The Ever-Growing Movement Towards Reparations

Once you drop food for thought then you let it marinate...Now remember the best tasting food will come from sitting in that "seasoning" for some time. So when I recently made a commentary on social media that spoke to the reasons as to why using constitutional rights as a means of free speech to slander or bring down a certain group of people was wrong and how do you expect us to respect that very document. The commentary spoke to how the Black man / Woman was once considered 3/5 of a person, then suddenly at the scratch of a pen we are now considered wholly human. I believe this comment resonated with many including some of our white counterparts. The thing is its funny because this had been sitting under our nose for some time and I may not be the first to have said it but Divine timing and an appeal to common sense can help open other’s eyes.

So we let thoughts like this marinate on the minds of our perceived oppressors and they realize in true fashion we may help liberate them by changing their mindsets...Once you change the mindset then it can only foster conditions or an environment for true change that comes from empathy. When the truth is made plain then we can shift towards Truth and Reconciliation much like they did in apartheid South Africa .What is warranted is definitely not only reconciliation but reparations, because the repercussions of slavery have obviously had far reaching generational consequences which naturally breeds anger and at times resentment. Pay attention to a word that is inherent in the term reparations and that is to "repair". Repair not only physical things but the repair of the mind body and spirit. On my previous posts I spoke to people being mired down in poverty the kind that can break one's Spirit..

So we ask that you seek to repair this by facilitating means of reversing the plight of poverty without a gentrification type of agenda among many other things such as the deeper history of our people. Our story did not begin with slavery. Can you understand how it is difficult to wholeheartedly respect this document that seems to lord itself over people who weren't even considered equal to those that drafted the document. Flash forward to the 60's again at the scratch of a pen we are told we can vote and I believe the "right" for us to vote actually comes to a vote every something odd years. The concept is odd in itself. It really doesn't make it too much better. If you want to show equality then why not just make it permanent....( Hmmm still Loving that control factor, huh?)

When you are making a case it's difficult to gloss over the root of a problem, there in the fact that our ancestors were not even considered wholly human...Even the man that " emancipated" us had reservations about the so called Negro....He is quoted as saying during a debate with Stephen Douglas...

Abraham Lincoln Quote:

“I will say then that I am not, nor ever have been in favor of bringing about in anyway the social and political equality of the white and black races – that I am not nor ever have been in favor of making voters or jurors of Negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people; and I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality. And inasmuch as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race. I say upon this occasion I do not perceive that because the white man is to have the superior position the Negro should be denied everything.”

by:

Abraham Lincoln

(1809-1865) 16th US President

I bring this up as a point of reflection and one cannot say I am trying to rewrite history or even take these words out of context. The reflection comes in the form of how this mindset is still very pervasive in our society. I spoke a few years back (circa 2011) regarding icy hearts and apparently some haven't melted while others are beginning to understand the disparities in our society or even worldwide where people of color are simply not treated the same as Caucasian counterparts....This is seen through the blatant police brutality and false vigilante justice, atrocities like the shooting in South Carolina church, better yet the blatant shooting of Walter Scott in Charleston, Sam Dubose in Ohio, treatment of Sandra Bland case in Texas, Eric Garner in New York, and the list goes on..... Definitely too long......  

Now in efforts to bring the point home in terms of the need for reparations I would like to speak on some research I came across that highlighted the contributions of Black slaves to the building of the core of this nation. These sites are well known and almost synonymous with the terms United States to any foreigner or U.S. citizen when they think of Washington D.C., which is none other than our nation’s capital. These popular sites among the many are known as The White House and the Capitol Building. According to records 400 out of 600 laborers behind the building of the Capitol were Black slaves who were paid a wage of $5/month, which may have seemed to be quite a bit of money for that time to some. However, the horrible irony behind this wage was that it was paid to the slave masters as opposed to the slaves themselves. I find this rather disturbing, but I am also not the least bit surprised. Historians have discovered that slaves worked 12-hour days, six days a week on construction of the Capitol. The federal government rented the slaves from local slave owners at a rate of $5 per worker per month. Besides working on the building, slaves worked in quarries extracting the stone for the Capitol. Other slaves provided carpentry skills, and still others worked at sawing stone and timber. While, slave women and children were used to mold clay in kilns. Congressman John Lewis characterized and depicted the conditions and the situations as follows:

“Imagine, in Washington’s oppressive summer heat and humidity, to chisel and pull massive stones out of a snake- and mosquito-infested quarry,” Lewis said. “Imagine, having to fight through the bone-chilling winter in rags and sometimes without shoes. Just imagine, the United States government paying your owner, not you, but your owner $5 a month for your labor. This Capitol, the most recognizable symbol of our democracy, was not built overnight, it was not built by machines. It was built through the backbreaking work of laborers and slave laborers.”

Congressman Lewis made these statements upon the placing of plaques honoring the slave labor in an area of the Congressional Visitor’s center called “Emancipation Hall”. Quite frankly, a plaque alone doesn’t cut it. Where is the justifiable payback? Where are the people who state, “If you don’t like it here, why don’t you just go back to Africa?!” This statement alone is insulting, especially when you know your ancestors built the core of this nation.

Now to bring this home even further (bases fully loaded). This is where I ‘m going to seek to appeal to the hearts and minds of all as the extrinsic and the intrinsic forms a fabric of the Universe. Washington D.C. is indeed at the core of this nation and how it runs. The White House hosts the figurehead and The Capitol carries out and conjures up laws. It is no coincidence that the Patriarch & Matriarchs (Origin of Civilizations) played an undeniable part in erecting these structures. Many shaped after the likes of early African civilizations such as Egypt (think obelisk’s, pillars, and domes). The problem is for centuries the builders didn’t receive there just compensation physically and spiritually.

You essentially had them building at the center or core of a nation, yet seemingly strive to keep them at the periphery. It is as if you are breaking Universal laws by committing such acts. Blacks have a long history of being treated as outsiders when we are at the core of building this nation. Truth is the South was becoming too powerful for the North off the backs of free labor, hence the derivations of the Civil War to “preserve the Union”. The freedom of the slaves was a by-product of such a war and helped minimize the perceived threat of the seceding South. Are you beginning to understand the double edge sword of the words of Abraham Lincoln during the debate. Some may argue he was trying to appease his constituency and the act of emancipation was altruistic. Please keep in mind you are dealing with the lives of human beings such as yourselves. In other words no one has time for the mind games and politicizing of human rights any longer. This is something that must be addressed in order for things to come full circle.

The Universe (GOD) does not like ugly and by coercing us to play the periphery or being resistant to leveling the playing field you are doing the world and the country a disservice in trying to delay the karma of benevolence that should come from free labor. For those that feel this language is here to spew divisiveness, this is far from the case and this is why it appeals to facts and the Heart mixed with a common sense approach to shifting minds on the matter. Divisiveness may be found in the fact the other 200 laborers may have been indentured servants or even free men earning fair wages. In fact many were cited as being immigrants. One only needs to look at Treasury pay slip archives to make these discoveries. I love hearing the stories of some of my fellow West Indians tell the story of how their great grandparent was instrumental in the building of the Panama Canal, or White counterparts speak on the building of the Brooklyn, George Washington, or Tappan Zee bridges. They make these statements with a sense of pride. The challenge is that what true pride apart from the level of endurance needed to work in difficult conditions for free can be found in the building of the core of a nation that again keeps the original builders at the periphery.

Lawmakers to you I ask “How do you want your legacy to be shaped?” Did you notice how I just brought up the examples of the pride found in the building of the bridges or canals that essentially made it easier for people to reach the core of cities or countries that were a challenge before? Symbolically you can essentially build that bridge and canal between the periphery and the core through the passage of laws that address true reparations for the Patriarchs and Matriarchs (Origin of Civilizations). Andrew Jackson seemingly passed the buck with the “40 acres and a mule”. At this point the issues that pervade our society and culture not only nationally but worldwide run far deeper than just receiving land. It has to be of the intrinsic and extrinsic kind for the Universe (GOD) to acknowledge it in all of its glory. The key is to allow us to be a part or even lead how we are compensated for atrocities and free labor of the past that have left a negative trickling effect on our progress as a people and an uneven playing field ( If you’re thinking about Affirmative Action, then you are severely missing the point). However, we so persevere as I’ve said time and time again.

We’ve done the forgiveness thing for quite some time and now it is time for us as a nation to put our money where our mouth and laws are in the very buildings that those who have been on the periphery helped build. Let’s build a genuine referendum on how we need to be compensated inside and out and watch the dominoes fall right into place as a result of this resonating energy we are about to overwhelmingly put out there. This is not to say it hasn’t been done before, but we must move past plaques and monuments in order to affect true change. To my people, the Patriarch & Matriarchs (Origin of Civilizations) Chosen tribes our time is no longer near, it is here. Below is a video found on atlantablackstar.com, in which a gentleman makes a succinct point on why the forgiveness and prayer factor can only do but so much and economic power is what is required to level the playing field among other factors. Please make no mistake I'm a firm believer in prayer, as I view it as meditation. Yet, it's meditation  that leads to manifestation, in essence the opposite of faith without works. The meditation on a massive scale helps push a movement forward, as they essentially always begin with a thought construct. On my next posts I plan to speak on what actions would yield a true sense of reparations. I'll tell you this much, money isn't the only thing on a Brother's mind. Nevertheless, I will keep an eye and ear on the pulse of the people and see what other facets they have in mind.  Peace Fam! Love Is Love ;-)....         

Sources:

-Fourth Debate with Stephen A. Douglas at Charleston, Illinois, September 18, 1858

(The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln edited by Roy P. Basler, Volume III, pp. 145-146.)

- http://www.reunionblackfamily.com/apps/blog/show/40443702-african-american-slaves-constructed-u-s-capitol-and-the-white-house

- http://blogs.denverpost.com/artmosphere/2013/02/12/the-slaves-who-built-the-white-house-brick-by-brick/8675/

-http://www.sodahead.com/living/did-you-know-the-white-house-and-capitol-were-built-by-slaves-that-made-5month/question-186381/  

-http://atlantablackstar.com/2015/09/22/his-explanation-for-why-black-people-need-economic-power-instead-of-prayer-and-forgiveness-is-spot-on/


Connections: Intuition & The Love of GOD (Yah )

Globalized Capitalism / Local Effects/ Awareness

Peace Family....Good Morning. Yesterday was a very reflective day for a brotha. I've always tried to stay up on current events and I've been watching and reading what's going on in the world especially from an economic standpoint. It's fair to say that people are suffering across the board except for that smaller percentage. I've also read reports over the past few months on how many recent self-made successful entrepreneurs have also felt the pinch, meanwhile there is a movement an almost forced global capitalism where many countries who were already disenfranchised especially African countries or where people of color reside never even really caught up to the old paradigm and are essentially being forced to accept the new paradigm without being placed on an even playing field.Don't we find it kind of interesting also that where people of color thrive often times they are sitting on some type of natural resource and the evil powers that be somehow are either meddling in these countries affairs or making some type of attempt to overthrow or make these leaders look like terrorist threats. Are these leaders wholeheartedly the problem or are they seeking to acquire the natural resources that they're sitting on such as oil or I don't know maybe some popular crops like opium. You do the math. What's inherent in the word "capitalism" is simply this one must capitalize on another in order to reap benefits. Hence the idea of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. If we could envision this last statement as the conclusion or the end result on the other side of the "=" sign in a math problem then there is something inherently wrong here. Does " the rich get richer and the poor get poorer" even equate to equality. Often times when individuals or groups bring Light to these disparities there are some who are quick to scream " you're a socialist!". Now really I mean really I never knew there was something wrong with shedding light on the hypocrisy of wanting a globalized world yet still attempting to implement capitalist principles.

Personally I will not knock any man/woman for seeking to attain wealth. In some of my previous comments on the social network I've stated, There's nothing wrong with attaining wealth Source has given you the ability to create it, share and give thanks. So then the counter argument may come where "I can't help if some people just want to be lazy. So when I think of this I automatically revert back to a quote I've come across which says "The difference between one man and another is not mere ability it is energy" by Thomas Arnold. The implications in this quote may be related to poverty consciousness. The struggles of poverty can be a damper on any man or woman's energy or spirit period. Now when you have that compounded with a lack of know how in order to rise up the "Hidden Ladder" like I spoke of in my Soul Survivor Vol. 1 as well as social welfare programs which serve to assist those who are struggling which are almost necessary in a "capitalist" society to help some people stay afloat in a cruel system. Yet, there is a hidden effect that many who benefit at the top may not always want to speak of or acknowledge and this is that many claim they can't stand these programs yet, simultaneously rely on them in order to keep the disenfranchised dependent upon them to further the gap. So yes you are giving a man only a piece of fish while putting up systematic socio-economic roadblocks for them to learn how to fish. So in essence instead of pushing for better education and handing some the keys to success so they can come up let's keep them dependent on these programs because otherwise we cannot capitalize on the disenfranchised and thus maintain the ever growing disparity of the rich get rich and the poor get poorer which obviously is now transcending race or cultures etc..Those who are already disenfranchised are feeling it more than those who have never even had a taste of poverty in their lives and are still trying to overcome the shock.

Let's go just a little bit deeper here where one can see the system was designed to capitalize on others or keep people down in simply looking at where public school education receives it's funding from here in the States. This funding comes primarily from property taxes. Look "governing bodies" we're on to you we get it. It's not a coincidence that the property taxes are lower or home values are lower in the disenfranchised communities. As a result the communities do not get the best of resources, inferior textbooks, underpaid teachers which seemingly results to an under-educated youth in these same communities with high illiteracy rates. If the right resources and connections aren't in place how can we remove this poverty consciousness which will in turn allow for one's energy and spirit to be filled abundantly within and will in turn allow for them to manifest what it is they need in order to thrive abundantly and leave that positive legacy for their families like those at the top already implement in their families. When you combine all of these other negative elements with the placement of guns and narcotics in these same communities of course people are going to use these as a means of economy to survive and put food on the table and because these areas are only but so big it lends itself to competition which in turn lends itself to territorial wars led by gun violence because the poverty consciousness has some abusing these narcotics to try and supplement that lack of energy temporarily so there is now a demand for these narcotics and quite frankly where there's a need there's always going to be a supplier. I'm referring to drugs like crack which is a byproduct of cocaine or heroine which is a by product of opium. In other countries people will use these drugs legitimately for things as small as healing a toothache or other types of pain relief. Yet when they deliberately manufacture by products for the decimation of people that's just plain wrong. This is the problem- reaction- solution I speak to. Create the deadly drug introduce it to a community you want to control and then pretend to provide a solution by proclaimimg a war on drugs and locking the people of the community behind bars. These insights were behind the writing of the poem "Quicksand Man" also in Soul Survivor Vol.1 : Life is Poetry. The ugliest outcome to this vicious cycle or formula is the use of the weapon in this forced competition which leads to the self-genocide of these communities. Now where there is killing, murder, and poverty there is also a high rate of imprisonment for those in these same communities especially among Black men. My Haitian brethren Wyclef in his song "Industry" has the hook that highlights all of this where it goes...

"Shots go off, mother's cry
Death since rise, homicide
Black on black crime needs to stop
Y'all can't blame it on hip hop
Cause what we say is what we see
What we see is reality
The ghetto's the ghetto you got them livin in sorrow
Soon they won't live to see tomorrow"

Now with the world economy on a decline soon this is not going to be the case for only disenfranchised people but this can actually become the state of the World when resources are scarce people will do what they have to do to survive. However if we can see the consequences of simply letting things go in this direction well in advance then we must do everything in our powers to prevent it as this is and was part of the evil agenda. Now to tie it all up one of my favorite poets Amiri Baracka has a line where he states "If capitalism don't kill me, racism will." Let's accept this for what it is because this is why many of my brethren will refer to these circumstances as " The Trap " which is not seen only here in America but worldwide.You know the deception of pushing the American dream to everyone knowing full well some may not have the fundamental resources to get there so they take "shorts" where they can to achieve it in a system where these very shortcuts are considered illegal. At the end of the day it is all what we consider a different grind relative to a community where some need to find ways to eat and put food on the table despite the circumstances. Yes free will is at play and you may not have to take that route but for some in a society where they find themselves as predicate felons where society will not hire for a legitimate job they are almost left with no choice and end up being eaten up by this vicious cycle like the "Quicksand Man" indeed being placed behind bars not being able to tend to the very families they were attempting to take care of in the first place.

Awareness of this as well as Loving everything yet belonging to none can very much be an antidote...Now it may not be the only way to eradicate these disparities but it's a Universal perspective that may even change the mindset of those who originally set forth this agenda and use their power to reverse it in a genuine fashion and if not the disenfranchised community will do it as a brotherhood or sisterhood regardless because we are in the season of Light and the awareness is ever present. Suffering to this magnitude should be a thing of the past You could only keep us in boxes but for so long. Spread the resources as truth be told the World will benefit from it through efficiency and Love as the drive

Now I know the question may come but B.Poe "What happened to us not using the excuse of being held down by "the man" in order to rise up?" My answer to this is that evidently some with icy hearts still don't get that some socio-economic systems have been put in place for divisiveness and straight up subliminal population control. Yes I'm speaking namely to these new movements like the 53% or the 1% who still show they could care less. So a message can be fluid and adapt to circumstances especially during a time where events are moving so rapidly. Also the man isn't just going after certain groups anymore, they're going after Humanity. The man isn't only an Earthly figure if you feel me as they operate above and below. So yes there will be times where a microscope will have to be placed on the plight of people so not only the people who are suffering are aware of what's going down but it also generates a sense of compassion from those that simply still don't get it in a world that's shifting globally because they just simply haven't walked in suffering shoes for that long and want to call others lazy. There is very much a psychological war in addition to spiritual war being fought here. In my next post I would like to speak to some principles from the Motherland that if they were put in place introduced on a worldly or Universal perspective then these disparities may actually be no longer or they can be at least minimized. Lastly, spiritually in the perpetual wheel we now understand that some are born into some circumstances for the experience yet on the cusp of a Golden age things are going to be different. Get familiar as shallow perceptions will be penetrated and faith and oneness is soon to be radiated. In this paradigm shift it is a beautiful start and we thank Source.

Peace & Love Family

-B.Poe