Hold onto Hope. We Can Win

Good day Readers, 

I want to encourage people to hold onto HOPE. Not for a day, a week, a month or for a year, but hold onto HOPE until change happens.  I know change will happen, are you paying attention to the movement of people who are gathering to shout with a collective voice for change. I call your attention to what is happening and not to what you think is not happening. We are faced with many challenges. First, political leaders want people to think that the worse of the coronations is over. I say, it is important that people fight back against this falsehood, get tested and learn how to take care of yourself and your family. Second, politicians are withholding financial funding from a population of people who are in desperate need, they are doing this in hope they can scare people into re-electing this current administration.  

The Trump Administration and other Republican politicians have ignored the rascal tension that continues to divide this nation, these are the people who should lead by example and work together to stop this war on the black and brown communities. What these politicians want the masses to believe is that we are weak and powerless and they are strong and hold all the power, this a falsehood that we must dismantle by VOTING them out. This is how we the people use our power, our voices. I know it seems that we are beginning beaten down by budget cuts, mass unemployment, the virus, increased police brutality,  reopening of schools placing our children in danger, while the wealthy children remain safe. 

Most people are ready to write this year off as a loss, as we continue to face the warning about a second wave of this virus, while businesses are struggling to stay open. We are experiencing the loss of people who are of great value to the black community. But we are not beaten. One by one other organizations are no longer standing by the sidelines silent. We have witnessed the action of the NBA, NBL, and the NWBL. The black community made history once again when the young Yolanda Renee King, granddaughter of Martin Luther King the 3rd, raised her voice at the recent March on Washington, reminding the masses how crucial it is to remember and revive the vision, the dream to end racism.To continue the fight towards true emancipation from shackles of a system of dominance that have kept black and brown people locked in a crippling cycle of poverty, ignorance, and mental anguish. After more than 400 years black people are still considered intruders in a land where white supremacy threatens to kill the dream. We must collectively must hold onto HOPE for this generation and future generations.

Please stop the looting, fight and continue to march in the name of progress, keep taking a knee in silent protest, we must push back against this current administration, THEY HAVE FAILED US. 

Thank you for stopping by dragthepen.

Half Time

Dear Readers,

Football season will soon be upon us. Oh yes, the joys of trash talking, wearing my favorite  team jersey, eating buffalo wings, and drinking lots and lots of cold beer. This sounded great until I was reminded about the kneeling controversy during the singing of the National Anthem. Don’t get me wrong I’m not down playing an individual right to express their opinion about how he/she interrupts the National Anthem or the raising of the American flag.  To quote Collin Kaepernick, “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag, for a country that oppresses black people, and other people of colour.” He took this stance because of the police brutality and the unfair treatment of people of colour.

In all honesty did he think that the football field is the place to bring attention to these issue that affect the black population? This subject had clearly become an uncomfortable situation for many true football fans to talk about.

I recently moved in with my fiancé and he is opposed of me wanting to watch football. He said, “I’m being insensitive to the movement.” Movement? When did this kneeling during the singing of the National Anthem become a movement? The last time I checked a movement is a group of people who shares the same ideas and work together to advance their shared political or social ideas to begin about change.

Yes, there is a social issue, which is the unfair treatment of black people and other people of colour. What change do these football players expect to take place? If these highly paid professional athletes believe that they have the right to bring attention to the plight of the black societies then I suggest that they use another platform to do this.

Please pay attention to what I am saying and not what you think I’m saying. I support the rights to protest against injustice, but when Kaeperick voluntarily walked from his multi-million dollar contract, what did this accomplish? Did his action solved the inequality between the races? Do the few hundred black people boycotting the NFL by not watching, do they honestly think that this will make a difference to this billion dollar sport franchise?

These players are making millions in a country that has made strides in many areas for the improvement of the lives of people of colour. And yes, there is room for more improvement. These players might not believe in “the land of the free and the home of the brave,” we do live in one of the greatest countries in the world. And regardless of race there are people on the front line everyday sacrificing their lives to keep us safe and free.

So to that I say THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVE.  God Bless America. And ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?

What Say You?