FAKE PATRIOTS
In 2008, as we celebrated the election of Pres. Barack Obama, a wise sage offered me some prophetic words. He stated, as the U.S. continues to become darker, younger and more progressive by the day demographically, the same people who worship democracy today will preach to dismantle it tomorrow in favor of an Apartheid South Africa-flavored “minority rule.”
His Negrodamus-level prediction is coming to pass. The outgoing president pressed governors to illegally remove Electoral College members and replace them with stooges willing to hand over Biden-won states to Trump. Trump and Texas AG Ken “Outlaw” Paxton, called on the Supreme Court to throw out votes in four states: Michigan (i.e. Detroit), Wisconsin (i.e. Milwaukee), Pennsylvania (i.e. Philadelphia) and Georgia (i.e. Atlanta). You see the pattern; throw out Black folks’ votes.
Several 45 cronies are calling for Agent Orange to “dump” on democracy, throw out the entire 2020 election, declare martial law and hold onto power by any means necessary.
Other Trumpites openly call for the murder of Democrats and Republicans alike who dared say Trump lost the election (which he did; bigly). These self-proclaimed “patriots” are willing to sacrifice their faith, democracy and America-first values on the altar of keeping Black and Brown people “voiceless” for as long as possible.
MARCH ON
But we know that’s not happening, because we’ll continue to “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” and march on in spite of. In spite of what? Er’thang they throw at us.
They said we were ignorant. We marched on, using the math and science we gave the world, to birth electric lights, computers, space travel and more. They said we couldn’t lead. We marched on anyway, creating the first liberated nation in the western hemisphere (Haiti); making ancient Rome shake in its boots (Hannibal); and saving American democracy too often to count (Black women).
With Congress illin’ on COVID relief, 45 lying about election fraud, and attempts to silence us continuing, we may not know how these challenges will shake out. But what we do know is, to paraphrase Marcus Garvey, “Tell us to turn back as we laugh you to scorn.” From the Divine Nine’s White House takeover to SHAPE Community Center’s Elders’ Institute of Wisdom. From grassroots organizers to sisters and brothers of various faiths. We will “Lift ev’ry voice and sing” a song of empowerment and self-determination. We will “march on ‘til victory is won.”
