By Landis Lain
When Barack Hussein Obama was elected president of the United States, I wept with joy along with millions of other people. My lack of faith in humanity received a soothing stroke. I had the audacity to hope that things would improve for everyone; to hope that racism, sexism, and xenophobia might be in its last gasps. Love would win. I should have known better.
The hypocrisy of slave owning founding fathers who touted freedom can never be amplified enough. The United States Constitution was never meant to apply to justice for all. We the people did not include Black people and women were never mentioned at all. Article 1 Section 2 paragraph 3 of the Constitution provides that apportionment of representatives would be based on the population of free persons excluding “Indians not taxed” and “three fifths of all other persons.” Those other persons were of course the kidnapped Africans who were enslaved in this country. I am a proud Descendant of such people. I’ve been Black in America too long to ever trust that folks will ever let go of prejudices or their ability to conduct themselves in ever more heinous ways. I should have known that this country which is built on racism and the slaughter of entire nations of native people would never release its grasp on hatred. This country kidnapped, murdered, raped, and enslaved millions; murdered Martin Luther King, Jr. (and his mother) for peacefully advocating for equal rights but uses his image as a symbol of mass pacification to maintain the status quo. So, I should have known better.
Our government denies reparations to those who still suffer the arrows of racism, whose ancestors worked this land unceasingly for no pay and still managed to survive and rise during racist credit scores, redlining, destruction of neighborhoods with drugs, destruction of the educational system, disparate healthcare, and unequal pay.
Many government officials deny the citizenry adequate healthcare, pensions, or a stable economic life to prevent equal rights. Many laws allow the rape of children, the trafficking of women and the mass incarceration of people to reinstate and recreate a system of domestic slavery. I do not expect folks to act right. Because they are obviously dedicated to evil. The imaginary lifestyle of freedom and justice has never existed for many Americans. This Country has failed the ideals our government is sworn to uphold.
I am a Black woman. I love my country. It does not love me. Show me some change, improvement or humanity. I can tell you what I do know; that some folks can be trusted to forever behave in heinous fashion towards others. Prove me wrong. Show me the light. It’s time for the reckoning.
