IJS: BEING BLACK IN AMERICA

The Pledge of Allegiance has been recited a lot by so many of us, but the reality is that it has not been fully fulfilled by every American and it is not practiced unanimously by our leaders to ensure constant legitimacy.

As a child in grade school, I can remember reciting, "I pledge Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.

The origin of the pledge dates back to 1892 via a Baptist minister by the name of Francis Bellamy (1855 - 1931). I guess you can say it is here to stay. However, the writer of the pledge had a different mindset regarding the words he used. As stated in an article by Christopher Petrella of the Washington Post (November 3, 2017), "Although Bellamy conceded that “the United States has always been a nation of immigrants,” he argued that “incoming waves of immigrants … are coming from countries whose institutions are entirely at variance with our own. Decrying the character and “quality” of these recent newcomers, Bellamy lamented that “we cannot be the dumping ground of Europe and bloom like a flower garden.” To him, “every dull-witted and fanatical immigrant” granted citizenship threatened the American republic."

My grandfather fought for this country in WWII but didn't have the privilege to vote. A white person's family and my family fighting in a war for this country didn't reap the same benefits and still do not. Inequality and injustice have roots that run deep within the core of the United States of America. These very roots were nourished and built on the backs of people of color and its fruits extracted mostly by White people. Having knowledge of this does not make me hate anyone but it does make me aware. Some people may call it being awakened by a known reality. I call it simply having wisdom and understanding that my people have been bamboozled into thinking we had finally overcome when we were freed in 1865 and gained our voting rights in 1965. There are always two sides to the coin. Yes, of course, free the Blacks and give them voting rights, but at the same time, racism found a way to take that, mass incarceration, inequality, social inequity, and injustice.

IJS: It is something wicked going on as I sip on my tea in my own country. Let's take a moment to reflect.