THE MILLION MAN MARCH – 20 YEARS LATER

“I had reasoned this out in my mind, there was one of two things I had a right to, liberty or death; if I could not have one, I would have the other.” Mother Harriet Tubman

I am dedicating all of my remaining posts this year to Black African American females because a race can rise no higher than its’ females.

As in all of my posts, UNDERLINED WORDS  are links.

Friday, October 16, 2015 marked the 20^th Anniversary of the historic “Million Man March” with very little, if any fanfare.  The news media was dominated by politics and of course, former LA Lakers’ Lamar Odom  who was found unresponsive a week ago in a Nevada “Brothel” (a high-price whorehouse) after reportedly wracking-up a $75,000.00 bill in three days.  All I can say is, “More dollar$ than $en$e.”

As one of the millions who attended the 1995 Million Man March, I decide to share with you my experiences of that fateful weekend.  I published my experiences in the chapter on “African American Males” in my second book, “IT’S STILL TIME TO STOP BLAMING THE WHITE MAN.”  It reads as follows:

In January 1995, I heard about preparations for the March on Washington. I really dismissed it, thinking that it would be similar to the 1963 march.  Then I heard that Minister Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam put out a call for one million African American males to come to Washington, D.C. for a “Day of Atonement.”

As the date came closer, I began hearing nationally prominent (meaning acceptable to white folks) “Negro” civil rights leaders and preachers, both male and female, speak out against the “Million Man March.”  The NAACP , CORE, convicted felon, Rev. Dr. Henry Lyons  of the National Baptist Conference, USA, et al, were vehemently opposed to this March.

The teachings of Willie Lynch , regarding keeping us divided and never allowing us to trust one another were in full play.  As opposition grew, I knew that this march would be unlike any other march in the history of African Americans.  In early September, I made a commitment to be one among the million.

On Sunday evening, October 15, 1995, my wife and I drove to the departure area for what I felt to be a Holy Pilgrimage.  The area of our departure was directly across the street from one of Augusta’s most prominent African American churches.  The significance of this is that the church was having services that evening in celebration of the Augusta Classics  football weekend.

There were four chartered buses going to the Million Man March and no one from this church felt the need to come out to pray with us and wish us a safe trip.  In fact, it was reported that many of the area pastors had admonished the males in their congregations not to go on this march.  However, this march proved to be much bigger than any pastor or African American organizations that opposed it.

 As we began boarding the buses, I had an array of emotions.  I knew that I was embarking on a history–making event and I was apprehensive about the possible outcome.  I had heard that many white racist groups, such as the KKK, Skinheads, Aryan Nation  as well as southern law enforcement had made preparations to disrupt this march in any way they could. Therefore, I had no idea what we might encounter along the way.  As I embraced my wife, I wasn’t sure that I’d see her again; yet I felt the need to be one in the million.

Once on board the buses, we received word that there was a brother who wanted to join us, but he didn’t have the bus fare.  Without hesitation, those of us on our bus unanimously invited him to join us.

The Muslim sisters gave him bean pies and other food and we made room for him. As the buses began pulling off, the Muslim sisters lined the curb and saluted us, amid cheers, applause and tears from our loved ones.

Again, I must reiterate that pastors, ministers, and preachers were conspicuously absent from this crowd of well-wishers.  Massa had forbid the march; therefore his servants could not condone nor support it.

That was all right because the brotherly love and bonding, which occurred on our bus throughout the entire pilgrimage to D.C., exceeded my greatest expectations.  As we traveled down the highway, we received outpourings of prayers and salutes from African American motorists.

For me, it was such a blessing to be a part of this historical event because it reinforced in me the greatness of people of African ancestry.

When we arrived in our nation’s capital on the morning of October 16, 1995, we were greeted with so much love.  Brothers and sisters standing at local bus stops saluted us with clenched fists and shouted praises and excitement that we were there.

In fact a cab driver with a passenger pulled along side of us to tell us that we were going in the wrong direction.  When we told him that we were going to a local church to freshen up before participating in the March, he immediately said, “I’ll lead you there, follow me.”

Once at the March, as far as I could see in any direction, there were African American males.  This was the first time in my entire life that I’d been amidst unfamiliar African American males and didn’t have any feelings of apprehension or concern for my safety.

There was nothing but brotherly love among all of us.  I inadvertently bumped into another brother and we both immediately began apologizing to each other.

There were African American females present and they received nothing but the utmost of respect.  At no time during the march did I hear any profanity nor did I witnessed the use of any drugs other than tobacco.

By the time Dr. Maya Angelou spoke, there was not a dry eye anywhere to be seen, including my own.

When the collection began, the taller brothers were passing the buckets around so those of us who were shorter could contribute.  Not once did I hear of anyone attempting to steal any money from the collection.

It is interesting to note that the same pastor who was conducting church service for the Augusta Classics decided to jump on the bandwagon after he, along with the entire world recognized that the “Million Man March” was a resounding success.

This pastor was running for a local political office, so he put out a call for a “10,000 people rally,” to support his campaign.  From what I was told (because I chose not to attend) he barely had two hundred people attending.  Needless to say, he lost the election.

Although the focus of this chapter has been on African-American males, it also applies to African American females.

There is a new growth industry in America’s prison industrial complex, the incarceration of more and more African American females.  This has much to do with the fact that there is an increasing number of females committing crimes and getting caught.

There are an ever-increasing number of African American females engaging in criminal activities that in the past were committed by males. The same reason for their criminal and drug-related actions apply to these females. They are engaging in their specific behaviors because they choose to do so, period. Stop looking for any other excuse and give them credit for being able to make choices and accept the consequences of their actions.

Contrary to popular belief, justice is not blind.  In fact, here in Augusta, Georgia, they will let you know that she is not blind because they have a statue of a White “Lady Justice” without her blindfold, standing in front of the courthouse.

The following is a letter that was reported to have been placed on the bed of a young African American male who was incarcerated in a Chicago city jail:

“The Ku Klux Klan would like to take this time to salute and congratulate all Gang Bangers for the slaughter of over 4,000 black people since 1975.  You are doing a marvelous job.  Keep killing each other for nothing.  The streets are still not you nword… It is ours.

You are killing each other for our property.  You are killing what could be future black doctors, lawyers, and businessmen that we won’t have to compete with.  And the good thing about it is that you are killing the youth.  So we won’t have to worry about you nword in generations to come.

We would further like to thank all the judges who have over sentenced those nword to prison.  We are winning again.  Pretty soon, we will be able to go back to raping your women.  Because all the men will be gone.

So you Gang Bangers… Keep up the good work.  We love to read about drive-by shootings.  We love to hear how many nword get killed over the weekends.  We can tolerate the nword with jungle fever …Because that further breaks down the race.

To all Gang Bangers across the world: we don’t love you nword, but we can appreciate you Gang Bangers.  You are doing a wonderful job in eliminating the black race.  Without the men… Your women cannot reproduce… Unless of course, we do it for them.

Then we will have successfully eliminated a race, thanks to your help and commitment to killing each other.  If most of you nword Gang Bangers cannot read this letter, it is okay.  Go pull a trigger and kill a nword.”  Thank you – Author Unknown

It is estimated that tens of thousands of Black African Americans (mostly males) have been wantonly slaughtered in the past 20 years.  Furthermore, doing this time span millions of Black African Americans (mostly males) have been added to America’s “Prison Industrial Complex.”

Although Minister Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam is based in Chicago, Chicago is rapidly becoming the murder capital of America.

In fact, many “Gang Bangers” proudly call it, “Chiraq.”  I wonder why Minister Farrakhan cannot stop the murder and violence that is occurring in his own front yard?  I also wonder what happened to the millions of dollars that was raised on that faithful day in 1995?

We Black African Americans continue to remain at the top of the lists in everything negative,  and at the bottom of the list in everything positive.  Why is that?   For the time being, I leave this question for you my readers to answer.

What have those of us who were one among the millions been doing these past twenty years to elevate our race out of this muck and mire?  As for me, I’ve written my second book, “IT’S STILL TIME TO STOP BLAMING THE WHITE MAN,” and published nearly 100 articles on my blog in hopes of educating and enlightening our people and I am not done yet.

Thank you…

Oh what a blessing it is that my people do not read, think or use common sense says the Pastors, Pimps, and Politicians. (Read: OBITUARY FOR COMMON SENSE )