Editorials

In the Black church, there's a spiritual that contains the line, "It won't be water, but fire next time," where God essentially tell Noah right after the flood, "You ain't seen nothing yet." I think about this when I examine the actions of American government immediately following the Civil Rights movement, and I wonder if they got the message.

After weathering the storm of mass organization and protests through trickery, decapitation, intimidation and petty concessions, America went right back to its wicked ways before the ink was dry on the Civil Rights Bill. Under the guises of Reaganomics, 'the War on Drugs,' ‘Get Tough on Crime,’ and ‘No Child Left Behind;’ exploitation, repression, and miseducation sought to undermine any victories we supposedly won on paper. But this time, prettier faces than Bull Connor and Ross Barnett drove the point home. And here we are. Schools have been re-segregated; Black ownership is at an all-time low, while Black unemployment, incarceration, and state-sanctioned mistreatment threaten to surpass their 'pre-movement' levels.

To be fair, just as the government is guilty of instituting these practices, we are equally at fault as a people for not recognizing what was going on and falling for the trap. We cannot change the past, and it is the present and future that are of concern to me. Each of the disasters that have befallen this country in recent times have presented opportunities for this country to do what it says on the label, and each time, it has failed miserably. I recall the U2 video, "The Saints Are Coming," that showed the troops being called home from Iraq to help people in need and military aircraft dropping sandbags to fill the breached levees. Today, that vision seems to have come from another universe.

Now, as desperation overtakes caution, the results could very well prove to be catastrophic. It is only for so long that a people can be collectively exploited, oppressed and degraded before those people begin to rebel. And now, as youth and elder alike come to their senses, we could very well be on the verge of such a desperate time. I think back to that Negro spiritual, and I think in this day and age it should read, "It won't be marches, but action this time."

And when I speak of action, I don’t mean putting on shows or chanting slogans or grandstanding by lukewarm organizations but real change. The change I’m talking about is the change that comes from recognizing the genius of the poor, the overlooked, and the forgotten and realizing that each of us has a contribution to make. Now more than ever, an organized populace is essential to our survival. We should all be well aware of what is taking place. Whether through malice, neglect, or incompetence the people of New Orleans were flooded and then left to die. Our young men and women continue to die on the streets of America’s cities, and on the battlefields of her unjust wars, and this current economic crisis is sitting right on all our doorsteps. But the time for complaining is past. It is time for us to organize. Each and every one of us has to bring his or her gifts skills and talents to the table, and together let us determine how to best use them for our collective survival. We are on our own, but with the power that we have within us, sometimes I believe that on our own is the best place for us to be. We each have the potential to contribute to a better world if we come together. Catch a fire, and let your light shine.

Thank you

Jondrea Smith