How Soon Did We Forget?

How soon did we forget what real sacrifice meant? How can we ignore the repudiations and the blood that was spent? Have we forgotten the degradation of being forced to give up your seat? Remember racist tempers flaring as our family members got beat. Some lived in abject terror hoping to elude unjustified pain. They wanted to avoid the hurt of a loved one being slain. Time may have passed, but our memories shouldn't be clogged. We should never forget the pain of firehoses and angry, biting dogs. We should remember our unity as we tried to make a stand. We should remember our brothers declared: "I am a MAN!" I remember when we sang old hymns like "We Shall Overcome!" They helped drown out the screaming epitaphs of sick racist tongues. I remember the bricks that got tossed and the senseless loss of life. Still, we made it through all the bombings, and intolerant strife. Do you remember the voices of Malcolm X & Dr. Martin Luther King? Both of these men demanded that America finally validated its dream. Today their historical martyrdoms are pop history and afterthoughts. Muffled and silenced in lost tapes are the true lessons that they taught. We have become a heedless people who choose to ignore and forget. So, the GENOCIDE of our young people is now our painful regret. Each night we hear reports listing the children who were slain. Black victims listed in the thousands as anonymous random names. Our cousins, brothers, and nieces die in the streets every night. Murdered by ignorant cowards who have long forgotten our fight. I wrote this poem from my heart to just simply say: "Stop the sinful slaughter and remember our yesterdays!" Remember the willing sacrifice of Dr. Martin Luther King. It provides an understanding of what unselfish love means. Remember that in American freedom can be contrary. This is elucidated by the fidelity of Malcolm declaring: "By Any Means Necessary!" He did not speak these words as a form of unjustified hate. He wanted us to appreciate our family and every decision we make. We have to teach our brothers and sisters that killing is wrong. It is an aberration to the purpose and beauty of God's eternal song. The murder of even one of our family is a sacrifice for us all. These pillars that we destroy will cause everyone to fall! The movement of our people was not very long ago. It has not been a generation, and we still have so far to go. Let's utilize this time to help our people live and grow. Take the time to teach our history to everyone we know. Let's stop killing our future and remember our past. Let's declare us again: "Free at last!" Forget all your stupid hatreds and let love reign. Remember the sacrifices of those who were slain. Embrace our history and remember what we went through. Then you will learn the same truth that your ancestors knew: When love rains down everything, always grows back anew. It is then that joy and understanding brightly shine through. Old racism is taught, but a new truth can always be learned. It takes patience and compassion for a heart to be turned. Our ancestors gave up everything so that we could live and thrive. When we honor their sacrifices, their memory will always survive. © 2012 Eddie Phillips