Who or What Makes History?
Posted: Sunday, September 05, 2010
by Patricia Barbee
http://www.patriciabarbee.com
I am a self-admitted history addict. No apologies will be given for this addiction ever!
My addiction is one reason, I love remembering stories and tales told by my elders when I was supposed to be asleep. Now, you know where the title of one of my books comes from. Every Shut Eye Isn't Asleep. It is a book of fiction based on my "bucket ears" of memories.
A substitute chat host, yes that is Aussie, made my blood boil recently when she criticized the First Lady, Michelle Obama for saying that they were changing history. Blast it all, everything the Obamas do is changing history because they are the first family of Color to occupy the White House as President and Family.
Until recently the enslaved People of Color who built the White House and the free have maintained it were not mentioned in history. They were the invisibles.
If my local telephone company had not jumped the rates from eleven cents per minute to fifty seven cents per minute for Australia, the chat host would have gotten a bit of Red hot tongue from me. I am so thankful for e-mail!
Where are the "on the spot" news reporters when American history is made?
Kanye West acted up on an award show a couple years ago and today, yes today, I am still reading about it. Give us a break. Are we going the way of old Greece and Rome because of our behavior? What happened to our sense of priority?
Weeks ago, on C-Span I watched two hours of hearings of General Ray Ordierno [four stars] and Lieutenant General Lloyd J. Austin III [three stars]. The hearings were being held because General Ordierno was moving out of his job and LTG Austin would become a General and slide into General Ordierno's place.
LTG Austin became General Austin and on 1 September 2010 became the Commander in Iraq to bring the 50,000 troops home in 2011. Those are the military plans and my Prayer.
I saw a brief thirty second clip on a national newscast as the "flag of office and duty" was passed. That was all. I found a complete article in the Fayetteville Observer on line. As LTG Austin, he commanded Fort Bragg before his Pentagon assignment.
I found an article on General Austin on page three of one other paper and it continued on page ten.
Here is where the history comes in, General Austin is the 200th four star general in the USA. Second, he is the sixth man of Color to also be a four star general.
Have you heard about this history before reading this?
Patricia Barbee © 2010
Patricia Barbee
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Top-level comments on this article: (4 total)No I had not, but to be honest with you, I try not to become to involved with the news in any format. It is ran by mega corporations and will lend a mega corp bend in whatever is reported. Does it surprise me that people of color do not get the proper respect due to them by news organizations, no. Have you noticed the kind of treatment and news coverage Hispanic people have been getting of late? Might be better to be ignored rather than vilified. We are in the midst of a white supremacy movement, of course those that are not perpetrating this movement, rather just condoning it, will deny that this is so, but so too did they deny it in Nazi Germany.Indeed, I've noticed how the Latinos are treated. Had Christopher Columbus and his three germ laden ships the Latinos and my ancestors would still be free to roam what is called the Americas. CC found viable nations, tribes and families living in this land. All were free to roam the land from ocean to ocean and north to south.We know where the Latinos are at all times. They are doing back breaking work none of us would do. I'd like to see the Immigration agents begin raiding out New York City of those who have overstayed their welcome. We know they are not picking lettuce or strawberries!
Thanks...nice article...keep it up...Regards...CPThank you for reading my essay and taking the time to comment.
Boy, the Obamas sure are targeted, aren't they? It also makes me so angry. You're right about history. Who's been writing it so far?When I was in college to be a teacher in "1812", in Boston, we were told about the slant on the books we'd use. If only I could remember the name of "The Group" that so called certified each school book. Lots of American history or truth never made it to the students.Over the past couple years they have lost their power because the special public academies controlled by panels of parents no longer buy the Texas "garbage" in books. The parents have reached out for books they have deemed good for their children.We know the Obamas are targeted in many ways. They are new and the "good ole boys" lost control. They don't know how to handle an untried, unknown quantity.The President speaks...........people flip. If he kept quiet, as in "Silent Cal", they would still flip.He takes a few days vacation. The talking heads complain. He is still on the job with all the communications needed for USA safety plus mandated protection. I bet he'd like a weekend, with no one but family, simple meals and watch a ballgame on the telly.Mrs. Obama, no matter what she does, some wag has a voice. Yes, I'd have gone to Spain on a long planned trip with my pals too.In years past my pals and I have taken some trips in and out of the USA and had I any standing in our government, some wag would have harped about my meanderings.Yes, Mrs. Obama, keep the garden. Teach the children where vegetables come from.Let the children have fast food for an occasional treat. Yes, our children are too fat. Observing the children eat lunch in school, my heart hurts for them. They do not know how to use a knife, fork and spoon. Manners are not taught in school any more.Personally I've not had a burger from the big M since March, 1984. Bad food and worse service ruined my taste the chain. The situation got worse when I called the franchisee to tell him what happened. He got nasty. I don't spend my cents where I am mistreated..Thanks for your words to me.
You know Patricia, I'm white but I've tried to put myself in a black man's shoes. Out of all the different nationalities the black race stands out the most. I believe the Lord has a special love for the black race.Good article thanks for sharing your thoughts.David, thanks for the love.Honestly, I can not agree that "the Lord has a special love for the black race."The best part and worst part of my life is mixed race. I get loved or hated equally.My mix is Cherokee, Irish, three times and a German greatgrandfather. Someplace a drop of the strongest element on earth got in there....a drop of Black blood. In all the "roots" checking we don't know where it came from. I believe I found the "first carrier" on the maternal side. She was enslaved and produced children.Our family reunions looks like the United Nations. We love the daylights out of each other. Never is heard a "discouraging word". Only our President has a crazier mix of kin and different religions in his family.One, paternal side, cousin went to her death saying that "drop" came from Spain.However, in spite of Mother Nature having a bad case of "menopause" since the earthquake in Haiti and all the other unheard of natural experiences, the Great Spirit still loves us no matter what we look like. After all we were made in "His image".I look great, so He has to be handsome. [No shame in my game.]
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