“What its Like!”

“What   its   Like!”

By Glenn Peppers                                    8-28-14

Jane Elliot

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pv8mCHbOrs

The Youtube link and clip posted directly above this article is just a small example of what it feels like to be black in America, everyday, day and night without fail, 24/7; without any way out! The white kids after this video demonstration is over can go back to being who they were. 

Students expression and reaction during the seminar

Some or most being privileged, haughty, unsympathetic, and boisterously opinionated and uncaring as far as what they think of that poor race of people always making a fuss about inequality and injustice! That’s is of course if they didn’t learn anything while sitting in on Jane Elliot's class shedding light on just a small glimpse of what it is like to be black in this world! 

For me and many others like me, coming along in life right here in America, and being black meant suffering various modes and strains of mistreatment and labeling oppression. Oppression and discrimination that is constant, even when at times when I am not fully aware of it. I’ve learned over the years that the trauma and repercussions of being black (essentially black and male for me) are always there and ever present, even in my sleep. How you are perceived in this world is something that is always there regardless of good your self awareness factors are! Its how you deal with it that counts.

Yet I wouldn't trade being black for anything in the world! Not anything! Even since I was a child I knew that being black meant being apart of something much bigger than who I am. Being black means knowing you have your roots based in vast knowledge and things eternal; and that you are apart of a construct larger than the material dimension that the human eye is limited to view! Unbeknownst to many, there are many life lessons to be learned, and much wisdom gained from being black! 

What Queens of the northern African region looked like

When I see the great and wonderful things my ancestor in africa built and were apart of in ancient times, I know being black means something, despite whites throughout history claiming to be Egyptian kings and queens and other prominent people of color who pioneered mathematics, started and created libraries, charted the stars, and gave the world a solid foundation in history that was stolen and hidden from us! As a child I asked “Why was this done?” 

It was done in order to deny us our birthright. To strip us of our dignity and kingship and pride, and break us down. You can't make slaves out of smart people! 

These lessons will carry over into an existence, and into a realm incalculable in scope, and unfathomable to any mortal mindset! For whatever reason, the pain, and the suffering, the discrimination and the constant fighting for ones dignity as a black American citizen of the world seems to be a process of sorts! One that despite its damages to the soul, seems to at the same time build the soul! Its as if with each trial by strife, the hurt stores up this well of strength and awareness within ones spirit, despite the body's constant bombardment from degradation and hatred! Kind of like how a sword is forged in a foundry fire, and then quenched in cool water, hardening it! Tempering it, making it stronger with each forging!

There's something bigger than our suffering

What proof do I have that all this suffering and fighting for ones place on this planet will not be in vain? I have but only my faith to rely on for this. Yet the signs are there for those who actually want to see them! seminar lessons in being black can never fully teach you how to see and experience life as I live it everyday. In order to do that, you’d really have to be a most compassionate, empathic and yet in tuned person of virtue! Someone like Jane Elliot!

Jane Elliot in her classroom

Sounds like religious dogma to you, doesn’t it! Maybe its supposed for some! I’ll I know is this! Being black despite its hardships has its joys! And as I said, I wouldn’t trade being black for all the gold and silver in the world! I was made this way for a reason! I regret nothing! Therefore I’ll stay strong and I’ll carry on! Black and ever learning. Ever proud!

Glenn Peppers    8-28-2014

“Grow Up America!”

“Grow  Up  America!”

(Ok, so we have a Black President. Get over it already!)

By Glenn Peppers

When I look around at all that is going on these days, I still feel that a lot of what we are going through in recent times as black people in america is the result of white america's resistance and resentment toward having a black President. Yes I’m pulling the race card! I’m call it what it is! Whether white folks admit it out loud or even to themselves or not! Hatred for black people in this country (preferably the black male) is ingrained, and interwoven so deeply into america's fabric so tightly that these acts of aggression I’ve seen lately (as well as in the past) put against people of color since 2008 have been constant, and shamelessly implemented, almost as if by instinct! 

Even those who say they feel that having a black president really doesn't bother them one way or the other, still seem somehow affected negatively by it. This blind almost hive-like rage I see is showing itself in various modes of hatred and displeasure around the country! From subtle racism, to blatant acts of verbal outburst, to people right out abusing their powers of authority, either in law enforcement, in the realm of employment, on a retail level, and/or politically, because of this displaced anger and hatred! 

Republican leaders House Speaker John Boehner and
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell

Case in point, the very idea of Congress and other top republicans in america conspiring together to not pass any of the President's bills that could quite possibly help a great many people in this country regardless of race creed or color get a head and live the So-called America Dream is actually, un-american in itself! 


The very cutting off of ones nose despite ones face, just to show ones hatred for an individual or a people, just because of who he or she is, is sad and destructive! And all because this congress does not want it written down for history’s sake that a black man (in any remote way) helped mend the ills and woes of this country to a constructive degree! This spiteful act and mindset has shown me a side of America that I am totally disappointed with. 

I’m seeing an america that up and reneged on all its "This land is your land, this land is my land" principles and in six years time began to show itself as a farce! Deep seededly, I’ve noticed this resentment onto hatred is manifesting itself in peoples everyday words, deeds and actions, sparking all sorts of acts of polarization, discrimination, harassment attacks, and even denials of loans, on up to flat out public displays of pent up anger over the country having a black president who was elected onto two terms! 

Rush Limbaugh

One guy who echoed Rush Limbaugh's sentiment and radio statement that he hopes President Obama would fail said on an all night radio talk show a couple of years back that the republicans in house are punishing america for re-electing President Obama! Thus the other reason why none of his bills have been passed, and why good people have been denied various benefits, and other forms of assistance, etc!  

So, down into the annuls of history (depending upon who writes it), it will be known that when America elected its first black president, entities within the very government that serves us, are denying americans their very best because they hate our commander and chief. And therefore hate and punish the american public for re-electing him!... Diabolical!  

Although I don't really think their disliking President Obama had any real thing to do with liking or disliking any of the president’s policies. I'm seeing as a result of this resentment a shameless hunt, and attack emanating out of so many whites that it bothers me. In the back of my mind for the last six years I’ve been stewing this question around in my head. “Well damn, so is this how ya’ll REALLY felt about people of color all along?” And my thinking on this also was "Why were you hiding it? Is it because you thought that as long as there would be black folks living in america, there would or should never be a black president?” 

When President Obama was elected in 2008, I think it challenged the sensibility of what most whites have been taught about black folks most all your lives, intentionally and unintentionally through generational racism, and byway of environmental and social factors that black people are not smart enough, or do not have what it takes to run a country. One man had the nerve to say to me “It is because blacks were once slaves, and no descendant of slaves should ever sit in the White House!” This is how short sighted, and brainwashed people have been here in america, for apparently a very very long time! 

Either way, inwardly or outwardly, there appears to be millions of people out here not dealing very well with the idea that we have a black president, and it is manifesting itself in some very mean spirited and destructive ways, and through some pretty insane actions! From verbal attacks on the President of the United States, to sly off the cuff racist remarks from strangers in public to me and other people of color. You should hear the some of the things people say! You wouldn’t believe the dirty looks I get from people I don't even know. As if to say, “You voted for him, didn’t ya?” 

Police choking student Taylor Washington 1963

This mindset carries over into the public with random acts of displaced anger, such as in law enforcement. I asked myself, “Could possibly this displaced anger be leading up to a lot of these increased incidences of police shootings, illegal choke holds unto death, public electrocutions through tazings, and unlawful detainments, and brutal manhandling and heavy handedness of far too many black males here in america to mention?” Acts done and gotten away with since way before the civil rights movement simply because certain parties can actually get away with them wily-nilly, given how the system appears to be geared to work against people of color. 

Maybe this time in history had to happen. Maybe this trial by fire is what was needed to show us just how far as human beings we Have Not Advanced, at all! And to think we have the nerve to look toward the stars as a plan to expand our exploration or colonization ideas out to other worlds. Given how we treat and interact with one another right here, could it be that maybe we just aren't quite ready to meet and greet individuals (if there be any out there) who may be on a higher vibe or plain than we are moralistically, and intellectually? I think as a people worldwide, before that happens, we all have a whole lot of growing up to do, right where we’re at!

Glenn Peppers 8-17-14  

“Good Cops can make it Better!”

“Good Cops can make it Better!”

                      

(We know you’re out there somewhere. Com'on back home, we need you!)   

 

By Glenn Peppers                     

Some time ago here in Michigan, I once heard on the six o’clock news that there was a shortage of police officers, and as a result the hiring standards and guidelines for becoming a police officer were going to be lowered. This being the case here in Michigan and the Metro Detroit area, I assume that maybe this was (or is) the case as well in various other states and other locals around the country! Generationally over time, this could explain the "Officer Jeb and Goober" types who cannot seem to be able to control their tempers, or make sound decisions in dealing with the public on a professional level! This could also explain some of these newer more rash troubling events we’re seeing so much of in the news involving police thugs, ruffians and this new breed of officers wearing their personal agendas on their sleeves about people of color onto the job. Seems some of them are there just to maim, kill or just whip heads. Angry people literally using their badge in order to throw their weight around. 

This not being a sound excuse, I can only imagine that during their police training, good crowd control tactics, and basic Crisis Prevention Intervention was one of the inservice training modules taught! CPI is a tool used to safely physically manage out of control, acting out mental patients, or inebriated parties, and can be used in crowd control situations! On top of my nearly 36 years (give or take a few years) of Martial arts training. CPI has proven to me to be a great tool in subduing acting out individuals without harming them, or myself in the process of using it! 

CPI training is something that is updated every three years, with refresher classes once a year! A lot of companies put their employees through this course in order for them to learn how to handle violence in the workplace. I can only imagine that CPI and other forms of physical management and/or major self defense courses are taught in police training in order to instruct “Any Officer” on how to de-escalating and contain and control most any volatile situation with out choking someone, or electrocuting them with taser guns. This includes such techniques as defending oneself from a knife, stick, club, and even a gun attack. From say the likes of an 80 year old woman. 

What actually sparked this article in the first place was one of a slew of abusive police brutality videos that have been circling on the internet and social media, and on TV and the news. This one video in particular was this one where a rather large female officer slams a 90 pound, 80 year old woman to the ground in a parking lot, causing blunt force head trauma and bleeding in order to disarm her. The elderly woman was carrying a knife. A small knife at that! The police woman’s brutal tactic showed a complete lack of care and concern for the individual, and most of all, a lack of training. Personally I feel it screamed and boasted a piss poor excuse to cause harm to someone, just because they could! 

Anyone who is a trained law enforcement officer would have known just how to handle that situation with a knife wielding 80 year old, in such a way that no one would have gotten hurt! So why didn’t this officer know how to do this? I think it is because this officer did not care to know that her words (in this situation) could be more of a weapon, than simple brutism in dealing with an angry elderly woman! What I'm seeing in all of these many Cop Gone Bad Videos is pure and flat out meanness and brutism; and moreover, inefficiency, drudged out of hate and disrespect for the individual. Which is senseless because in the long run these bone head reckless acts end up costing the city, the county, and the police department mounting fees, and lawsuits pay outs that are either settled in or out of court for huge sums of money! And after a time, those sums of money begin to add up! 

And for what? Just to say you slammed an 80 year old woman to the cement, cracking her head wide open? Where's the glory in that? I shutter to think that we’re really at the mercy of people who cannot think beyond the end of their batons? Are the people riding around in police squad cars now days only agenda driven mental cases, controlled by rage and reflex, and not common sense? I'd really would rather think that we have more good cops out there among us than bad ones! 

A good Cop rescuing a dog on the freeway

So as far as solutions go, I say raise the hiring standards back up again for what it takes to become a police officer! Whatever those standards use to be! I feel it safe to say that there would be nothing wrong at all with having a recruit go through an extensive mental health evaluation criteria program as a qualifying factor either! I also think that at least two years of collage max, or at least one year of Criminal Law studies would separate the Cop Wannabes from true Law Enforcement Officers! I say pay these officers what they are worth! 

Offer them and their families decent healthcare (once again), and believe me in time, tell me you haven’t gain a smarter, more diligent and dedicated law enforcement officer that any district would be proud to have patrolling their streets, and solving their crimes. A respected police officer with integrity and honor! I think for a very very long time, as far as law enforcement goes in our cities, we all have been victim of that old adage that says, "You get what you pay for!" So let’s fix this thing! For the good cops who are still here sticking it out, God bless you! For the good ones to come, remember, “Good Cops make it better!”

Glenn Peppers 8-14-14