THE DR. KING HOLIDAY, 2022

The angst and anxiety that many people felt in 2021 continues in 2022.  From an unrelenting pandemic that has taken many lives, to the continual fight to overcome criminal and social injustice, to the preservation of voting rights, Black people in the United States have to deal with many challenges.  How fitting it is, then, that the first major holiday we celebrate in 2022 is the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.  At a time when we need all the hope we can get, honoring the dream and vision of Dr. King should offer us some solace.

Dr. King believed America could be better, but he understood change would neither be swift nor easy.  There has been progress for Black America over the last 50 years, but the journey has been, and continues to be, filled with challenges.  Newton’s Third Law states:  “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.”  For every step made towards fairness and justice, there have been those who vigorously oppose that progress.  Today, Blacks are more prominent in politics than at any other time in United States history, yet the organized efforts to suppress the Black vote are as strong as they were in the sixties.

Despite all of the efforts to thwart the political and social advancement of Black people in America, I believe Dr. King would be encouraged by the progress Blacks have made over the past 50 years, but Dr. King would also remind us that progress made, has to be progress maintained.  That it takes conviction, faith, hope, and unwavering persistence to prevail against those evil forces that would conspire to deny Blacks Americans fair and equal opportunity.

So as we celebrate the Dr. King holiday in these troubling and unsettling times, let us be comforted, encouraged, and appreciative of the vision of the Dreamer.

  

S. A. Miller

1.05.2022

BECAUSE I LOVE YOU

 

Because I Iove you

The sun is brighter

The moon is rounder

The sky is bluer

And because you choose to love me

My life has meaning.

WHAT GOOD DADS DO

Good dads change your diaper when it’s messy.

Good dads buy you a basketball or football even before you’re six months old.

Good dads pick you up from your first day of kindergarten.

Good dads take off work to see your first grade Thanksgiving play.

Good dads read your favorite story to you, even though you’ve heard it 77 times before.

Good dads coach your soccer team even if he doesn’t like soccer.

Good dads give you chicken-noodle soup and potato chips when you’re sick.

Good dads spank your butt when you mouth-off to your mother.

Good dads help you with your homework, even if they don’t quite understand.

Good dads are patient.

Good dads always want the best for you.

Good dads never give up on you.

Good dads get up early to take you to your first job.

Good dads have talks with your teachers or coaches when they believe you haven’t been treated fairly.

Good dads tell their sons how to respect women.

Good dads tell their daughters to be careful of whom they trust.

Good dads teach their children to respect their elders.

Good dads teach their children to respect themselves.

Good dads tell you when you screw up.

Good dads teach you how to drive.

Good dads tell you to be careful.

Good dads show you how to change a flat tire.

Good dads come out in the rain at 2:00 o’clock in the morning to change your flat.

Good dads don’t seek adulation or praise;  taking care of you is their responsibility.

Good dads don’t always give you what you want, but always provide what you need.

Good dads tell you stories about your grandparents and your aunts and uncles.

Good dads always put their children first.

Good dads explain that all blessings come from the Master Father.

Good dads love their children unconditionally.

Good dads encourage their children to develop their mind, body, and spirit.

Good dads always love and respect the mother of their children.

 

SAM

6.11.2021

DON'T FORGET THE ACHIEVERS

By any account, the past year has been challenging.  The pandemic, social injustice, and political maleficence have made it hard to maintain a positive mindset at times.  While many Americans have been affected by these issues, it is clear that the effects on the Black Community have been devastating.  That’s why this Graduation Season is so important.  In the midst of all the negativity, it is necessary that we shine a light on the positive accomplishments and contributions of our high school and college graduates.

Today, we have more Black men and women graduating from college than at any other time in history.  These young people have chosen to be more despite societal obstacles and roadblocks.  What we hope is that these achievers will lead us to a more just, safe, and compassionate society.

We need to celebrate these students who put in the effort to obtain an education.  Those who didn’t quit when it got hard and remained positive and focused during a tsunami of negativity.  While they may not quite understand the importance of their achievements today, it is certain that their educational perseverance will have a positive impact on our communities for years to come.

So if you see someone who is graduating, congratulate them on their achievement, encourage them to be all that they can be, and thank them for choosing to affect change in a positive and constructive manner.

S. A. Miller

ONE I NEVER HAD