What better time than the New Year to give special consideration to those who, through their sacrifices, made things better for us? It is an opportune time to celebrate their gift of a legacy of freedom and hope.
As recipients of that legacy, we have an awesome responsibility. If our forefathers had not prepared our way, where would we be today? For that reason alone, we must live a life that would make them proud.
Instead, many of us are wasting our lives. I know we still struggle, as blacks, living in a “white” world, but we have to keep fighting the battle. It may not be fair that we continuously have to prove ourselves and substantiate our self-worth, but it was not fair that our people were brought to this country and held as slaves. What could be worse than what our forefather’s had to endure? We have so much more than they had, yet I continue to hear our people saying, “The white man is holding me back.” In saying this, you are surrendering your destiny to some else. In reality, you are the only one who can hold you back, so if you are not where you want to be, it is time to assess yourself.
I know these may seem like harsh words, but it is time we stopped sugar coating the truth. If you are hanging out on the corner every morning, smoking dope, dealing drugs, selling your body, doing time, it is because you choose to do so. Life is about choices. We choose our directions. That is evident, because there are black people who are successful. They got where they are, because they chose to make whatever sacrifices were necessary to reach their goal. Not all of them were raised under perfect circumstances.
To my brothers and sisters who are gang banging. I have a special message. It hurts me to my heart to see you wasting your lives. Your life is a gift from God, and how dare you waste it that way? Because of you, the white man no longer has to make an effort to destroy our communities. You are doing it for him. If you choose to continue in this lifestyle, I beg of you, do not influence other young people to take a road you know will lead to destruction. Do not let someone else’s life be on your head.
My people, we are not meant to be failures. We have inherited a courageous spirit from our ancestors. They have deposited that spirit in each of us. It is time to draw from their well spring of courage and determination.
If a rich relative of yours passed way and left you a fortune would you not claim your inheritance immediately? Well, we have been left something far more valuable. To refuse it would be foolish, and it would be a travesty and an injustice to those who gave their lives to secure our future.
This year, as we celebrate Black History Week, let us give special consideration to those who have paved the road to freedom. Let us also give thanks for the gift and make a pact to do all we can, as individuals, to cherish our inheritance.
We must endeavor to be the best we can be, and make a commitment to family and community. That is not only our duty, it is our call, for we are not descendants of an apathetic, complacent people, but a people who were the embodiment of strength and determination.
We are the navigators on the seas of our lives, and we, have the power to control our destiny. Whether we fail or succeed depends on the choices we make.
This was written in January, 2000 and was posted on timbooktu.com. There are other writings posted to this site if you want to check them out, they are posted under P. Newman-Harris.
Listen to the words of this song by Donald Lawrence. There is truly a King in each one of us. Our forefathers died that we might be free. We have to start living like we are free!