While I am absolutely overjoyed by the display of unity, courage and righteous determination that it took for the people of Egypt to overthrow the oppressive regime that headed the country for thirty years under former President Hosni Mubarak, I am saddened to think of how long we here in the U.S. have settled for a system that has played games with our hopes, dreams and aspirations, without us taking charge in the same manner, to do something about it.
They say that the people are the ones that have the power but we here in America don’t act as though we believe this at all. Every four years we apparently choose the lesser of two evils in an election that takes us through the same motions each and every time, landing us with the same old issues that we have been struggling with ever since I can recall.
Isn’t there something that we can do to make a difference?
While I am one who believes that radical change requires a radical brand of thought and eventual executed action, don’t get me wrong and misquote me to say that I am advocating a violent overthrow in any shape, form or fashion. I am of a more peaceful approach, although I believe in a relentless, aggressive and completely thorough counter attack that erases any threat to my person if any harm appears to be coming my way. Better you than me if you come at me the wrong way, it’s my God given right.
But a change is definitely what we need here on these shores and we need to take a page out of the book of the recent chapter of Egyptian history that is unfurling beautifully right in front of our eyes.
Many of us have suffered for so long and have not had our issues dealt with by this government and, by the looks of things, it is not going to change anytime soon. We have gotten so accustomed to the discomfort of the diminishing joys in America that were once abundant and within reach of many. And yes, I am speaking as a Black man who understands the struggle that we have had to go through in this country. More so, than anyone else before and even though there were centuries of oppression, struggle and death that we have had to endure, at least we didn’t lose our damn minds in those days the way we have appeared to have lost it today.
Even back in the days of slavery we had then what the Egyptians have today…….
UNITY!
Not once did I hear anyone in the crowds of Tahrir Square say amongst themselves that:
“I’m from the north, you backward southerner!”
“You are ONLY an immigrant and I was born here!”
“I can’t hang out with you! You don’t have a college degree!”
“You are just to dark, I prefer to be around people of my own hue!”
Nooooooooo! You didn’t have ANY of that foolishness going on over there! They were able to focus their energies together as one, like a laser on one spot, to burn through all resistant forces of an age old oppressive regime, toppling it for the betterment of a people who desired so much more for their lives!
That’s what I am talking about!
But what in the hell happened to us? Why are we like a high powered vehicle who was once winning the race, but now have unknowingly run out of gas while desperately punching the gas pedal in an attempt to pick up speed as the sad reality hits us. We don’t have the resources to regain our mechanical glory and get back in the race once again. The problem with us is that, we seem to KNOW that we have run out of gas and are content to sit there on the side of the track in the race for progress, while everyone else victoriously passes us by!
This is the truth!
And while there ARE so many well trained intellectually armed freedom fighters sprinkled along the mountaintops and terrain, as righteous sentinels in the push for our ascension, they cannot do it alone without the strong arm of the people to execute what their brilliant minds deem to be the most effective way to bring us to the promised land.
We don’t even pay our most brilliant minds any mind at all!
They have been beating the drumbeat for revolutionary change, but we have tuned them out in favor of the synthetically manufactured mind-altering entertainment that was made to arrest our warrior spirit, and incarcerate any future radical way of thinking that would be a threat to the hold that our collective oppressor has over our lives.
We have got it bad and don’t even know it.
But, until we wake up to see the sorry state of affairs that we are in under the present rule of America, we will just grin and bear it and settle for what the people of Egypt have refused to live under for another day. They went out and “got theirs”. So when are we going to get out there and “get ours?”
I guess we have a high tolerance for pain and they don’t. The Egyptian people put their foot down after 30 years but here we are after over 400 years still licking the slave masters’ boots for another raise, promotion or so called higher status.
I guess some things will never change and I SURE hope someone proves me wrong.
