, quickly became a movement similar to George Orwell’s Animal Farm. The oppressed new leaders spoke of change, but their method of getting to the end of the rainbow altered in words and actions. What use to be heartfelt words that touched the soul of all who heard them became sound bites and rhymes designed for children. Actions began to focus on irrelevant issues and misguided causes. What black Americans had once considered malicious thinking and behavior, became the new philosophy and deeds.

To this day, I’m still trying to figure out what happened to Martin Luther King’s idea of an American Dream. It was one of unity for all, where blacks and whites worked together and not against one another.

When I hear young blacks speak of how white America is still the racist people of old, I smile, because there hasn’t been a black lynched from a tree for quite some time.

Now, I’m no fool, I know that racism is an issue in the American society, but that will never change, not ever. Even if racism is one day obliterated, mankind will always find other ism’s with which to focus their attention, and only the blissfully unaware would think otherwise.

Here is my point, the African American leaders have failed black America. Yet black America has prospered in spite of a lack of clear African American leadership. Not to say that black America has been without leaders, because their have been many black leaders who have guided black America since the death of Martin Luther King Jr. The black leaders of today are working hard every day on their jobs, stepping up as leaders in their communities and telling those around them, not so much by words but by deeds, that opportunities are available for all who choose to go out and take advantage of them. The black leaders of today are opening businesses and running those businesses with their own sweat and determination. The black leaders of today have worked their way into government positions never before held by a black American. And in spite of their success, you African American leaders have failed to honor them, a fact that discourages me to know end. Nevertheless, these true leaders of black America strive on anyway, as all great leaders do.

Our African American leaders have become rich spreading their ‘blame America’ ideas. They’ve insisted that the problems plaguing black Americans can be solved by blaming everyone, everyone except the face glaring back in the mirror. Many of black America’s problems can be solved by looking inward, and I don’t mean to say all problems, but a great many.

I don’t want to change again, I don’t want others looking at me wondering if they should call me African American or black American. I have no plans to relocate to Africa. I just want to be an American who’s skin happens to be black. Insisting that we once again switch our identification to that of African American is a slap in the face to all those who sacrificed everything in order for America to look upon black Americans as a race who have contributed to the building of this country. Black Americans have been in this country since its beginning, we are a part of the big picture, and never should consider ourselves the whole of it. This country became great when it decided that free spirits and individual determination and individual responsibility would be the rule of law. We all play our part in securing America’s future for those who will come after us, but if the African American leaders keep telling those who listen to them that America has yet to except them, this not only hurts black Americans but America as a whole.

African American leaders, keep your African American titles for the new Americans who actually typify the title. Those who have recently immigrated to this country from the shores of Africa are true African Americans, not those who have resided in this country for decades.

As for me, allow me to “say it loud, I am a black American and proud!”