The Crying Woman

 Art by June Colbert Bowman-Sims

   Up from Slavery, my heart still aches every day of my life when I see my people struggling to survive in the riches country in the world. After four hundred or more years, one would assume that everyone who has a desire, to participate in the American Dream, would have access to the mutual benefits and protections allocated to all Citizens. 

In my opinion, Institutional Racism is responsible for the oppression of African-American people. Systematic planning and development of inferior sites for construction of our neighborhoods, along with the high costs associated with accessing newly built moderate homes and services, serves well to limit our ability to reach out for the American Dream.

Many times we travel miles to earn a pitance salary that is a fraction more than the standard low wage. We are boxed into our communities with few jobs available to members of our ethnic group, this could well be the reason for the crime stats in our hood. There are many other reasons for our demise:

• Segregated communities with resale of property that has lived it's useful life
• Sales of defective materials for use in constructing or maintaining designated infrastructures
• On the job training of members of other ethnic groups on jobs in our neighborhoods that require contractors to train those who would be permitted to enroll (at a later date), in certification programs for 'Master', builders, plummers, brick masonry, lock smiths, and etc.
• Last but not lease, ..giving professional people from other countries and ethnic groups incentives to work with, (those of us African-Americans, considered to be less fortunate, for specified periods of time). Some earn six figure salaries while they are being trained to the ways of America by members of our group. Then they open their own businesses and hire us for minimum wage with few fringe benefits.
• We must break the links in this chain for our survival.

Let us refer to poems from the Ballad Of Poetry before any work goes on in any state in America; bridges, levees and all developments must be structrually sound, and the environment must be healthy! If not, .. one should not interfere with 'Mother Nature', nor 'Father 'Time, here lies: 

                       ' The Lone Creek'

Grass and weeds, stand tall near this water. A damp silent place; there's never laughter. Clear water moving quietly in the stream; undisturbed by Humans, it would surely seem.

The quacking of a duck, heard now and then; a hiss from a snake...that has no friend. Crickets that sing in the darkness of night; here at the creek where everythings right.

This pond's full of fish, but not fishermen; for this swamp's dangerous, for walking in. There is quick sand awaiting, for any prey; receiving it anytime...whether night or day.

This is the place, that man should not seek; Only insects or wild game, enjoy this creek.

After a disaster, such as damage from  hurricanes, floods, and other weather related conditions that destroy hundreds of thousands of lives, one asks...where are our African-American leaders? We need to see members of our own ethnic group, (African-American men and women) at the forefront directing our futures. Our children shouldn't have to ask:

                      'Who is He?' 

Now America is that land of milk and honey, with all of the people free to earn money. She ever flaunts her capitalist's economy, while building to great fame by a Minority.

Tho' he was from far away, as fly the crow; it's stop or opress, the ones called Negro.

He exhorts her to realize his extorted sigh; that this is the promised land, for any guy. With both hands full, she tries to improve, the socio-earning status, if it's your move.

Rally around the flag boys, don't disregard; the small groups being kept in her backyard.

He knows that separate and and equal, can't fly; so our ethnics must get together, by and by. When the shares of a few make par he's told, that'll be the main stream, out of the cold.

He's against violent platforms and weaponry; or the color of skins, bringing inferiority.

The time when Man can live together in harmony, is when he is no longer referred to by the Color of a skin; rather...by the Basis of an Origin.

His tongue is as sharp as a serpent's tooth; slits quarry's throats, while talking truth. A revolutionary? This he could have become; but somehow he learned...this left out some.

He organized the masses, with silver speech; and fin for yourselves, is what he'd preach.

With articulated thought, and truth of word; he'd live with any danger, just to be heard. To challenge a system, he knew was not free; inspired liberal politicos...into reformity.

Wanting have-nots to know in true democracy; that they could be considered, a have to be.

Until all Americans have a place in society, and see their chances, for lives of quality; can dwell with their peers, with not a fear; he died in vain...who speaks of love so dear. 

In order to survive over four hundred years of oppression, we have had to be resilient. We did not permit our children to ravish our neighborhoods. We had control over some aspects of our lives. We knew who we were because we were enslaved and, our offspring had been enslaved also.

Hidden Jesters

How can people be so cruel, and murder folks with a man-made tool? Why do they have to scheme and plan? Instead, treat the other fella like a man, How cowardly can you be, to shoot down another who cannot see?

Keeping them in your hidden-rifle sight; and shooting them down in the dark of night. This cowardly jester stemming form within, let the whole world know, these are not men. How cruel can anyone be, to shoot down another who cannot see.

We are afraid to walk in the street; considering the violence we might meet. Stemming from that house-top standing tall, where a bullet ricochets...off the wall. How desperate can anyone be, to shoot down another who cannot see?

Not everyone is bad or good. Not all people are considered a hood. There still remains the faithless few; search yourself, are they someone you knew? How designing can anyone be to shoot down another who cannot see?

 If there were "moles"moving freely among us, I belive they are still within our communities intent on reaking havoc upon our children, so that, our future remains tied to the bottom of the economic ladder, demeaning us while forcing us to work for pittance causing us to steal from each other, just to have some spending change.  Are they paid to do this?

(Note: "If you dangle food in front of a starving dog, he will kill you to get it; and if he is still starved, he will eat you also.")

Are these African-American men and women? I think not! But, we will never know the truth, as long as we permit the United States Government, the Mass Media, and other ethnic groups of Americans to confuse us about our origin.

Every black man who arrives on United States soil is included in our ethnic group. These people take offense to being identified as African American.  They are not American... They don't want to be identified with a continent. They want to be respected for who they are. They are proud to be Haitian, Jamaican, Panamanian, Kenyon, Mexican, Cuban, and etc.,etc.,etc..

Our path in America is not that of other folks in the 'Black' race. We must stop calling ourselves, (mixed race, bi-racial, coloreds, negros, mulatoes, nigretos, & etc). Those terms do not identify a complete human endowed with all the attritubutes given to man when our creator made us in his image and his likeness. It takes 46 Chromosomes to make a man. Twenty three from the mother and Twenty three from the father. There are dominate and recessive genes that govern our outer appearance. One cannot look at a person and determine his ethnicity. We must insist that we are identified by our country of origin, America!

***THE NEGRO AMERICAN***

Now, I'm a thorn in America's side; she took me in, then put me down. Concern was shown; I fought for pride; but it was far, from London town.

Don't knock my every hope to the Ground.

She smashed me deep, into the Earth, and thought I might stay down and die. This I defied, with all I was worth; I'd been told, excel one may...just try.

Don't knock my every hope to the Ground.

Now I've tried, for a hundred years; and would for twice that sum, and more. Tho' I may ache, and shed bitter tears; there'll be a time, she'll open the door.

The first thing we say when we come together is,.. "all other ethnic groups of people support each other. Black people are the only ones who never support one another". ( The problem is that American Blacks think they own the term Black People). During the 60s when blacks did come together under a common banner..., "Black Power", there were black people from all parts of the world participating in the Civil Rights struggles here on US soil. I surmise, many of them were deported back or fled to their own countries to save their hides.

Immigration laws don't permit many people from the black countries of the world  to come to America in large numbers. Those who do come are encouraged not to settle in African-American areas. Now you know why Black people can't come together. Where is that common element needed to create the unity bond.

   Oh my goodness when will the attack on our ethnic group by other Americans seize. All African-Americans are of the "Black Race", but, not all Blacks are African-American. Our history began when we were bought to America on slave ships over 400 years ago and our  history should be included in United States History.

February is  African-American History Month. There should not be blacks whos ancestry is from other countries. Their history is United States History. However, some Americans get real dumb and stupid when it comes to facing the reality that our national origin is "America". To them, we conveniently become refugees, refuse to work for pittance, commit every black-face heinous crime, get all the welfare, have all the babies out of wedlock, support a multi-billion dollar Criminal Justice system by providing inmates for the overseers, and so on, and so forth.

I must refer to another poem from the Ballad Of Poetry  when I think about being identified as a refugee who was housed in situations that were worst than one would provide for his dog during the aftermath of the hurricane "Katrina" event that devastated parts of New Orleans:

Cephal-Algia...  (Headace)

When he visits, he stills the light; demands darkness through the night; Can twist the face of every man; extracts the teeth and uses no hand.

Cloggs the nares, in passing by; and creates floods out of one eye. Burrows deep down, into the brain; when he's done, you will know pain.

As he leaves, you just might sigh; or say a prayer, he'll keep on by. Prepare a hand-doll, my good friend; 'cuz all you know, he'll stop again.

Chicago's Big Box Ordinance

Tears are flowing this morning, but, what tears of joy they are! It is about time that our leaders are standing up for our economic rights. It has been too long that our ethnic group has been used as stepping stones for every ethnic group that migrates to the good ole USA.

 It seems that jobs are being created for illegals, mainly Hispanics and Blacks. Some of their leaders suggest being here illegally is good for our country because they're working low paying jobs that we don't want. We are still in Slavery because we are being deprived of the ability to participate in the American Dream by those who refuse to pay us a living wage for our labor.  Let  those Non-Representatives, along with the old foggies earn the salaries that they are seeking to provide to us in our hood.

It is time to replace them. They are not interested in what's best for our ethnic group. They must be crazy as a loon to think that working for little more than the minimum wage with no fringe benefits is better than nothing in this day and age. That logic has been past down to us for hundreds of years. How soon they  forget.

Why don't they roll their salaries back 20 years or more, and refuse pensions given to them for pretending to represent us. It's perfectly acceptable for them to include clauses in their contracts that carry cost of living wage adjustments. They are only interested in what they can get for themselves. They don't think very much of us.  

Watch them as they accept gifts and donations. Further on down the road, we will find them participating in our criminal justice system. Because, after a while they come to believe they're with the big people who think they're in cahoots with the untouchables. They are vonerable to the crooks who can easily set them up. They are easily manipulated while embracing their big named friends.   

Join Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr., and ask whatever happened to plans for the Abraham Lincoln Airport? Now those are the 20,000 jobs we need, because they should pay a living wage and they could give their employees stock options as an incentive.

Sears, Ward, Goldblatts weren't the highest paying companies, but they did permit their employees to earn stock during their tenure.  

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