Doctor C J's Blog

 the 1950’s and 1960’s

Shine a light…

This past month has been a doozy and has left me woozy, because some recent events have dug deeply and opened old wounds. Wounds that I thought were dead and buried.

Even though, for the past 40 some years I haven’t had to deal with or live with the blatant discrimination and segregation of my childhood. I shudder, when in Oklahoma City, my great-niece is being told to, “Pack your bags because with Trump as president he’s going to send you all back to Africa.” I cringe, I cry, and I scream; THIS CANNOT BE HAPPENING AGAIN!

Hmmm, I remember my mom and I walking across town on our way to church. I’m loosely holding her hand and skipping to the beat of her feet. We’re singing and then what happened next quickly reminded us that we were Negroes, at the mercy of a white man in a big brown car. I can’t remember his words, but I do remember Mom’s grip on my hand tightening as she picked up a rock and told the guy; “You’d better leave us alone.” By now I’m too scared to skip or sing; I just want to run the seven blocks to the safety of the church.

Even though, this is 2016 – in Georgia and integration has been in full effect for over 50 some years,  I ache when my friend tells me, in Conyers, his step-son was getting on the school bus and a white guy in his 60’s yells at the kids getting on the bus, “Y’all know Trump won last night so y’all better watch out.” I cringe, I cry, and I scream; THIS CANNOT BE HAPPENING AGAIN!

“Change is inevitable, progress is optional.” Tony Robbins

Even though many of the people voted for change and not racism – I wonder, is this slide back into segregation, this unwritten permission to bully at will, or this unfiltered hated the change you wanted, expected, or anticipated? Did you expect his name to become a tool of hate and threat?

Yes, I get that some change has been wanted and needed BUT when that change is openly celebrated by the kkk, the American nazi party, and other white supremacist groups; that believe Trump has given them permission to openly bully and hate, it’s enough to make me want to HOLLER.

“May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.” Nelson Mandela

And when current cabinet choices are well known alt- right – white supremacists, who believe segregation is the correct path and the hate-gate should be held open wider, yes, I do scream as the salt hits that reopened wound because it fucking hurts. It hurts enough to make me cringe, cry, and scream – Your Agenda is Drenched in the Stench of Racism.

Somebody shine a light on my darkness.  Please prove me wrong. Please show me I’m overreacting. Please soothe my angst about the direction of my country – because I too sing America.

Come back soon…