A Nation Where You Can Succeed Anyway

[Nakosis]

Abraham Lincoln came from humble beginnings. He once said, “I don't know who my grandfather was; I am much more concerned to know what his grandson will be.” The greatest salt in the wound of blatant racism is not to demonstrate with shouts of your own, but to use such taunts to help fuel your drive to achieve and prove them wrong.

George Washington Carver, Booker T. Washington and Martin Luther King Jr. all challenged black Americans to use freedom to succeed on the basis of their character and skills. Black Americans can’t change the past, but they can change their own future. Let the millions of successful and proud black Americans stand as a reminder that no one is limited by the past. Succeed anyway.

But it was meeting Brother Clarence years ago on a five-hour flight from Atlanta to Los Angeles that gave me a better understanding of the plight of today’s black Americans. Clarence was 98 years old and the son of a slave. I asked him what his father said about being born into slavery.

Clarence confessed that he refused to talk about it and always said, “You don’t need to know because you are free now.” He challenged him to leave Texas and make his way to California to make his own American dream.

Clarence did just that, and now he was returning for a family reunion in Fresno. When asked how his offspring respond to his father’s advice, he shook his head and said, “They don’t want to hear about freedom. They’re angry and won’t let it go.”

Being consumed by angry demonstrations and identity politics may have at one time helped the Democratic Party stay in power, but it has never helped those who have allowed themselves to be locked into victimhood.
https://www.vcstar.com/story/opinio...ation-where-you-can-succeed-anyway/582407001/

 

[YmirGF]

Love the Lincoln quote. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Daemon Sophic]

Abraham Lincoln came from humble beginnings. He once said, “I don't know who my grandfather was; I am much more concerned to know what his grandson will be.” The greatest salt in the wound of blatant racism is not to demonstrate with shouts of your own, but to use such taunts to help fuel your drive to achieve and prove them wrong.

George Washington Carver, Booker T. Washington and Martin Luther King Jr. all challenged black Americans to use freedom to succeed on the basis of their character and skills. Black Americans can’t change the past, but they can change their own future. Let the millions of successful and proud black Americans stand as a reminder that no one is limited by the past. Succeed anyway.

But it was meeting Brother Clarence years ago on a five-hour flight from Atlanta to Los Angeles that gave me a better understanding of the plight of today’s black Americans. Clarence was 98 years old and the son of a slave. I asked him what his father said about being born into slavery.

Clarence confessed that he refused to talk about it and always said, “You don’t need to know because you are free now.” He challenged him to leave Texas and make his way to California to make his own American dream.

Clarence did just that, and now he was returning for a family reunion in Fresno. When asked how his offspring respond to his father’s advice, he shook his head and said, “They don’t want to hear about freedom. They’re angry and won’t let it go.”

Being consumed by angry demonstrations and identity politics may have at one time helped the Democratic Party stay in power, but it has never helped those who have allowed themselves to be locked into victimhood.
A nation where you can succeed anyway

Yes. It’s good advice.
But there are 2 problems that I see right off the bat.
1. You didn’t choose to cut and paste the very next paragraph in the article. Here ya go....

Condemn racism wherever and whenever it occurs. Hold those committing violence and destruction of property responsible. Prosecute them to the full extent of the law. Let racist demonstrations of any color receive what they deserve — our disrespect.​

and 2. again and again it is shown that those who live in poverty are not inherently choosing to be lazy. They are not poor because they have poor attitudes or poor spirit, nor do they lack intelligence or skills. It is the lack of opportunity that ended them up with poor schooling, poor childhood health, and menial jobs that won’t allow opportunity for advancement, etc...

As your article points out; our entire society needs to level the playing field. The media needs to show more people of color in positions of power and intellectual capability to serve as examples and role models similar to the many that we white middle and upper-class citizens have every time we read a book or turn on the TV.

 

[YmirGF]

As your article points out; our entire society needs to level the playing field. The media needs to show more people of color in positions of power and intellectual capability to serve as examples and role models similar to the many that we white middle and upper-class citizens have every time we read a book or turn on the TV.

One would hope that this "show of colour" would be based on merit rather than an agenda quota. That would be a disservice to everyone.