Are We Convinced Racism Still Exists in America?

This has been a truly revealing week — and yet for many of us — it’s been a confirmation of what we already knew. A racist bigot occupies the White House and with every tweet, he proves it.

But it’s not just trump — the occupant in the White House— it’s the GOP in Congress who refuse to call him out on his racist behavior and comments or the treasonous rhetoric and his love for dictators. While we know trump is a racist, we may have tried to not conclude those in Congress were also just as racist as he is. Oh, we about some of them — the ones who are hard to miss or ignore like: Steve King Chuck Grassley, Tom Cotton, Matt Gaetz, Jim Jordan, Kevin McCarthy, John Cornyn, Mitch McConnell and others. So, when we think about all the elected officials who are racist bigots, we have to look at those who elected them and knew what they were.

Though their numbers (the racist GOP in Congress) may be few, look at the number of people they represent from their respective states who put them there! Look at the people who chanted, “send her back” when trump attacked, without evidence — Ilhan Omar — lying about what she has said (he forgets she’s apologized for some statements). They were clearly supportive of his racist stance in wanting to deport a woman of color who just happens to be Muslim. And then, the next day, he claims he didn’t like the chant and he didn’t say it. Really? Didn’t he say in a tweet that the women of color in Congress (Rashida, Ilhan, Ayanna, and AOC) who disagreed with him, and wouldn’t say “nice things” about him should go back where they came from? Lindsey Graham confirmed that had Ilhan Omar been wearing a red cap and embraced trump, he never would have said anything about her. And that’s a problem — trump only wants people in this country who will praise him and kiss his behind and go along with whatever he wants.

But I digress. He doesn’t understand democracy, any of America’s history regarding the tropes he uses that are racist and pervasive and he doesn’t care. He understands how to project fear into the hearts of those who feel they have somehow been victimized by people of color — without evidence — and it gives them the right to hate. His only goal is to win — by any means necessary — and we know he’ll use Russia’s help again to deliberately spread disinformation and misinformation to build the fear. What’s truly sad to watch is all the gullible people who praise him, thinking he cares about them. He doesn’t. They are simply a means to an end — his staying in the White House to avoid prosecution for all the crimes he’s committed.

So, here’s my message to the sane and rational people who have not yet succumbed to drinking the orange Kool Aid — recognize racism exists, how it keeps a stronghold on people, and then do everything you can to wipe it out of existence. A tall order I know, but we have to begin somewhere and it might as well be now.

Call out racism — wherever you see it, by whoever is guilty of it, even if it’s a friend or family member.

Never accept anyone’s justification for being a racist unless they can provide unequivocal evidence that proves whatever they’re saying is true.

Learn to love all humanity and treat everyone with respect especially those with whom we disagree. We can disagree agreeably without igniting fear that could lead to violence.

In our corner of the world in America, we must learn to take a stand and speak up wherever we find injustice (racism, despotism, etc.). Where there are those who are afraid to speak up, we must become the voice of reason and speak for them. And we must vote — in every election — knowing who it is we are voting for who will represent all the people, not just some of the people.

I’ve encountered blatant racism while campaigning for our governor last year, but it didn’t deter me, it ignited a desire in me to run for office — on the local level — and do my part to combat racism by demonstrating that people of color are capable of leading the masses no matter who the masses are. When we learn to see “a human being” in front of us, not just a person of a certain race, we start to unravel the misconceptions that have led to racism still existing in America. I love my city and I know because of the people I know — racism doesn’t exist in their hearts, but I can’t ignore the fact that in the hearts of some — it still exists.

The people with whom I have a relationship with — friends, family social media followers — know I don’t care about a person’s ethnicity — I care about them and how I’m treated and I always try to encourage others and tell them I love them — even those I haven’t met. It’s just that simple. We can bring racism to an end if we really want to do so, by minimizing the impact we allow the haters to have on what we do (unless challenged or threatened with bodily harm). It’s our choice. We can feed their egos and animosity or we can focus on bringing communities together and let the world see who we really are —American Patriots who care about all.

On another note — running for any office takes money — even the local races — and I want to make sure I’m in position to represent my community well and to be “a voice for them.” We’re short $1K in meeting our budget goal by August 1, 2019. Will you help with a $5 donation to help me with this election so I can stay focused on shredding racism in my little corner of America? Thank you! Real change begins, locally and spreads outward. https://secure.actblue.com/donate/committee-2-elect-mary-hall-rayford-1

If you want to know more about me and the issues and concerns I’m addressing, please check me out on facebook.com/EPCityCouncilCandidate.

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Words And Deeds!

And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” Matthew 21:31-37 NIV

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. John 3:17-21 NIV

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. James 2:14-22 NIV

We can talk and talk and talk–say a lot of words–empty words, meaningless words–and if we don’t act upon what we say--doing all the good things (not the evil), then our words mean nothing. If our words mean nothing, why are we yet talking?

It is amazing how those in the White House want people to believe what they say, but what they say is not believable because of all the lies, piled upon lies emanating from their lips and then we do not see the “good” deeds; we see the horror of their actions reenacted across the nation by those who will suffer the most from voting for a con man.

How were they conned? They heard what he said–ignoring what he has done all his life–and they believed his words which were calculated lies. They will suffer and so will he, but the rest of us will also suffer from his negligence–and his lack of faith and belief in God. For surely if he believed God and were saved, America would not be in the mess we’re in right now.

Meditate on God’s Word–think about what is said and then reflect upon what you see, drawing your own conclusions.

In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden forever. I Timothy 5:25 NIV

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. James 3:13 NIV

Think You Can Write?

Purposeful Writing

Writers today lack ability to compose words that connect the reader with a mindset to engage, entertain, and influence those that ponder and contemplate the connected contextual content of so many slashes on paper that attempt to mimic classic construction of such, viably termed, literature. Small wonder that society as a whole has lost its way to elucidate minds and encourage discovery in changing and rearranging the alphabet in ways that tackle the boredom of youth, yet re-energize the minds thought past redemption to understanding age-fraught diseases that lead to forgetfulness and sometimes complete eradication of what was.

Stifled, stunted by contemporary verbiage that is more folly than wisdom at its best when the best of language appears to be that which we now disown rather than use as an indicator of our intellectual ability and foresight and not just an extant reflection of who we once were.

Hampered, hamstrung by rituals and rules constantly changing, and rearranging thought patterns from ancient to present, but not relaying any message with clarity, as yet understood by the masters-of-words who could with the blink of an eye or stroke of pen transport readers from there to then within the space of time, not withheld from those who had imagination.

A preponderance of evidence exists, illustrating ineptitude by many, including those who proclaim they are masters of the written word in teaching it and yet fail to elucidate their ability at every turn, penning composition better suited for elementary students with simple minds that lack sophistication to compose letters of the alphabet that would entice a scholarly mind to read.

Mundane describes with understatement the slew of words on paper that attempt to divulge the essence of thoughts pre-arranged in random order that never meets with structure and organization designed to formulate a clear, concise message with fortitude.

Many redesign and regurgitate the prose of ancient ones in an attempt to supersede abilities in their proliferation of archaic pronouncements in terms that float just out of reach of those who dare to contemplate use of a dictionary, or resource of any magnitude, dispelling the notion that words and their contextual use are unimportant.

The means by which change occurs, lies within the ability of all concerned to see the need to reevaluate the processes used in learning and teaching and mostly in views that are ensconced in boxes with lids and fresh ideas are staled with the hindrance, and no one gets beyond the pale to think beyond the boundaries established by those who did not access galactic thinking.

Poetry Month

A Whirl of Words

Whether it is one, or two or many

They swirl in the atmosphere

Painting visions without a brush

Each stroke widening the canvas

Embedded with sharp edges and smoothness

Igniting passion and pain, joy and sadness

Casting shadows on truth, embellishing lies

Gripping hearts and minds, bringing to light darkness

Or what was dark, now is light

Unveiling patterns of wickedness

Delighting young and old alike,

Just within reach of our grasp and yet often elusive,

Springing into life when captured,

Penned down to papyrus or space

Unseen, but visible to millions at a one time

They attack or attach at the whim of each use

They heal and mend hearts or

Make hearts cringe and singe and render

Havoc in spaces when peace is desired

They insist and resist traditions of time

As they create nuances of their own, now here

Now there or erased and redone

Invigorating or debilitating one never knows,

But what would we do in a world without

Words!

© Mary M. Hall-Rayford  2013