Evil in a nation that pretends to be good
The Thursday Thoughts!
“To ignore evil is to become an accomplice to it.” Words by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Evil is:
*Florida Gov. Ron Desantis pushing a bill that would prevent the telling of truths about the role that white supremacy has played in the development of the United States of America!
At a campaign rally last month, Desantis, showing his limited rhetorical skills by calling Critical Race Theory “Crap,” added: “What you see now with the rise of this woke ideology is an attempt to really delegitimize our history and to delegitimize our institutions and I view the wokeness as a form of cultural Marxism. They really want to tear at the fabric of our society.”
No, Ronnie, what 'we' really want is for the whole truth to be told about the past, how that past impacts the present, with hopes that learning from the past will portend a better future!
Such is why my private middle school mentees came to class yesterday and had Mwalimu (teacher) Hobbs tying in their reading assignment, Chapter Six of Booker T. Washington's Up From Slavery (and its focus on Native Americans attending Hampton Institute during Washington’s early teaching days), by learning all about Manifest Destiny, that oft overlooked white Christian belief that Europeans were ordained by God with the rights to inhabit ALL of North America by any means necessary—including genocidal murder and forcible taking of Native lands!
Only the intentionally evil and sophists like Ronnie Desantis could conclude that these historical truths are being taught to “embarrass whites;” so long as breath is in my body, I will teach these truths wherever the thirst for knowledge is greatest among Blacks, whites, and any other racial and ethnic groups that seek true enlightenment!
Evil is:
Knowing that every red state politician that enacted or supported laws that will make voting more difficult back in 2021, all because former President Donald Trump falsely claimed that the 2020 election was stolen from him, while refusing to enact the John Lewis Voting Rights Bill to ensure that each and every American has their votes collected and properly counted!
Now, I expect as much from Republicans nationally because overall, there are more registered Democrats nationwide and the GOP is rapidly becoming older—and whiter—each election cycle.
No, the evil of which I speak is in the form of Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin (WV) and Krysten Sinema (AZ), both of whom know these self evident truths and yet, because they crave retaining their seats in red leaning states more than doing what they know to be right for the country and, ostensibly, the Democratic Party, they joined hands with their GOP colleagues and refused to end the filibuster yesterday—thus, preventing these critically needed measures to pass.
Evil is:
Knowing that Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger raped at least two women during his playing career and while never going to prison for said rapes, paid out of pocket settlements, served a four game suspension from the NFL after the second rape, and still was lauded by announcers and NFL fans during what probably was his final game last weekend like he is some praiseworthy hero!
But the NFL is no different than any other professional or major college sport in that a long list of transgressions, be it players snorting cocaine by the ounce or, catching DUI manslaughter or domestic and sexual assault charges against women, all can be overlooked if the player can play ball.
In fact. I never thought in my life that I would see schools in the Deep South, like LSU, overlook Black ball players assaulting white women (and Black ones, too) with impunity; but again, if you can run, jump, block, catch, and tackle, a litany of wrongs can be conveniently overlooked by the white males in charge who only care about their financial bottom lines!
That is, unless, you are a Black man like Colin Kaepernick—and your transgression is reminding the world of what Florida's Ronnie Desantis wants hidden, which is the presence of systemic racism...
Evil is:
…Being a millionaire head coach of an NFL franchise, like Tampa Bay Coach Bruce Arians, and choosing violence by hitting a player in the head during the aftermath of a play in a playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Check out the slap heard 'round the world here:
Now, there's a distinct difference between an "atta-boy" helmet tap that coaches from time immemorial have done, and what Arians did, which was to slap, curse, and push his player in real time; legendary Ohio State Coach Woody Hayes was FIRED for less back in the '70's!
While Arians was fined $50k for his wrongful act, he is lucky that Adams didn't rear back and punch his “overseer” acting ass in the mouth...
TBT: The Biden-Harris Inauguration
One year ago today, Joseph R. Biden and Kamala Harris were sworn in as President and Vice President of the United States, respectively.
Like any presidential administration, this past year has had its share of highs and lows, and while the Hobbservation Point has chronicled those vicissitudes in real time each week, thanks to Facebook Memory, I post the following photo from last year that reminds me how very important the swearing in of VP Harris as the first woman and person of color was to future generations of girls who will grow up believing that they, too, can make it to Blair House (the traditional VP residence)—or the White House!
The second photo is from my TV last year as I watched Amanda Gorman, the brilliant young poet who mesmerized a worldwide audience during the formal Inaugural events!
Be sure to check out Ms. Gorman's piece in today's NY Times where she reminds us of the literal perils that almost made her decline the opportunity to speak; her piece can be read here!
Thank you for subscribing to the Hobbservation Point—have a wonderful Thursday!
Great perspective brother, we need to hear the unapologetic truth.
You, sir, just PREACHED! The WHOLE WORLD needs to read this! Thank you!