It Is How You Think
You Feel and Act How You Think
Self Control Does More Harm Than Good
Self Awareness Is To Understand Who You Are
Self-control is Not
SELF control will not hide your true feelings for long, which is not the answer. It takes an effort that pits your mind against your “Self” to do so. Life is all about being who you are, the real you. The Self will not be controlled for long. Any effort to do so will last for only a brief time. It is at this point that your control will lose its grip, and your hold will give way. That is when you will act the way you truly feel. This is what you are trying to hide when you use self-control. It happens when a thing you have worked for is at stake, and it is closer than ever or in those situations where your confidence is weak and not enough to sustain you.
No matter the time, place, or circumstance, what is certain is that there will be a time when you will lose Self-control. You must strive to be self-aware, that you will not lose once you have it. To be self-aware is to know who you are. It is what is left when all else is peeled away. It is our core, the Self.
The mind can be just like a misbehaving child.
It was as if I would be hearing silent words. What else could it be? A voice in my head is telling me to do what I did not know I wanted to do. I would do whatever came to mind. This, it seemed, without any thought at all. The thing is, I needed to give myself more time to think. When I would do what I should not do, to say that I was sorry would be to say I was wrong. That was a thing I found hard to do. I would promise myself I would not do it again. I meant it until the next time. And there was always “a next time.” I tried to take charge of what I would say and do. I did this by trying to control myself. It did not work.
My mind would not let me see myself in a good light. I was unaware of my SELF: Whom am I supposed to be? Who is this looking back at me when I look in the mirror? Is it a nephew or a son, or a smart child or just a mannish boy? I think, maybe, I was a “surprise:” A mistake no one knew what to do with. I could not control my thoughts. They were taunting me day and night. I was the aim of my discomfort, and I could neither share nor pass it on. We will not control that which we do not understand. If we understand, we do not need control.
We can control some things, but not our “Self.” That is, not for very long. We must learn to live with, not control, the Self. Self-control should not be the goal. There are limits on how long we can keep ourselves in check. When you feel you must control what you might say or do, you must always be vigilant and aware of what could be coming your way: from all angles. Control of self will let you down when you need it most. When we know ourselves well, we do not need Self, control. The Self does not need to be controlled. Nor can it be. Self, control will give way, and one time is too many.
I AM
Time and The Human Mind—Then There is Space
Time we cannot see; we are only aware of changes that occur in the space of time. Do we truly know what time it is.
What is it that makes time so important? Why do we speak about it like no other? There are times what we say about time should come with an explanation. It is time, your time, my time, what time is it, now is the time. And let us not forget, I do not have time for this. What do you have time for when the only thing of value that is our own is our time. Let no MAN take away from your time and your existence—your life. And yes, I say, man, for it will be men if we let them. Or even worse, women trying to emulate men.
Each one of us is the caretaker of our time. There is no material wealth that should take on more importance than our time. Nor should any person, whether near or far. There is one person with that power, and that person is you. No mortal Man has that power unless you relinquish it to him. And just how much sense would that make—none.
Time is space and Space is time. And all things that exist occupy Space. There was space for us from conception. That space was in our Mother’s womb. We arrived in time, and we have lived and are living our time, for now. No human being has the authority to take that away. Please, do not let them think they do. We are now thinking what we had up until now thought was unthinkable by many. I am not one of them. We are not living in a movie. This is real time—yours and mine.
THERE IS NO RIGHT TIME TO THINK WRONG
When how you think is disordered, how you act will reflect this way of thinking. A person or any other entity will not soon realize it, for it is how they think. And one of the hardest changes to make is to change how you think. First, you must convince yourself that the change is precisely what you should do. When things are not right, we first look at all the other places for an answer. But those who are willing to listen will realize that their answer is the one not working. A closed mind is a symptom of a road to nowhere. The road is littered with fossils of the past.
For sure, though, none of us would harm ourselves with full knowledge of what we are doing. It goes against the first law of nature. That is growth and survival. There is no surviving what your elected leaders have in store for you. Are you going to act in time, or is this the end? What a price to pay. Up in smoke or, more appropriately, nuclear fallout. Civilizations have come and gone. We are not the first and will not be last. Only the last of our kind.
DISORDERED THINKING
The actions and behaviors of “news makers,” both in public and private, that result in adverse outcomes originate and have their roots in early childhood. You do not make decisions that will cause harm to your Self and others and the very source of your existence if not for dysfunction in the family setting and possible mental defects passed from one generation to the next. It is not in the water; it is in the DNA.
“First God made heaven & earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening, and there was morning, one day.”
All things that come into time and space with life will depart—when there is no more of this life to live. It will be a new day, a new place, and another time. There is space for all to fit. To yonder, we will go.
Time, as we know it, is a concept of “man.” And many cut theirs short by how they live their life: the things they say and do. And they do this not realizing how little time they have. They do this, of course, because of how they think and how they think when they think this way is disordered. When you act in ways that hurt you, you are hurting inside, and there is where it hurts the most. And each time that hurt is acted out, it takes from the time you have to be yourself.
TIME IS WHAT SPACE IS
When you think of your time, you should first think about what you will do with it. What is just as important is how you feel while you are doing it. To get the most from you have, you must understand what it is and how to use it wisely. The longer it takes to know what to do with it, the less time you have to do it. Because for sure, you will not get it back.
WHAT CLOCK WILL TELL THEM WHEN IT IS TIME TO TURN OUT THE LIGHTS
The clock on the wall has less to do with the outcome than the actions we take and what we do. Time will be the same no matter the clock on the wall. It is whole, as it is with space. We will not divide it. There is but one time, and it is the same all the time. The concept of our view of time was imposed on us by us. All things live by the rhythm of nature. However, we are the ones who live by the clock. We do—though—need the means to measure what we do and when we do it to keep our lives in order. To know why we are where we are at all times.
On the whole, a clock or any instrument to measure time is a way to know when or not. A means to measure the times of our lives is one of the things a society must have to maintain order. Otherwise, it would be utter chaos. So, you cannot build a society without it.
If we had the power over the nature of time, what would we do with it, where would we put it? Would we add a little here, take a little there? For sure, it would be the “final step” to the end. Wars would be fought over it. It would be stolen, and some would lie, cheat and steal to get more of it. Those with no power would get none.
WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH IT
- CAN YOU EAT it
- CAN YOU RIDE it
- CAN YOU MAKE LOVE TO it
- YOU CANNOT LEND NOR CAN YOU BORROW it
- SAVE, LOOSE OR DO ANYTHING ELSE WITH IT
- YOU MUST RESPECT IT
You should not make your decisions based on time. It will not accomplish a thing on its own. Decide what you want to do, then make good of your time to do it; this should be the order of how you decide. No matter how much you have, if you do not know what you are going to do with it, you will not know how much you need. What matters is how you are going to fill the space. If you bake a cake for the required time but use the wrong ingredients, you will not get the cake you want. Then, you would have a cake you cannot eat, and time you no longer have. This was your time.
Let us take a look at God’s time, which does not change. You add or remove items from a room. It makes no difference when you move these things, the space does not. No matter what you do or when you do it, the space remains the same other than its content.
WHERE ARE WE WHERE ARE WE HEADED
We may ask much of time, but it does not give. The question asked most is for more. Time will not answer. It is closed to and does not hear what we have to say. It stands still to infinity. We cannot stop it, slow it down or speed it up. Nor can we waste it. The thing that we can do with time is live what we have doing the very best for you. When there is no more time, there is no more to live. We do not start it over. It goes on; our time on this planet does not. So, live it. You cannot get it back once it is gone. Let no one lead you astray.
WHEN WE GO WE DO NOT TAKE TIME WITH US
Time for all things was here before us and shall be when we are gone. It is the only thing out of all things that we can depend on. Remove all things that exist—what is left is the space. There is no void in space, for the “Almighty” created it for life: We are here, and so is the rest of all that exists. It has been complete from the start when God created it. In the beginning, there was space for all things. All we are aware of, which does not amount to much, and the much that we are unaware of and do not have the vision to see. We must have the vision to see beyond what our mind has not been able to imagine before. It is perfectly natural to follow the leader as long as they lead in the right direction. Death and destruction are not right. I will not die for you and your interests. The leaders are not God.
We are the master of the life we have. Each of us has one to live. All lives are single. There is no plural life. We have one life to live, and no two are the same. Not one breathes the same breath. When we can, we decide what to do with our lives. It tells the type of life we will have and the path we will follow. As straight as this may be, many do not understand this simple truth. They still try—but can never succeed—to live their lives for and through others. Some even assign their thinking responsibilities to others, the leaders, those you have chosen to follow. That is not good; just the thought is bad. The only thing you do when you do this is live your life being a “parrot,” repeating the words that someone—someone you think is wiser than you—put in your mouth and doing the old monkey see monkey do. Self-interest will always be there for them. The only question, which is not much of a question, is how much interest will be left for you.
Your time is the only time you have. Do not say I cannot do it for me. I will let someone else do it. No one can do for you what only you can do for yourself. Do not let them think they can.
We never know how much time we have to use what we have. So, you should always use your time wisely. When you do not know what to do next, do what you know now. Never rush or force your next step. We can never breathe the next breath. It is not for us to know it all. It is for us to understand what we need to know. The time of man is not precise. You can never know, with confidence, what will happen next. All we can do is plan. The future is not ours to know. It can be over just when we think we do.
MaleFemale
God created it not to be changed; it cannot be changed. The existence of life is one of them. If this is not so, who would turn off the lights after we know how to do it our way, and there is no more to see. It is not within our reach. We will not change the nature and makeup of life. It is not for us to do. Humans did not assign the roles for our species, and we cannot reassign them. But we can destroy what we have that until now was more than enough. You are not God.
NO1WITHOUT2
time to learn how to think
We will be learning about how we think and the workings of the brain as long as there is the power of thought. There can be no end. Just as it is with life, there will always be much left to learn. It would be a lofty goal to want to know why there is life. To think we can know this reveals a great deal about how we think. And it is a road with no end, as well. We are yet to discover why one would take a life. To indicate how far we are from these incredible feats, researchers who study the brain are still trying to figure out why we sleep. Sleep: a thing that seems so basic, and they do not know. We have dreams, and no one knows why.
Time is what we need, and we know we have that. What we do not and will not know is how much. Even if you try being God and ending it yourself.
Persistence and Determination—Driving Force for Success
Never Too Early or Too Late
It will happen when it is time.
You should not decide what you will do or not do based on time. Time will not accomplish a thing on its own. Decide what you want to do, then make good of your time to do it; this should be the order of how you decide. No matter how much time you have, if you do not know how you will use it, you will not know how much you need: If you have enough time or not. What matters most is how you are going to fill the space.
If you bake a cake for the required time but use the wrong ingredients, you will not get the cake you want. Then, you would have a cake you cannot eat and time you no longer have. This time was your time.
(Time is space—Space is time.)
PERSISTENCE
Persistence is the key to reaching the most worthwhile goals we set for ourselves and what is so wonderful about that is there is no age limit. You are never too young or too old. Babies and toddlers, teenagers, and young adults to the elderly set goals for themselves and those goals they reach. So, you cannot be easily discouraged.
What is so great is that it does not matter how successful or not you are; this still applies to you. So, do not be too quick to dismiss what you hear here. Instead, you should listen to what you read. It is never too late to learn or reinforce what you know.
Those things in life that you want and do not get were likely the next step away, that step that you did not take. Some are reluctant to set lofty goals for fear of not reaching them. With this thinking, they never will. But one thing you must be is realistic.
No matter the time spent on the task, you are not likely to succeed unless you are keenly aware of your strengths and weaknesses. It is the reason why many fall short—it is a mind thing. They were aiming for a place they had not prepared themselves to reach. As in most things we do, the solution is to prepare for the tasks ahead. You must have the right “tools” to do the job. It might mean taking courses at your local campus or online, doing research, or buying and learning to use “actual” tools. And persistence and determination are the tools you cannot buy—they must be in you.
With each step you take, you are closer to the next step, and each step will show you the way, which will take you home to your goal. Each step is a “worker” activity you must do to reach your objective. It is just another piece of the whole. And if you want what you do not have, you first must have what you need to get what you want. It Is How You Think.
THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR WALKING
Special Note: If you are of the older generation, please pass this on to any young people you know. I worked with the young at one time, and I can say for sure, without reservation, that the Black youth—some/most—were then and is now misguided and unrealistic about how the world works, especially the work world. I worked with both Black and White, and there is a stark difference. Sadly, I see this with many of the adults as well. I know, of which I speak, for I was also a recruiter and placement specialist for several years and Director of an Equal Opportunities program. And yes, this is a message.
DETERMINATION
As with anyone else, you cannot allow yourself to be easily dissuaded by any person or thing—especially yourself—when you are ready to let the “world” know that you are on a mission. And if you want to make it to the finish line, you must first be determined to do so and be persistent in your efforts until you do. Persistence and determination go hand in hand. Each is a necessary strength (a must-have) to perform the tasks needed to accomplish a previously unreached goal or objective. A goal that requires all you think you have to give—then more until you know you have. Mission accomplished.
IT IS HOW YOU THINK
We will be learning about how we think and the workings of the brain as long as there is the power of thought. There can be no end. Just as it is with life, there will always be much left to learn. It would be a lofty goal to want to know why there is life. To think we can understand this reveals a great deal about how we think. And it is a road with no end, as well. We are yet to discover why one would take a life. To indicate how far we are from these incredible feats, researchers who study the brain are still trying to figure out why we sleep. Sleep: a thing that seems so essential, and they do not know. We have dreams, and no one knows why. Time is what we need, and we know we have that. What we do not and will not know is how much.
We never know how much time we have to use the time we have. So, you should always use your time wisely. When you do not know what to do next, do what you know now. Your next step should never be rushed or forced. We can never breathe the next breath. It is not for us to know it all. It is for us to understand what we need to know. The time of man is not precise. You can never know, with confidence, what will happen next. All we can do is plan with what we think we know. The future is not ours to know. It can be over just when we think we do.
You Have a Thought You Think You Feel You Act
Here is where you should be if you know someone who has ever lived with the hurt and pain that only a dysfunctional childhood and emotional trauma can breed. The seed is planted and grows from a family life— no matter its makeup—that does not provide the nurturing, caring, and protection to produce a healthy mind. Childhood must be a safe and loving place for a child to grow strong of mind and character.
This is your life—you have finally arrived where you will find the peace of mind and sense of well-being you seek. Where your thoughts now will be worthy of thinking and no longer be the source of anguish, hurt, and pain. We will address the many issues concerning why we all think the way we do. We will see how changing how you think will change how you feel and relate to the people, places, and things in your life. And you will see how becoming the true person you are meant to be will give you the vision to see what is, is not what you may have thought it to be.
You will better understand your thoughts and your thinking process, just as those who “traveled this road” before you. I am talking about the creation of you to be you. Because, for sure, you have to be you. When you try to be someone you are not, you are no one until you find your way back home. Life is made better or worse by how we think.
What we do here will not only better the lives of those who follow “It Is How You Think,” it will also touch those who are touched by those who do. Here you will find the tools to help you change how you think, therefore, how you feel and act. If you, a family member, or a friend has been touched in any way by childhood trauma—or not—or if you know of someone who has otherwise been mishandled by others in their life, this is the place to be.
It Is How You Think
WHAT IS LEFT WHEN ALL ELSE IS GONE
Using current events, I will show how the actions and behaviors of “news makers,” both in public and private, that result in adverse outcomes originate and have their roots in early childhood. The foundation is laid there by dysfunctional adults with a supremacist mindset: cementing in the minds of the young what to think. They are the leaders those in charge with our lives in their hands. Their thinking is disordered and how they think will bring about the end for us all.
You do not make decisions that will cause harm to your “Self” and others and the very source of your existence if not for dysfunction in the family setting and possible mental defects passed from one generation to the next. It is so ingrained that one would think that it must be in the DNA.
MAD
When you first read, see, or hear my words, some of what I say could cause you to question how it applies to how you think. And my answer will be all things you do require you to think and, when it serves you best, to change how you think.
My words will challenge some of the things you have come to believe as certain truths. It will take you up, around, and back again, but the steps will always lead back to you. Where the road leads, we will follow. You must know how you think to think better. You must always know what is on your mind, for it will trick you when you are least aware. There is no wrong to be said here, for—after all—it will be how you think and feel about what you see. Who are you? Do you really know? Are you, you, or are you the product of someone else’s invention?
A place is prepared for us before we arrive, but is that the place to be? What I see is not for me. I have always understood survival from the time I became aware of my humanity. If my thinking had been what others—caregivers, relatives, virtual strangers—wanted me to think, I would not be here today. And if the thinking of the world’s leaders continues on track, none of us will be here to turn off the lights when it is over. Now think about that if you dare: Your plans for yourself and your family; your hopes and dreams of the life left to live “up in smoke” or nuclear fallout, if you will.
You Have a Thought You Think You Feel You Act
Here is where you should be if you know someone who has ever lived with the hurt and pain that only a dysfunctional childhood and emotional trauma can breed. The seed is planted and grows from a family life— no matter its makeup—that does not provide the nurturing, caring, and protection to produce a healthy mind. Childhood must be a safe and loving place for a child to grow strong of mind and character.
This is your life—you have finally arrived where you will find the peace of mind and sense of well-being you seek. Where your thoughts now will be worthy of thinking and no longer be the source of anguish, hurt, and pain. We will address the many issues concerning why we all think the way we do. We will see how changing how you think will change how you feel and relate to the people, places, and things in your life. And you will see how becoming the true person you are meant to be will give you the vision to see what is, is not what you may have thought it to be.
You will better understand your thoughts and your thinking process, just as those who “traveled this road” before you. I am talking about the creation of you to be you. Because, for sure, you have to be you. When you try to be someone you are not, you are no one until you find your way back home. Life is made better or worse by how we think.
What we do here will not only better the lives of those who follow “It Is How You Think,” it will also touch those who are touched by those who do. Here you will find the tools to help you change how you think, therefore, how you feel and act. If you, a family member, or a friend has been touched in any way by childhood trauma—or not—or if you know of someone who has otherwise been mishandled by others in their life, this is the place to be.
It Is How You Think
WHAT IS LEFT WHEN ALL ELSE IS GONE
Using current events, I will show how the actions and behaviors of “news makers,” both in public and private, that result in adverse outcomes originate and have their roots in early childhood. The foundation is laid there by dysfunctional adults with a supremacist mindset: cementing in the minds of the young what to think. They are the leaders those in charge with our lives in their hands. Their thinking is disordered and how they think will bring about the end for us all.
You do not make decisions that will cause harm to your “Self” and others and the very source of your existence if not for dysfunction in the family setting and possible mental defects passed from one generation to the next. It is so ingrained that one would think that it must be in the DNA.
MAD
When you first read, see, or hear my words, some of what I say could cause you to question how it applies to how you think. And my answer will be all things you do require you to think and, when it serves you best, to change how you think.
My words will challenge some of the things you have come to believe as certain truths. It will take you up, around, and back again, but the steps will always lead back to you. Where the road leads, we will follow. You must know how you think to think better. You must always know what is on your mind, for it will trick you when you are least aware. There is no wrong to be said here, for—after all—it will be how you think and feel about what you see. Who are you? Do you really know? Are you, you, or are you the product of someone else’s invention?
A place is prepared for us before we arrive, but is that the place to be? What I see is not for me. I have always understood survival from the time I became aware of my humanity. If my thinking had been what others—caregivers, relatives, virtual strangers—wanted me to think, I would not be here today. And if the thinking of the world’s leaders continues on track, none of us will be here to turn off the lights when it is over. Now think about that if you dare: Your plans for yourself and your family; your hopes and dreams of the life left to live “up in smoke” or nuclear fallout, if you will.
Why There Is No Way to Know
Think Is What You Can Do
(Why other than your own you will never know.)To tell a person what to think will not teach them how to think. We are how we think. So, think about this: It is more how you think than what you think. It matters not as much what it is as what you do with it. It is how you think.
And how you think today has its roots in what occurred in your life “yesterday.”
I will show you why. And there will be times when I will do this in a not-so-conventional way. It does not mean that I have strayed; it merely says that the road we take will at times be without markers. You must have faith. When you believe it, you will see it.
Using current events, I will show how the actions and behaviors of “news makers,” both public and private, that result in adverse outcomes originate and have their roots in early childhood. You do not make decisions that will cause harm to your Self and others and the very source of your existence, if not for dysfunction in the family setting and possible mental defect passed from one generation to the next. War is a prime example. What about hate and environmental destruction, just to name a few. And who to blame?
When you first read it, some of what I say could cause you to question how it applies to how you think. And my answer will be, all things you do require you to think. On occasion, my words will undoubtedly challenge some of the things you have come to believe as certain truths. It will take you up, around, and back again, but the steps will lead back to you, and where the road leads, we will follow. You must know how you think to think better. And you must always know what is on your mind.
Why You Feel the Way That You Do
It Is How You Think
You may ask, and you would not be alone in doing so, “why do I feel the way that I do.” When not all is right, and you think it should be, and you see no reason it should not, disordered thinking is the cause of your anguish. When how you think is disordered—out of order and not serving you well—it takes you further away from your true Self. The mind now has a mind of its own. It is making decisions without you. There is no time or place that this should be. You are the master of your mind and must always be in charge of you.
There is but one stage of your life where your mind will take leave of you. It will stem from early childhood trauma and a dysfunctional family life, which allows you few good thoughts to think. And a chemical imbalance in the brain, if it is present and undiagnosed, adds to the mix.
WHY: BECAUSE WE ARE THE GATEKEEPERS OF OUR MIND
Nothing here is fiction. It is about life and our existence. It is not about what they have been telling you. It is about the way that it is. What is here will help you understand and know that to see, you must look. You may see your SELF in what I have to say. When you do not, it could be someone you know and love who comes to mind. Or perhaps you will be reminded of one of those troubled souls who you see act out their hurt in all the wrong places when there seems to be no apparent reason why. Now you will know what that might be. It is a matter of knowing the real you—the person you see when you go inside and take off your “outside” for the day. Through growth and enlightenment, you can change the course of your life if that is what you need or want to do.
All that I do and say is about how we think, feel, act, and why. It Is How You Think is a guide to help you live a better life through your thoughts and how you think them. That—in turn—will help you to understand how we all think, which will give you answers to questions that may have caused concern and bewilderment. The “illustrated” words spoken here show that if your thinking is disordered—out of order and not serving you well—your life will be the same. How we think is the root cause of our negative feelings. The focus is on the Self: your Self, her Self, him Self, and my Self―all of our Selves.
Through “It Is How You Think,” I will address why we all think the way we do. You will see how changing how you think will change how you feel and relate to the people, places, and things in your life.
YOU MUST LEARN TO LISTEN AND LISTEN TO LEARN
First, you have to listen. The more you listen, the more you understand what you hear and read. You are sure to think and feel what you hear if you listen. There will be truths that will cause you to change how you perceive the world around you. This is good. It will challenge the way you think. And thought is what gives us a reason to think.
What is here—if you listen—will take you where you did not know that you had ever been. It will help you see where you think you are, is not where you are at all—no matter where you are. It is about change: a change in how you think. There are no words here formed that will tell you what to think. That is for you to decide.
Before help can help you, and this only applies if you see yourself here, you must help your SELF. There is no therapy, counseling, or medication that will be effective until you do. When I say you, I am talking about the Self, your SELF, her SELF, and him SELF. All of the “Selves who need to find their way back home.”
You may ask what could motivate some of us to do what we do. The thing you can do to know the answer is know it when you see it. And you must believe it to see it.
Our world is not just what is around us. It is also what is in our mind and the thinking that we do in our head. So, what is here is for all of us who have had thoughts about “Why Do I Feel The Way that I Do.”
CHANGE MAY BE A STRANGER. BUT, AS YOU STEP CLOSER, YOU MAY SEE A FRIEND.
REMINDER: We cannot do or say anything without thinking about it first. And how we think determines—to the greater extent, the outcome. How we see others act and the impact of their actions is the result of how they think. And this applies to all occupations, positions held, authority possessed, or not. No matter the station in life, age, gender, or any other characteristic, it is about thinking and how you do it. Here we will explore thinking and thought as it relates to our personal lives and events on the local, regional, national, and international stage.
IT IS HOW YOU THINK
Fire This Time
The Fire This Time
“The Negroes of this country may never be able to rise to power, but they are very well placed indeed to precipitate chaos and ring down the curtain on the American dream.” This is a quote from James Baldwin’s book The Fire Next Time.
And so it was
Just a short four years later, in the nation’s capital, I would be standing in the midst of what seemed like hell on earth. Some were running, stumbling, and falling. Others held on to all they could as they ran in and out of the shops and stores. More than a few made sure there would be nothing left to burn. Even the bricks were ablaze and crumbling. They were all ages, sizes, and shapes, but the one thing they had in common, they were all Black. The area was off-limits to military personnel who were not part of the operation. But I figured out a way around the restriction. To blend in, I would don my government-issued fatigues—our green non-dress uniform. “THE FIRE THIS TIME.”
THE MOVEMENT BEHEADED
Armed soldiers and military personnel were shouting orders, but no one seemed to be listening. They took no steps to stop the protesters. Their orders were to stand by, with weapons pointed down. Even as the buildings continued to burn—in places a corridor of flames—they stood by. The heat was intense, only matched by the intensity of the expressions on the faces of the young and old alike, who were carting off as much as they could carry. It was a “free for all.” Though there was no doubt in my mind that some of them were there because of their anger. Dr. Martin Luther King had just been assassinated by the system in the form of James Earl Ray. You could expect no less. Oh, the irony, when all the smoke cleared and the flames had been doused, the guided, as well as the misguided, were left living among the ashes. The rage had given in to despair. The Black low-income neighborhoods had been reduced to ruin. Who put out the fire.
titularly SPEAKING
Just a few months before his death, Dr. King and leaders of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) held a meeting to plan and organize a Poor People’s Campaign for the coming spring in Washington, D.C.
Organizers intended the campaign to be a peaceful gathering of poor people from communities across the nation. They would march through the Capital and visit various federal agencies in hopes of getting Congress to pass crucial anti-poverty legislation. They planned to stay until some action was taken.
KILL THE HEAD AND BODY WILL FOLLOW
The Poor People’s Campaign did not focus on just poor Black people but addressed all poor people. Unfortunately, as history records, before their plans could be realized, Dr. King was cut down by an assassin’s bullet. Although feeling the sorrow of his death, the organizers made a decision to carry on with the campaign. On May 12, 1968, the first wave of demonstrators arrived in Washington. One week later, with the effort of every able-bodied man, woman, and child there present, they built Resurrection City on the Washington Mall. It was a ramshackle settlement of tents and shacks to house the protesters. And as I learned firsthand, to call it housing is being generous, at best.
WHEN FAITH IS ALL YOU’VE GOT
This time I decide I want to take a close look at the other side of the protest, though still up close, but more personal. I had to focus my mind on taking in what my eyes were seeing. Some wandered about with a dazed look as just waking up to a bad dream, while others sought solace and refuge in their primitive accommodations. It was clear, to me, that most were taking on the symptoms of defeat. It would not take much—under these conditions—to become demoralized. People were hungry; there was not much food or an orderly way of providing it to those who needed it most, the young and the old. And there was mud all over, and if you did not have boots, and most did not, you had to secure your shoes someplace and do your moving about in bare feet. It was a mess. The mud seemed knee-deep in places. This was the heart of the “Poor Peoples” encampment. I went as I go to many other places. I was simply curious, not much more than that. But what I saw caused me to return.
ABOUT TURN OR TURN ABOUT
To put it simply, it was a hopeless situation, no matter how well-intended. The King has died. There was a leadership vacuum; it could not be overcome. The best I could do was pick several out of the multitude to take to the base for a hot meal and a break from the drudgery of living in such inhospitable conditions. And in two short weeks, I would be discharged from the Air Force and out in the “real world” myself. However, how was I to know that Chicago would be my next destination? Here, destiny would step forward once more. Her hands were waving my way. I did not know if I was creating my destiny or it was being laid out for me. Either way, I would be there to see it all. It was not a plan; it just happened.
FIRE IN BATON AND truncheons out
SOUL TO SOLD
Dateline Chicago, here we are: the time and place that the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) would try to resurrect the Poor People Campaign. But, unfortunately, it was not to be. The eyes of the nation were focused on the Democratic National Convention, the “other” event. Fate had dealt its hand, and the cards had been played. It was inescapable; the end of the civil rights era was drawing to a close. There would be the last gasp and a whimper from the Black Power movement to be replaced years later with the rap and hip-hop culture. The sign of greeting is no longer Soul Brother. It is now my nigger. It is plain to see that it was a turn by degrees for the worst: If they could only see us now. Time stands still as life moves on. Now here we are. The fire and flames no more.
August 26 to August 29, 1968
I came here to Chicago to find a job and see my father for the first time. Both of the things I did do. Even so, my mind would not let me rest. I could not resist the draw of the action on the streets leading up to the 1968 Democratic National Convention. The convention was held during a year that would be remembered as a wake-up call and a warning to our nation. How easily it seems for us to forget.
Headline 2012: The Pentagon Is Offering Free Military Hardware to Every Police Department in the US
It was a social revolution with no blueprint. The Viet Nam war was in full force, and American “politics” had become a dangerous game in my lifetime. First, there was the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King on April 4 and the civil unrest that followed. Then, two months after Dr. King’s death on June 5, as if timed by fate, came the murder of Democratic presidential hopeful Senator Robert F. Kennedy. Was all of this some kind of test? Yes, it was, and the grades are still coming in. For me, it was as if I had been programmed—I did not think of this then—to be an up-close witness to the contest of what is and what is not. I had to be there, did not know it, and had no choice. I quit my job, not knowing why. “The Fire This Time.”
MAYOR DALEY AND THE DEMOCRATS
My 21st birthday marked the beginning and what soon followed is best described as police brutality and all-out “war” on the protesters. It was people control, a step to the future that could not be taken back. There were no hot burning flames of the riots in Washington. The soldiers in Washington had been ordered to stand at ease. Whereas it appeared that Mayor Daley had issued orders to “attack and destroy.” And if this is so—as rumored—Daley’s orders were followed by the letter. Even bystanders were not safe from the swinging batons if they could not run fast enough. “Fire in the hole.”
A MATTER OF TIME
There were indiscriminate beatings; it mattered not male or female, young or old they were routinely clubbed bloody. It was as close as you could get to gender equality. No one was exempt. One scene that was hard to put out of my mind was that of a young female protester—with blood streaming down her ashen face—being dragged by her long blond hair; she was in shock. At this point, she had gone limp. The “fight” had been beaten out of her. The only sign of life was a grimace and a moan when her head was allowed to hit the pavement. The cop only let go when he realized the cameras were trained on him. Up to then, it was “caveman.” It was not the Chicago that I had come to love. So, I would soon be on my way home to Arkansas. I had seen enough. I now had the space to distance myself from the images in my mind.
Otis Redding Memorial Madison Wisconsin
The Day That Soul Cried
December 10, 1967
The day that soul cried, a chilly mist hung over Madison, Wisconsin. Fans of Rhythm and Blues anticipated a thrilling visitor that Sunday night. Singer Otis Redding was scheduled for two shows at the Factory. Three days earlier, Otis had finished recording “Dock of the Bay,” a moody song that would later be his only No. 1 hit on the pop charts. Otis was accompanied by the Bar-Kays, fresh-faced high school graduates from Memphis. Otis (The Big O) had performed the night before in Cleveland. Otis, the Bar-Kays, his valet, and pilot were flying to Madison in his private twin-engine Beechcraft. They were scheduled to perform at 6:30 and 9 p.m. But they never made it. The plane fell three miles short of the runway and crashed at 3:28 p.m. in the near-freezing waters of Lake Monona.
The sole survivor, trumpet player Ben Cauley, was pulled from the water 17 minutes after stunned witnesses along the eastern shore of Squaw Bay telephoned for help. On November 8, 1987, members of the Otis Redding Memorial Group, a Madison, Wisconsin nonprofit corporation, culminated their fund-raising drive with the dedication of a memorial to Otis Redding on the shore of Lake Monona. The memorial consists of three semicircle marble benches, custom carved in Portugal with the initials O.R. incorporated in the legs, Georgia gray granite marker, and a bronze plaque. The memorial was temporarily moved to storage to make way for the construction of the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Monona Terrace Convention Center. A re-dedication ceremony was held on August 15, 1997, on the Roof Garden of the Convention Center, where the memorial is now located.
James R. Yarbrough
President and Founding Member
Otis Redding Memorial Group
Peace
Otis Redding Memorial (Includes Recovery Footage)
Otis Redding Memorial
The Day That Soul Cried
December 10, 1967
The day that soul cried, a chilly mist hung over Madison, Wisconsin. Fans of Rhythm and Blues anticipated a thrilling visitor that Sunday night. Singer Otis Redding was scheduled for two shows at the Factory. Three days earlier, Otis had finished recording “Dock of the Bay,” a moody song that would later be his only No. 1 hit on the pop charts. Otis was accompanied by the Bar-Kays, fresh-faced high school graduates from Memphis. Otis (The Big O) had performed the night before in Cleveland. Otis, the Bar-Kays, his valet, and pilot were flying to Madison in his private twin-engine Beechcraft. They were scheduled to perform at 6:30 and 9 p.m. But they never made it. The plane fell three miles short of the runway and crashed at 3:28 p.m. in the near-freezing waters of Lake Monona.
The sole survivor, trumpet player Ben Cauley, was pulled from the water 17 minutes after stunned witnesses along the eastern shore of Squaw Bay telephoned for help. On November 8, 1987, members of the Otis Redding Memorial Group, a Madison, Wisconsin nonprofit corporation, culminated their fund-raising drive with the dedication of a memorial to Otis Redding on the shore of Lake Monona. The memorial consists of three semicircle marble benches, custom carved in Portugal with the initials O.R. incorporated in the legs, Georgia gray granite marker, and a bronze plaque. The memorial was temporarily moved to storage to make way for the construction of the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Monona Terrace Convention Center. A re-dedication ceremony was held on August 15, 1997, on the Roof Garden of the Convention Center, where the memorial is now located.
James R. Yarbrough
President and Founding Member
Otis Redding Memorial Group
Peace
OTIS REDDING STORY THE DAY SOUL CRIED DECEMBER 10, 1967
OTIS FROM MACON TO MADISON
One achievement I am incredibly proud of is to be the President and a founding member of the Otis Redding Group. The members organized the fund-raising campaign to construct the Otis Redding Memorial that is now located on the roof garden of the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Monona Terrace Convention Center in Madison, Wisconsin.
THE MESSENGER
James R. Yarbrough
Thought
Snapshot In Time
I SEE YOU
Community
THE BEAT GOES ON
BLACK
MAGIC
WOMAN
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