thejonesreport

The Jones Report

THIS IS JUST A MATTER OF OPINION FOLKS. JUST A LITTLE BIT OF “THE WAY I SEE IT” FROM A YOUNG BLACK MAN.
WE ALL NEED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DIALOGUE SO HERE’S MY TWO CENTS. TAKE IT AS COMMENTARY OR DISMISS
IT AS THE RAMBLINGS OF AN “ANGRY BLACK MAN”, BUT WHATEVER YOU DO CHECK IT FOR TRUTH.

How Far We've Come?!

I recently had the opportunity to participate in a conversation about the progress of Black people in the United
States. A statement was made that I often hear during these conversations, but this time it struck me in a
completely different way. It was during this conversation that someone said "Black people have come a long
way". Honestly, I hadn't thought about what that saying meant to me until later on that evening. I kept thinking
to myself, "We've come a long way from what?" Then I started realizing that the statement wasn't a reflection of
how I felt about the accomplishments of our race.
Before Africans were brought to what we so affectionately call the Americas they were accomplishing things,
discovering things and sustaining various cultures. During slavery these people were still creating, learning and
inventing under harsh conditions. All the while crafting a new culture from bits and pieces of a former way of life
and the need to adapt. After slavery was considered over the descendants of those original Africans continued
to contribute to the building of this country in many areas without much applause or recognition. To this day the
descendants of those original Africans continue to contribute their talent, intelligence and creativity under
conditions that are a direct reflection of U.S. History. That being said it is not as much as " Black people having
made a lot of progress, but white people coming a long way in their treatment of descendants of African people.
A long way in the collective ignorance and evil that allowed the tragedy to occur in the first place.
We have always been human. Have always made significant contributions to world history no matter where we
were dispersed or displaced on the globe. It has been the forced acceptance of our humanity that has allowed
more of us to fully express the beautiful humanity or better yet spirit that God breathed into our beautiful bodies
at creation. We must be aware and future generations must be given examples of this truth. It is time to charge
into a new existence as a people. Time to reclaim the promise and take the reins of our destiny. It has been a
generation since the participants of the Civil Rights Movement fought to have the rights of so many recognized
and many of the living monuments from that era have passed on. Please understand that the element that
existed to dehumanize us stills exists today and the more we try to express our God given humanness the more
it will press against us. Remember also that this element is not designated by color, race or ethnicity. Africans
sold Africans. Europeans steered ships through the Middle Passage. White Americans brutalized Black
Americans. Black people sold Black people crack. This element has an evil sophistication that adapts to the
times and speaks to men in the language they understand. Every people have their destructive members and we
are no different. So we must be vigilant. We are all one people and anything that is divisive only prevents God's
chosen vehicles for earthly expression from fulfilling its whole purpose.

HIDDEN SOCIETY
Drawn & created by Eric Washington