Hitting Close To Home... An A.D.D. tantrum.

I just recently received some bad news from a close friend I consider a brother. He just informed me that he and his family have decided to move to another country. I thought he was going to say that he was having another child in his mid fifties so I have to admit...the news was bitter-sweet. I am extremely happy that he is excited and happy to move his family to such a beautiful country (I'm jealous...lol!). I am not too happy of the reasons why. You see, he's an American Citizen with an ethnic background...and it bother's me to no end that he does not believe his children will get the honest education they deserve about their culture. These are American children that will be either lied to or shielded from their culture's sacrificially earned place in American History because a certain type in a certain demographic has guilt about the atrocities their possible ancestors committed or didn't commit in our country's past. As if it never happened. Shouldn't our pride partially rest in in how far our country has come from those atrocities? Shouldn't we measure ourselves on the ones we don't repeat? Isn't that what learning is? Are we afraid to teach that what was done was wrong AND what was done right? Show the actual improvements and failures of our country at least to see our destination. We should be able to learn the truth and live with what already happened. American children and soon to be American citizens should be able to learn the truth about this country's past. At least know what they are actually taking a risk escaping to. That's the only way this country can move forward. Stop repeating our past mistakes, misjudgements, and misappropriations. One of the most important things my grandfather ever told me was "It's important to know where you've been in order to know where you are going. You have to know your history in order to keep from repeating it". He told me this one day because I didn't want to go to a family reunion. After he explained to me what is now obvious. He said I should know who my family is so I can learn true history straight from the minds and mouth's of the people who actually lived it. I use that saying and now apply it to the soul of American Democracy. People have to learn the true American history in order to prevent repeating it. That's important to American cultural survival whether you're Black, Italian, Chinese, Irish, Mexican, Native...you get the point (no specific order). As an American citizen, I feel this country appears much weaker (morally) now than it ever did before. What are we standing upon? If our foundation crumbles, won't whatever's built on top crumble as well? America used to appear to have a moral code AND a back-bone. We stood proud on something. Now it seems we've gone back to the uncivilized past. I don't agree with a majority of what our countries leaders are doing (although I do see how a few of the messed up decisions will benefit America if still done morally correct). But that's just thinking and taking away the emotional impact it has on me. I also don't agree with the childish behavior that's occurring amongst our leaders. It's almost cartoon-ish. It's an embarrassment to the honor of the title of the Offices they hold. When were people proud to be American vs just happy to be in America. To be honest...it probably wasn't that long ago. Although most people were probably not happy having an African American president, there still seemed to be a sense of quiet pride that one was elected. There was a silent desire for this country to reach that momentous occasion. We needed to reach it. A weight had been lifted off of The Statue of Liberty's shoulders. That broken-chained shackle that's still attached to her hidden ankle just briefly benefited from a little triple-antibiotic rubbed under the cold iron cuff. They still want us to see the chain though. The words on the tablet seem sort of meaningless today. We apparently don't stand proudly behind the beautiful words this iconic beauty displays. So what does America have, besides it's Veterans and Military to stand proudly for? Take a minute to be thankful for their sacrifices.

Why is this country to proud to stand on a partially made up history? Are we the only country teaching it's children that Columbus discovered America? I started thinking about what we as Americans are taught about the rest of the world. Are lessons stereotyped in order to highlight the differences in race and culture from America? Who set the standard exactly? Should an American President be required to at least pass the Nationalization Test and know all fifty states and their capitols? Maybe even know the Presidents that served before them in order? Are American books worded to highlight exactly where we get some of our culture from, or worded and pictured to make every other country look so far less advanced as ours because we diluted or changed what was adopted? The United States is one of the youngest countries on this planet...everything we base this country off of is stolen from another country or culture. We then formed a culture around those values and traditions. I often wonder if I have a jaded sense of understanding regarding the cultures of the world. Am I looking at everything through an American filter? I like to think that I'm not...but how do I know for sure? Everything that I have read and studied has been in English. Information translated into a version of a language someone believes is the best way for me to understand the information they are translating. Why are there so many different versions of the bible? Everybody has their own translation? What about knowing the actual translation the way God intended for it to be? Shouldn't that be the only version? Why do older countries have more books in the bible? Why does history tell us that Columbus never set foot on North American soil...but American History books say he discovered America? Is that even logical? I have one better, even if he did...How could he discover a place that already had a people? The only way he could have discovered anything is if the land he landed upon was uninhabited or showed no sign of any type of civilization ever living there.

The honest truth...Europeans landed here to get away from the unjust treatment and laws they were being forced to barely survive in and live by. So they came (illegally by todays laws) to a civilization far away that was thriving in every way it wanted and needed to. Europeans saw their technological dominance over a simple people and violently and forcefully took it away from them. Unsatisfied with their simple day-to-day life. This genocide of a people for some reason made them believe that this demonic act gave them right to this land they were not naturally born on. This is called privilege and probably where it all began. So they took it and started calling it theirs. Now see those European savages and actually criminals had children that were eventually born on this land. This somehow now gave them even more imaginary privilege to this land because they were born on it. They no longer wanted to follow all the rules and laws, and customs of their home countries. Some customs, like "human owning", they kept. Eventually they revolted against their own people for freedoms on the land that they took peoples freedom from. This war led to the eventual signing of the Declaration of Independence. While newly and freshly "independent", even more of the worst atrocities known to human-kind were acted upon in service of building this nation. Entire tribes deleted. This country was LITERALLY built on the blood, sweat, and hope-broken backs of immigrants surviving on this land...all here illegally and possibly against their will. None of us belong here. We are all guests on this beautiful land if you are not native to it (Native American). To understand how beautiful it truly is, you have to explore the areas that are touched the least by social advancement. Here is where the Indigenous spirits speak silently to those who want to listen. We already understand this because we have federal protections on certain areas like Yellowstone and the few Indigenous Reservations to preserve the beauty of the land before immigration. If you ask me...certain historic cities should be funded as well. What I mean by this is cities along the Trail of Tears, The Chitlin' Circuit, and Route 66 just to name a few. These are all historical or iconic moments that had an impact on the identity of this country. How can our future people improve on an unknown past if it is erased or re-imagined? More of my dad's and grandparent's lessons in life was, the most feared man is an educated man. People fear him because he can't be fooled or lied to. He is the type of man that surrounds himself with people who are smarter than he is. He doesn't want to be the smartest in the room and most importantly...he doesn't have to be the boldest, biggest, or loudest.

Well ok...I think I got that off my chest. I know what you are thinking. I know...my thoughts are all over the place. The honest truth is that I can't write or type fast enough to get everything I'm thinking down. I even tried taping it (couldn't talk fast enough)...but once my thought process goes to another place that's just where it is and the other thoughts are long gone. The entire reason I might have gone another way will also be gone. Thus the reason why I call these my A.D.D. tantrums. Most of the time they may not make sense to you...but there is always a reason for the tempered contemplation. Back to my original emotional crisis. I am about to lose one of the very few people in this entire world I can honestly say that I completely trust not only my life, but the life of my daughter. He is truly just one of those amazing people who completely understands loyalty, and that friendship is not friendship if it's only when convenient. I will take this second to say THANK YOU to this human being for always having my back. I pray you...success and peace. Love you bro!

Alonzo XLV