Happy Juneteenth

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY 

AND 

HAPPY JUNETEENTH!

 



The Juneteenth Flag explanation

Colors, red, white, and blue signify we are fully Americans

Big star signifies Texas and the hold of enslavement, the other 49 states where freedom exists

The burst signifies a new beginning in freedom

The curve that extends across the width of the flag represents a new horizon: the opportunities and promise that lay ahead for Black Americans.

This week's video "The DC 22K Step!!!"

I am a day late.  It has been a loaded week. Connecting with co-workers. Including today.  This week’s video is about my exploration of the National Mall in Washington D.C. with a co-worker, Mike.

The self-tour we did made me reflect yet again about what’s good and not so good about our country.  Our hotel was in Arlington, Virginia, which supposed to be a part of Washington D.C. proper, which would have made Washington D.C.s geographic boundaries a perfect diamond.

The hitch? To be included as a part of the DC, Arlington was informed the residents would need to released their enslaved people.  The residents refused to do so. Thus it remained a city in Virginia.

In this metro area there are constant reminders you are south of the Mason-Dixie line.  For instance, our “American Public Human Services Association conference hotel was located on, and you can’t make it up, “Jefferson Davis Highway”.   This man championed inhumanity of enslavement.

Not to get too political, when you visit shops in the DC metro like I did, you see shrine like images, merchandise, and flags dedicated to the 45th.  It brought shivers to my spine.

We pride ourselves on our constitution and the first iteration of freedom gave the majority on 7/4/1776 in Philadelphia, PA.  More Americans were freed on 1/1/1863 with the Emancipation Proclamation announced in Antietam, MD.  Lastly, on June 19,1865, all people became free with General Order #3 issued by Union General Gordon Granger in Galveston, TX.

Yet people here align themselves with the 44th who inspired the hordes to ransack the seat of our government to overturn a fair election (this was confirmed just recently by his own daughter and others) with a brazen lie.

Back to the shops.  I entered a souvenir store located in the Pentagon Center Mall. I am completely overwhelmed by the  amount of 45th merchandise.  I walk up to cashier and ask, “Do you sell DC related merchandise here?  After all, this is a ‘DC’ souvenir shop”.

She replies, “Hey, I just work here. The 45th merchandise more than pays the bills.  Don’t judge, I am from Europe, and I am just trying make a living”.  

Yep, I get it. Capitalism is a cornerstone of our economy.  No judgement here.

The cashier leads me to a corner of the where DC-related is.  She looked at me with a smile and said there is one other item that sells very well.  I said, “It must be some Biden related merchandise”.  She chuckled, “Nope.  We do not carry any Biden or Harris stuff, it does not sell”.

She pointed me to an eye-level shelf fully stocked with tee shirts bearing the image of the 44th President with the caption, “Hope”.  I am sure you have seen this iconic image.  She said this tee-shirt sells as much the other merchandise, otherwise we would not carry it.

This news brought “hope” to me.  Some merchandise brings out the worse in people.  It is a behavior and sentiment leveraged to get into office.  It always been there and being the capitalist and populist, the 45th people what they craved fear and hate.  Many thrive in this setting. Some so-called Christians have aligned themselves with this line of thinking.

Here is a simple question.  When has hate and fear ever made the lives of anyone better?  When has it resolved anything?

Waiting . . .

When has fear and hate accomplished what it is designed to do?

Hold up, I cannot write that fast.

A straight up fact –

“ The thief” does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy (John 10:10)

The clinical impact of fear: Fear robs us of rational thinking and can lead us to make poor decisions. When we let fear and anxiety control us, we lose our ability to practice empathy and hospitality to those in need. 

People who live in fear are in constant torment and they are devoid of love. 

1 John 4:18, There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

Another simple adage. 

2  Timothy 1:7,  For God has not given us “the spirit of fear”; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Or the Amplified Version of 2 Timothy 1:7

For God did not give us the spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given usHis spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control].

Juneteenth is about equality and freedom for everyone, not just a segment of people with origins from west Africa. Every American can celebrate the last iteration of freedom that is complete.  Let’s be united.  That is something love and Hope can help us achieve.  And here comes the last scripture:

1 Corinthians 16:14: “Do everything in love.”

And, no, I am not a long-haired hippie.

Two songs this week that relate our freedom and about politicians their constant pursuit of money, division, and power at any cost.  Lyrics below.

  • “Freedom”, by Eddie James, 2011, Anthem-declaration.  Lyrics in song. 
  • “Got To Be Ready”, Rance Allen, 1977, Rance plays the guitar with Detroit rhythm soul again.  This time with a bite.  Listen for the growl.  I promise you will add this album to your collection. 

 

Got to Be Ready

What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose soul?

Tomorrow never promise to no one and when you leave you can’t take your gold.

Best thing to do is to live like you say and keep His commands

One more thing I got to say and I hope you will understand

You got to be ready

Got to be ready (4x)

Got to be ready when He comes back

You got  to be ready when He comes back

I got be ready when He comes back

For me

Hey! Well. Well, well.

Wise man change, a fool stays the same

Which one of the two are you?

Why do travel alone going down the wrong

When you someone will into you

Turn yourself around and make a new start

This message I give from my heart

Hey, you got be ready to meet the almighty God

You got to be ready

You got to be ready

Hey you, hey you

You got to be ready

You got to be ready (you over there)

Ohhhh

Got to be ready when He comes back

You got be ready when He comes back

You got be ready when He comes back

I got be ready when He comes back

For me

Well, well

Time’s winding up, sun’s going down

Tell me what you going to do

When the train comes and you are not ready;

You think it’s gonna wait on you

Put on your clothes boy and comb your hair

Don’t forget shine your shoes

When the Man comes back to check you out

Don’t let Him find a spot or wrinkle on you

Got to be ready when He comes back

You got be ready when He comes back

You got be ready when He comes back

I got be ready when He comes back

For me

Chorus repeats, “Got to be ready”

Rance does what he does best, ad lib and scat.

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Here is Your Mother

Image
It is a Good Son-Day Indeed Mother's Day Menagerie Here is Your Mother I am blessed in so many ways to be surrounded so many wonderful women who have brought into the world exceptional human beings.  Thank God every day for the mothers who have impacted my life.  I know when I need them they will be there for me and they know I will reciprocate. As I continue the epic saga of post-resurrection Christ I would be remissed if I did not include presence at the cross and the acession of Christ.  Typical mother, always there for an extraordinary and exceptional anointed Savior she birth into this world. Take care of the women who are your biological, step, assumed, spiritual, in-law, in-lieu of physical mother. Christ, Mary his mother, Christ's disciple, and Christ's charge to His disciple. John 19:25-27 25 Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw His mother standing there beside the di...
Read more

Freely You Have Received, Freely Give

Image
Good Son-day Morning!!! enjoying 70's Nothing But Good News here. Hanging with My Axe'd Freely You Have Received, Freely Give Many economists are predicting a recession is in the making.  Quick lesson, a recession is defined as two straight quarters of negative value of goods and services produced in the USA (GDP, Gross Domestic Product). Other indicators like employment rates, business investment, and consumer spending also are considered.  A recession causes hardships for almost everyone, especially those whose income is below the Federal Poverty Level (for an individual, $967/month, and a couple, $1,450/month). During the holidays, the public has a more heightened sense towards the needs of impoverished people.  For the other 10 months of the year, less so.  There is a serious struggle for food shelves, clothing resources, and shelters to meet the demands of impoverished people.  I have seen this in my visits to the many community resources in the metro...
Read more

Live Roses

Image
 Good Son-Day - The Start of  Something New Ice Creameisters! Live Roses The day after Christmas, I got a call from a former co-worker I had connected with for about a year or so. I started the conversation by asking about her grandchild and two daughters. I proceeded to ask her how her husband was doing and got an unexpected quick but poignant answer: "Oh, he's doing fine; we're getting a divorce."  Wait, what! This couple was married for 30-plus years.  The husband is retired. Nice home in the burbs,  Both children are college grads.  Empty nesters. The American Dream. What happened? I did not pry.  The only thing she offered was, "One day, I was sitting at the dining room table.  He sat directly across from me.  I looked at him.  I said to myself I can't do this anymore. I knew then I needed to file for a divorce."   The  news sent me for a spin.  At first, I thought he must have cheated, or he spent too much time at hi...
Read more