A View from a Black Americans SKIN

9/6/05 10:12 PM

by Bruce H, Scroggins

It’s the seventh day of our American tragedy, and America is swinging into gear, and it’s heart warming to see but I have some strong views about the response to date.

Administrations Response; Racism, and the wholesale scattering, of the residents; murders, rapes, and firing on those who’ve come to help, are just some of things that deeply concern me, and Black and White America, should be upfront with there collective outrage about the events unfolding right in front of our faces. and lastly cleanup and rebuilding.

Lets jump in with both feet and hands, and a must is, we must keep our eyes, and ears open, and believe what you hear and see. Now the Media is and has always been the ones, with a canvas, and they paint, and some times they like what they paint, and some times, before and after painting, make decisions to change course too, as they believe, and are urged to bring “balance,” to what they report, and the Media, has one of the strongest presences in the “views,” and “view.” the World and America views of Americans at there worst and best in tragedy. I have heard, and viewed, on the News programs, (CNN, MSNBC, and Local coverage’s,) what I call, “changing course, and balancing the story.”

The print Media has as far as I can tell to date a magnificent job covering all aspects of this tragedy, but are not with out fault, but have done a yeomen job, to date.

The visual Media has a Bully pall-pit of a different sort, and can shape the news viewed in a more sustaining way, what with there 24 hour news cycle.

The Administration is averse to dealing with the Black communities strongest supporters, and Leadership, and a large part of the Black communities backbone-foundational-structure. And that is the Black Churches, Bush likes Black churches for his Faith-based Initiatives, but he only wants black pastors who agree with his political stances, those who do this, are given face time with Bush, and he and others take there Q, and literally, tells the Black community, "these are who your leaders should be," and that’s not to say, Black Pastors can’t get money to do Non-profit humanitarians works, if they don’t agree politically, no that’s too easy, and Bush is not that opaque, about the practice, but he is Crystal Clear to many in the Black and White communities of America.

Yes, Louisiana has suffered a tragic lost to its State, but Racism, rape, murder, are one set of extremes that are coming to the surface, and many are asking why?, why? Are they doing that, and, don’t they have basic right and wrong learning? the answers to all is “yes,” and the reality is, how can I explain this, listen if your ass hole, before you lose your things, and lets be clear they lost “things,” you’ll be ass hole without the things, and if you know right and wrong, but choose to be a rapist, and a murder, or were, before the tragedy, you can still be one be after, if you “choose” to be… If you’re a racist before, and choose to continue being a racist after, that is a choice… If you choose to show the truth before, and choose after the facts to change course, you choose this change.

In every instance, men/women made a choice to do what they did, and the catalyst for these acts, have been internal, and external. For those trapped, and stubborn enough to stay, it was, the catalyst of, there was no money to leave, and this little pile of bricks is all I got, and I live check to check, and believe me, PRIDE was active in all of these excuses, and there’s, the elderly, and the sick mixed in, and all are vulnerable, too those who have more strength, and less morals, and no hope for there squalid existence before the Tragedy, struck, and they were living a tragedy day in and day out before the tragedy… so a natural, and unnatural response, would be, my life has been taken away, and what little “pile of bricks,” you have, is gone, and your with out hope, and you see no way out, you descend into madness, the young, the old, the sick, the poor, the men, the women, the children, and all around you see death, in unimaginable proportions, your mind goes into survival mode, you try to save your own “skin.”

Example: some years ago a plane cashes on a mountain, the passengers were soccer players, and after being stranded, lost, with no hope, left they descended into cannibalism, and everyone who heard there story, understood the deft, and dept of there position.

Another thing to remember is, the churches, a bulwark in their neighborhoods are gone, there places of refuge, are gone, and there communities familiar faces, are gone and those who are looking lost, just like you, are not familiar, or friendly looking, because there lost, just like you, and your both wondering, will you hurt me to survive, or will I.

I just watched an irate LT. General Honore on TV MSNBS Live (1:57 Pm, CST), lashing out at the Media for asking questions about there late arrival on the sense, he was over the top, because he doesn’t think he should be ask about, the feeble response from the Federal Authorities, I have one response to him, if you can’t stand the heat get out of the kitchen, because his anger dose me and the people no good, and your an Arrogant man with Authority, is all I heard and seen, and the Media should cut him no slack, He stepped up with Chartoff, to the Hot seat, and got mad at a perfectly pertinent question. And it’s not secure everywhere, and he lied and tried to paint a picture that everything is secure, and it’s not and the Media has been there far longer that LT. General Honore. Truth in fact, and the Media should light his fire, right under, and in his face.

Bush is one of the most smarmy men I know, and I know something of smarminess, having been young, and thinking at some points of my youth, that I was God’s gift to God knows who, (smile.)

Accountability will come up everyday, and indifference and arrogant outburst from Johnny come very, very lately’s of whatever authority, and political stripes, better get ready, and stand up tall, and suck up there smart ass retorts, because Americas, not even close to being in a mood, of wanting to hear his anger.

What's is lost in all that has happened is, where is America’s faith, this is suppose to be a Christian county, well I can’t tell. The people lost in the south, are relying, many of them on their faith, and that faith has served them well, it gives them hope, not to lash out, but to be strong and to hold on to those of faith who stand in the breach, for them everyday and night, and these everyday first responders, have stayed, and rolled up their sleeves, and worked to the bones to be a servant to there fellow man, did everyone hurting, acknowledge them… were they attached, and some killed and hurt, yes… and a painful yes, for them all, but that did not deter them from living out the faith, and in turn inspiring other to hold on to there faith, and let it stand in them and give, when all they had to give was each other.

So give America, give of your time, and your money, and make a point to give to Black churches, if not money time, if not time, food, if not food, clothes, and if not clothes, give of your mind, and believe what you see, and hear from those who have suffered the lost of all things material, but look at America from there faith, and say, I believe someone, I can’t see loves me, and will help me.

Last be not least, Black America, see's many black people being sent out of there home State, I ask why, when they should be housed right in there home State, and are the very ones who should be involved in helping, everyone whose lost, and needs help, who better to help, than those who’ve been helped, and who better to work rebuilding, their homes, and the homes of there fellow lost. Stop scattering them to the four corners of America, they need wholeness, and work, and money, and a home at home, they want to help there fellowman, and the Feds, and the Military, and FEMA needs there help, and they need to help.

A great lost of man power is taking place, and some want to act like there doing so much, and in this mix of the lost, is Teachers, Security Workers, Janitors, Cooks, Construction workers, Air conditioning specialist, system managers, nurses, Highway heavy Workers, Bricklayers, Electricians, Computer Specialist, Nursing home Attendants, Hospital Workers and a veritable cornucopia of every field needed in this tragedy, and scattering them to the four corners of the States, is putting stress on there neighbors. These refugee’s can build housing, and put in the pluming, and can make everything needed for the rebuilding of there State.

So I ask, WHAT are you DOING, why? Can’t the powers that be VIEW/SEE the immense waste of limited resources, on one hand, and the clear as your face answer, on the other.


And if you’d just ask the NAACP, and URBAN LEAGUE they’d tell you the same, in most cases.