There are African Americans in the United States who have
come to the conclusion egalitarian rights for people of color is cemented in a
certainty –until a Trayvon Martin is killed, or Rodney King is beaten down like
a damn dog. These same people of color of which I speak, enjoy benefits of good
jobs, vacations, cars etc gained on the bones & blood of pioneers: many of
whose names are forgotten by blacks. I am under no such illusion about blacks
and our position in a still racist America . To this end for over 30
days my journeys have taken me to a bike trail in a suburban town; there my
goal is bicycling daily 17-20 miles, in this manner I prepare for the battles
ahead. For over two years a group of black employees on the Department of
Children and Families plantation have waged a campaign to expose bias, racism,
and bungling administrators within the DCF Plantation. With our white, lesbian
-gay-bisexual- transgender, allies’ a tremendous fight is taking shape.
My rides on the bike
trail causes periods of reflection as how to strike another blow to the
arrogant DCF Plantation behemoth : while engaged in this struggle DCF leadership
seeks to cast me as a villain of racism, in the words of French writer Emile
Zola “I do not accept the label you paste on my back.” I prepare for the
battles ahead by remembering all those people harmed by leadership in the DCF
Plantation, and let us not forget the minions and lackeys oppressing employees
of color for plantation managers etc. I prepare for the battles ahead by
focusing on Denmark Vesey, who organized a slave revolt in Charleston, South Carolina
(of over 9,000 slaves) and was intent to destroy emblems of oppression (until
the plot was betrayed by house negroes-of course). I prepare for the battles
ahead with the full understanding that the enemy will stop at nothing to
silence me et al. I prepare for the battles ahead by recalling painful memories
of how so called friends abandoned me after my first salvoes at DCF: many
receive grants from DCF for their organizations, thus being an associate of
Cornell meant losing their 30 pieces of silver.
Finally, I prepare
for the battles ahead with those words of anarchist Alexander Berkman ringing
in my ears “he who crosses the threshold must leave all behind, even friendship,
even comrades.”
“All means are justified in the war of humanity against its
enemies.”.
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