And Now They're Trying to Take Down Columbus' Statue!



America - Summer 2016 — Colin Kaepernick chooses to sit for the National Anthem. When asked why, he shares that the song’s third verse is about killing slaves… he also reminds us all that two Black Men were murdered by police in July, and that BOTH OF THESE EVENTS WERE CAPTURED ON FILM and yet, America doesn't seem to have a problem with it. Our police have a terribly difficult job and have come such a long way.  Half the country is enraged with the football player’s decision to sit.  He disrespected those who have fought and died for ALL of usNone who share this opinion seem to address either concern that led to Kaepernick’s decision, most notably, and definitely not, the whole “hireling or slave… gloom of the grave” portion of the reasoning for his silent protest.


America - Summer 2017— White Supremacists stage rally in Charlottesville – location chosen as a statue of Robert E Lee is being removed and the park dedicated to the Confederate leader is being renamed – attendees chant “You will not replace us”— After inevitable catastrophic event ensues, President lays the fault, “On all sides… on all sides” and asks, “What about Washington? What about Thomas Jefferson?”  Where will it stop? They’re trying to erase us from history!

George Washington — Owned 276 humans as property. We like to focus on the fact that he was amazing for his time - a real forward thinker - because in his will he stated that his slaves be released upon his death… but that was just the 123 humans that he owned.  His will made no mention of his wife’s own 153 humans.  But perhaps, the most grotesque example of how we hide, manipulate, and white-wash our history comes with George Washington's famous teeth.  They were made of wood, were they not?  No.  They very were not.  The first President of the nation had a mouth full of his slaves' teeth. The thinking was that these had to be extracted from living participants.  Can you even imagine that horror show.?  Sickening.
Thomas Jefferson —Owned 200 humans. Ever been to Monticello? They basically lived underground, hidden away from the view of the majestic building, and was is complete with a system of tunnels. He willed 5 of his slaves to be released - free upon his death.  They were, of course, all of blood relation to Jefferson. As a child, when I came across information about Sally Hemings I was taught that she and Jefferson were in love, had children, and had to keep this love secret because of “the times.” I was not taught that Hemings was thirteen… nor was I told that she was Jefferson’s own half-sister (ya know, cause Dad Jefferson, too, was a big fan of the raping). Put it all together and it’s quite clear that the man whose face graces both our 20-dollar bill and our nickel was not only a slave owner, was not only wishy-washy about the practice, and was not just a rapist, but he, too, was a pedophile with some real leanings towards incest. Ah yes… ‘Murica.

Christopher Columbus — In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue, and never, not once, set one of his feet on the lower 48, ‘tis true.  Dude “discovered” Haiti (then Hispaniola). Columbus found the native people of Hispaniola (the Taino) to be so kind and welcoming that he reported back that it would take only 50 men to control them all and turn them to slaves. He was then sent 1200 soldiers to do so! And they came with dogs! The dogs survived as they were fed the meat of the Taino people. There was even a human butcher shop set up for this very purpose!  While the stories of Taino babies being fed to the dogs while they were still alive are all very true, this practice was performed more so as a fun/recreational activity. Columbus himself rewarded his men's hard work by gifting them with Taino women, ya know… to then be raped.  In less than just one year, 250,000 Taino were dead. Have you never heard of the Taino before?  Well, that's because by 1502 they were all but extinct.  Columbus is personally responsible for this genocide… for this holocaust.  Many go so far as to credit the explorer with planting the seed and laying the groundwork for what would become the Transatlantic Slave Trade.  And THAT, children, is why on October 9th we all have off for Columbus Day... sowe may celebrate the life of this amazing being.

We say: The "greatest generation" of this great nation laid down their lives saving the world from Hitler's evil!    >>>     Sure, after we built our own concentration camps of sorts to house our own citizens and after we, in the shudder click of a camera, ended the lives of 250,000 innocent civilians

We say:  The Civil Rights Movement finally brought about equality for our African American population    >>>    Sure, as long as you aren't speaking about equality in education... jobs... politics...  corporate America... health care... housing... the eyes of our courts, police departments and "equal" only as long as you do NOT look at the prison system (ya know, because it's here that you'll find that slavery never really ended at all).


The National Anthem… The Confederate Flag… These Confederate Statues… Our Founding Fathers…   As a people (especially, as a White People), we seem almost obsessed with preserving these symbols that represent a false history that never existed. It's like we live surrounded by some cheap set design: America (The Musical!).  It’s as if our deepest fear is that the truth of our history will soon come out.  This will simply ruin everything.  Just what will we be then?! 

Take a good look around… This whole America thing...  it’s kind of done already.  Nobody’s getting fooled by our “great[ness]” currently. Nobody has been in some time.  Nobody.  Trust this. 

But maybe, just maybe, we do have a shot at turning this thing whole thing around, still. The only way I see this possibly happening, though, comes by way of some purposeful walking backwards matching our own past footsteps before facing each of these pillars that have clumsily propped up the myth of our nation's greatness. We must face each and every one of them squarely accepting them for what they actually were and are now.  Then, we must forever destroy each and every last one of them while making sure to leave the pedestal upon which they stood remaining perfectly intact. Doing this insures that they can never take away this ugly part of our story.  The destruction of these relics... this is what finally made us great!

If America is so god damned awful, why don't you just leave?! >>>

America's history is my history, too.  I want to see my history be one of righteous honesty, brutal reflection, and, more than anything, one of truth.

 We ALL should want this.

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