Still Free

Yeah, Mr. Smiley. Made it through the entire Trump presidency without being enslaved. Imagine that.

Monday, July 25, 2022

Clifton Duncan

 

 

Watch. I am quite angry (to put it mildly) about how my 20+ years at my former job ended over me asserting my right to decide what medical treatment I will and will not take. But I'm not waiting tables and I have marketable skills...and I could play blackjack for high stakes if I got really desperate 

:-D

I recall back in the day watching an interview with Kwame Ture's mother and how she had wished the worst cancer on the people who went after her son only for Kwame to pass from prostate cancer. I have long lived by the idea that I would never wish bad [medical] things on people who did me wrong. I'll be honest though, these past two years has really put that to the test. It is not how well you stick to your beliefs when things are good, but how you stick to them when EVERY damn thing is on the line. When it's the food on your table; the roof over your head; having to  say "no" to daughters and sons.

There's a comedy sketch by Eddie Murphy (I believe, I heard it on a mix tape so I cannot confirm) where he talks about African slaves getting off the ship and being told to pick cotton ( work with him here). He jokes about how at first the African slaves were like, "I'm not picking shit!"  and then the whips came out and they all changed their minds "We'll pick the cotton! just back off with that whip!" Joke got a lot of laughs, but the underlying truth is there. Most of us, unfortunately including a lot of black folks, including the ones who put me out, decided to "pick the cotton" and willingly sacrificed the "rebellious negro"

So it's nice to see another rebel.