Why SHould We forget About Slavery

Why Should We Forget Slavery?

Many want to forget that slavery existed, the sordid past of American history quietly swept under the carpet, tucked away so that those descendants whose ancestors are responsible can turn a blind eye, rest peacefully at night and go on benefitting from the wealth they enjoy in this present time. Perhaps forgetting would be possible if black people were not still suffering from its effects centuries later under the same racist ideology. We are reminded every day the impact slavery has had on us both psychologically and economically and while most of our white counterparts enjoy the pleasure of wealth and dominion over the pristine comforts of life, most blacks are stricken with poverty, stress inflicted disease and lack of job opportunities that continue to keep us at a disadvantage in present day societies all over the world.

So while we are told to forget our past and move on to the dreams of equality, civil rights and the pursuit of happiness that this country so emphatically deny us, I ask the question:

How can we forget about slavery?

When the same institutionalize system still exists today.

While the majority of people understand the aspect of this modern day bondage (spiritual, mental and physical), some choose to accept it and go along to get along.....both black and white people. Some of my people have even said..."what does slavery have to do with me? That was then, this is now." 

It saddens me to hear this, because it means there is a total disconnect of empathy and kinship with their roots. It is not all their fault, because many of our elder generations have stop passing the stories down to their children and grandchildren of the struggles they had to endure being black in this country. It is no wonder the latter generation do not have the pride and respect for those who fought and died for the privileges they take for granted today. The fact is, we shouldn't forget about slavery and the struggles of the past! Forgetting would be like taking an ax and chopping down the very roots of our family tree. If you destroy the roots of a tree, eventually the results will be the death of the whole tree. This is why remembering the past is so important, it is not a trivial consequence to be ignored and dismissed, and it is the lifeline to our existence as a people. We must never forget the past, we must embrace, respect and cherish the suffering our ancestors had to endure because it is a lesson to us of their courage, tenacity and a unity that our people had then, it is a testament of how we should be now. 

It is because we have forgotten the stories of bravery, endurance, unity and self-determination our people had throughout history we still suffer as we do today. We are complacent and void of self- preservation for ourselves as a people. We also have become self-serving with a crab-in-the-barrel-mentality against our own.

As a people, we need to connect back to our power source of spirituality, first we must acknowledge, that we are greater in unison, we must show that love amongst ourselves in word and deed by uplifting each other with honor and respect. Secondly, we must take back authority over our children; bring them back in line with the laws and commandments of Yah! Teach them to respect, love and honor themselves and others who look like them! Men need to respect their women, women need to respect their men and understand there is an order to all things and without that order there is chaos! This is what we see today in our communities. And lastly, we have to take pride in who we are, as well as the roots(honor our name) of our tree, do not allow anyone to diminish who we are as a people. Define ourselves by those who came before us, through our ancestors. They left a legacy for us in their deeds, they believed that we would take the torch and not allow what they fought and died for to be in vain! Most importantly, we must have an understanding where our true power source lies....we have always been a spiritual people. The scriptures say "Israel has always had a zeal for Yah!"

 Romans 10:1-3(KJV)

10 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.

2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

You need to get a true understanding of what these scriptures mean...

That can only come from your quest for "true" spiritual knowledge...the zest to want to know.

Forgetting our history is what makes others comfortable in their own "skin," literally…. 

For us, to forget our history is to deny the soul of who we are as a people, as well as deny the very essence (souls), accomplishments and sacrifices our ancestors made for us!

Embrace and love who you are....my people!

Then rise up to the challenge of representing the lineage of a chosen people!

 HalleluYah!!!