I am speaking as a Christian in this aspect. So, I leave the burden on a jacksonian to come up with the secular argument, if he holds the position; to which I believe he will offer an interesting take (hint, hint: a jacksonian). Many will call me insensitive (which will be the most civil of insults to come) because of this post but I feel it quite necessary to write. We are in a time and day when the issue of race has superceded the need for patriotism and advancement of America. On both sides of the fence exists extremists so self-enamoured that they cannot see that their delusions of grandeur only benefitt the person in the mirror.
My rant will be on the issue of reparations. This, I believe, was an honest attempt to rectify a horrible tragedy of our past. However, it has created a greater one in place of it. Am I saying that people shouldn't be held accountable? Yes and No! The people who should be held accountable are long and gone. But, their spirit lives on in many people today who still believe in oppression of people, regardless of race or gender. To those people, I say make reparations now if their mindset is to still hold people back, or God will! My issue with reparations is that it isolates one particular people group from another and fails to recognize the others affected by similar oppression, if not longer than 400 years. That being the case; why stop with Blacks? There are nations and countries that need to atone for their sins against humanity for thousands of years and still manage to function as if nothing happened. Yet, we have created a populace of people who want so much to be given because it was taken away from their ANCESTORS; that we are supposedly deserved of said properties and rights. NOTE: I am not saying that ALL Blacks feel this way!
I don't speak as someone who hasn't experienced discrimination and poor pay for excellent performance. But, I realize that my prestige and success here on Earth is ultimately controlled by the Sovereign God I serve. Sovereign - one that exercises supreme authority within a limited sphere (Merriam-Webster). The definition works save the fact that God is not limited (omnipotent). So, my destiny is decided and controlled by Him. Is this a fatalistic approach to life? Heavens no! Actually, it allows me to put my trust and hope in that when I "deserve" anything besides death (Romans 6:23); it will be provided (Philippians 4:19). And, I am tired of Christian blacks who quote that verse except when it comes time to vote!
So, if I remain paid less for now; so be it! When I am to be restored to where I was before; I will enjoy that time then. For now; there are things for me to learn at the position I am at now. I can't wallow in 'blamism' and think that I am owed something because what has transpired to me or my ancestors. Personally, I can't play that card because my parents are from Haiti! So, I am not Afro-American; I am the product of the Arawak Indians, Africans, Spaniards and whatever else was brought to the West Indies. But, when I grew up poor; the only person that was responsible for my needs at the time was my parents. When I became of age to provide for myself, the onus (please forgive me all out there who have endured me spelling it 'owness') was on me. I work and get the job done. Serving in an evangelism ministry years back; I encountered the following dialogue between a few people at a juvenille detention center when I was going to visit some kids there:
person 1: Man, I cannot believe that I cannot get the job that I want! I am being refused left and right.
person 2: Why won't they hire you?
person 1: Because of my criminal history being so bad.
person 2: That's messed up! Have you considered McDonalds?
person 1: Sh(*, I am not working there!
Now, the problem I have is that many people want things without the hard work that comes with it. Don't get me wrong; even simple I have tried the Powerball in hopes of taking things easy (yes, that does mean that I hadn't fully trusted God in every area of my life. To which, I continue to try every day of my life. I do not think you will find any person, regardless of their ideology who has fully succumbed to it. So, please, no anti-trusting God or anti-Christian propaganda that does not add something beneficial to this post. The post may be deleted. Yet, if there is a constructive question or comment; I will keep and address it). Yet, there is a time when you're going to have to put in the hard time to earn every success that comes your way no matter how long! All of us had to scrape to get where we are and nothing should just be given because of the mistakes of others. Will there still be discriminating factors to contend with? Yes, but again; maybe; just maybe we haven't proven ourselves responsible enough to manage what we so eagerly desire. Even if we haven't been given the chance to have it.
Let's look at a very humbling passage that I enjoy. The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30):
What I really like about this is that I relate it to today. There are many out there who have been given much! And threw it away! Maybe you can't get into the school that you want but what stops you from going to a community college and getting the degree that way? PRIDE! There is nothing wrong with black colleges; but why spend more money to move away from home when it could be more affordable on the family to attend something locally? PRESTIGE! Why cater to the crowd instead of being accountable to God and seeing where He will lead? PRESSURE! What about the people who got their 40-acres and a mule and sqaunder it away to 'blingage'? PROGNASTICATORS! Why no outrage to communities that fight to make EBONICS an official language? PROVOKERS!
I am on the twenty-year bachelor program to two (2) educational institutions. The Bible College is being black-balled by black preachers and black churches who got their feelings hurt in the past. So, instead of getting doctrinally sound preachers; we get the performers who serve themselves better than the community. Yet, I have had the pleasure of meeting blacks in the workforce not content to medicority. They went to school; they proved themselves and are doing things that everyone has the opportunity to; should you put in the work. And no; I will not act like there are not places still closing doors. To that I say, create one! Since 1990, I have been sent to three (3) computer classes that was recommended by my employers (and the classes were outdated because I knew the information anyway). So, the onus was on me to learn what I know. I read the books; I took apart the machines and put them back together because I realized that no one owed me anything! Even in all that hard work; I didn't always get what I want; but I did get what I needed! It was a lesson on learning individuals in the workplace. Learning who the go-getters and the bed-wetters were. The ones with class and integrity and those who needed it. And self-educating myself; to website development, application development, system administration and the such has been an a great investment for me.
So, then I come to regeneration. Why? I could exhaust reparations, but I won't today. Maybe I'll two (2) part it. In regeneration, I pray that we as a nation can move forward, acknowledge and remove those instigators of oppression. But, that means being willing to be transparent. But that is a high price to pay and I don't think many of us want to do that. Even as Christians. It means being caring of another individual and offering solutions and creatting them instead of leaving the onus on the government. There are many things the government is failing to accomplish, but should we stop living because of it? God forbid! But, there is a lack of education in all our communities that require changes. And this even means not leaving the onus on our schools to educate our youth! RIF, RIF, RIF, RIF! I thought the commercial was corny but it is so prevelant to the development of every individual. And reading comic books, game books, Cliff notes doesn't cut it! Also, relying solely on Black history and never reading something from Charles Dickens, Michael Crighton, or even Tony Evans is a travesty because it segregates ones thought process. To see everything in one colour doesn't help but hinder America! Education is key to the regeneration process because it then leaves every individual without excuse and paints a better picture to society as a whole as to those responsible for failure of the community, county and country. When so many blacks can walk away believing FahrenHATE 911 and not see the obvious biases; it saddens me because there is another person lost in ignorance! Condi Rice may not be the normal black woman; but I think more women can that successful; if they are willing to do the work. In regards to the racist employers who knowingly block qualified minorities; I believe their time will only last for so long. So, in the meantime, stop crying people and take what opportunities you have now and make the best of it or shut up and create one!
(Thanks Jack for the part in the movie; now make it stick in public!).