How Far Have We Come

I sat and thought long and hard on this mornings piece, of course, because of the Martin Luther King Jr memorial dedication today, I wanted to draw attention to the opening of the monument in Washington D.C., but I guess I have to take a look at the state of racism in this country that imported over a million unwilling slaves to build this country into what it is today. 

Three people come to mind when i contemplate that question, first, Alfred C. Sharpton Jr.,born in New York's Brownsville section of Brooklyn. How far has Al Sharpton come?. There was a time when most Americans associated Rev. Al with local New York protest on issues that involved racism. What most Americans forget is Al Sharpton has been in the trenches of politics fighting tooth and nail, since the early 1980s. He ran for the U.S. Senate for the state of New York three times 1988,1992, and in 1994. He sought the mayors office in 1997 and in 2004 he threw his name into the race for the White House.
I can remember when most white Americans look upon Rev. Al as a trouble maker, and some still do.
The fact is Al Sharpton has been knock down several times politically and yes, literally, with the attempt on his life in 1991, when Michael Riccardi stuck a knife into the chest of the Reverend in a school yard at P.S. 205. in New York. Al has come a long way since the days of the protest in the streets of New York. He has a major radio show, and he's the host of his own political show on MS NBC that airs everyday at 6pm right after Hardball, nice slot. 
I seen Al Sharpton yesterday on T.V., giving a resounding speech,whipping the crowd into marching shape for the protest against the lack of jobs in the African American community.
It dawn on me, Al might be famous, he might have his own T.V. show, but he is still Al Sharpton, the same Al Sharpton that was feared 20 years ago.

The next person I want to touch on his Herman Cain.I remember growing up in Boston, going to school during the forced busing of the 1970s. I met black kids during that time that were like Herman Cain, they use to tell me that they were not going to get involved in the push pull fights that were taking place in the schools and in the streets of South Boston and Hyde Park. When it literally rained potato sized rocks and bricks being thrown by at least 200 white people,adults and kids, striking black girls in the head and ruining their faces and their lives. I didn't like those kids then and I don't like those kinds of people now. I considered them to be cowards, then and now.

Last, but certainly not least, President Barrack Obama, who because of his election, has opened up the flood gates of racism from the angry white right, who, because of his election, we wittiness the birth of the tea party, which in my opinion reminds me of the angry whites that use to throw all those rocks. Who because of his election, it's become the norm to hear racist embedded remarks from congress and the senate. Who because of his election, at the state of the union address you hear such disrespect, that you wonder if the person yelling you lie!, should be removed from the chamber.

How far have we come as a people. What would Martin think about the state of the nation, how would Martin deal with the outbreak of racism that has always been here, but under the cover of the phony smiles you see everyday in the GOP candidates that have to appeal to the angry white right in order to stay in the office they seek, in the areas they try to represent. Is it acceptable to have this influx's of name calling, racist signs. The efforts to re-phrase the way you say blacks are a burden on the American social fabric, that blacks are lazy and shiftless. This is the state of the nation as a whole, racism has been here since blacks have been here. Over the years this country found ways to sweep it under the rug in order to maintain some since of civility for the greater good as a whole. 
It's leaking out, slowly but surly, just as sure as i live and breath. Soon enough it will come to a head, exceptionally with the recent rise of the occupy wall street movement which is coming from the left.

Liberals are normally a non-violent group, I should know, I've been one for 45 years. We always try to deal with our political and social issues with open, honest debate, until the other side starts to throw rocks, then we throw rocks right back, a lot harder.