Saturday, June 20, 2015

How Quickly Things Can Change, Yet Stay the Same!



It’s amazing how everything can change in an instant.  All week long I was enjoying the spectacle of Donald Trump and Jeb Bush’s announcement for President, and of course, the fascinating story of Rachel Dolezal who grew up as a white girl and became a black woman.  These three events were running on a continuous loop on television.  I was so happy because all three of these events contained hilarious material for this Unfair and Unbalanced column.  If I were a dog, I would have been wagging my tail.

Then on late Wednesday night, I heard the alarming Breaking News alert.  “Massacre at the Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, SC.” In a blink of an eye, this nation went from laughing to weeping.  Suddenly, what we thought was important to hear and know, became insignificant.  In fact, I was actually ashamed that I had spent so much time trying to understand the Dolezal story.  I was ashamed I had given my valuable time to listen to Donald Trump’s “How Great I Art” speech. 

Nine God-fearing, law-abiding citizens were gunned down while studying the Bible.  Nine people who were deeply loved by their family.  Nine people who were pillars of the community.   Nine people who exuded love, not hate.  Nine Black people! 

Who can continue to deny that racism still exists?  The right-wing fanatics and Fox News, that’s who!   All day on Thursday, the pundits of Fox News made the case that the killing of the nine Black people was an attack on Christianity.  Really?  The killer himself said after shooting the nine Black people, “I came here to kill Black people.”  How does that translate to an attack on Christianity?  Fox News could not admit that the massacre  was the result of racism because that is not in the right-wing propaganda script.

Republicans, you have a large field of presidential candidates to choose from this year.  To make your decision easier, any candidate that calls this horrific event in Charleston anything other than a racist hate crime, should be immediately disqualified for shameful pandering.  Jeb Bush and Rick Santorum should be the first crossed off your list.  Also, cross off those not willing to campaign for the end of racism and discrimination.  Since no candidate will be left on your list, thank you for voting for Hillary.

I had no intention of mentioning the gun control issue because that debate only brings out the worst in people. However, I have to.  I just read a statement made by a board member of the National Rifle Association, Charles Cotton.  He said that Pastor Clementa Pinckney was the cause of the mass killings in his church because he opposed open carry in churches.  That is a disrespectful, outrageous statement.  This man and this organization should be repudiated. 

Charleston, South Carolina, has the most amazing people I’ve ever seen.  Throughout this entire ordeal, they have presented themselves with unique grace and dignity.  I do not feel that I am worthy to worship at the Mother Emanuel AME Church.  The congregates of this Church practice what they preach, “Love, not Hate.”  As family members confronted the killer at the bond hearing, they all forgave him and asked God for mercy on him.  I don’t think I could have been so kind under the same circumstances. 

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