"What's goin' on!?" (Yes I'm back!)

Yes its been a while! A while since my last blog post "The Clue From Leu". I love to write/blog but must really be so moved to do so. Well, I'm so moved - at least at this moment. It's hard not to be moved after spending week in the West Indies with Dear celebrating our 25 wedding anniversary! Yes, it's been 25 years! I know we don't look that old (just nod your head) and people can't believe we have a son who is about the age I was when I met his mother (no this is not a "how I met your mother story!;) At this writing we're up in the air hoping to land shortly! Lol. God is good & I'm grateful. Well, I wish I could say it's good to "not know" what the rest of the world has been up to for the last seven (7) days ... But sadly, I know! You see, the last cruise we went on five (5) years ago wasn't fully equipped with satellite tv, so at least in the early morning I took to the news for a short morning dose of what's new in the world! (Don't tell Dear) :-) ... I had hoped that things would've calmed down in Missouri, but I see not - they haven't so much - maybe the rioting has stopped but I know the tension is high. We have to learn to get a long - not "get a long to go along" but really get a long. On one hand it's hard to believe that there still remains so much racial tension in these United States ... But on the other hand quickly raised, it's not! It's not, however, limited to these United States, but to other parts of the world. Wow! As I mentioned, we cruised the West Indies - made four (4) stops plus Puerto Rico, and it was eye opening. I'll not go into too much detail but suffice it to say that some of our White, Brown, Black, & Blacker brothers and sisters still need to pull up the Rodney King sound bite ie "Can we just get a long?" Now, I've been a black man all of my life (well I started as a baby - lol, but you get me right?) and I know racism, both subtle as well as blatant. You learn from many encounters in these United States (yes I've used it three times) to ignore it, confront it when necessary, and teach and learn lessons when & where you can. One such lesson came one night while my wife was in casual conversation with a charming Latina sister from New York City via San Juan, Puerto Rico. While an older lady, she was fairly versed on the current state of school children in many of our urban (and not so urban)  settings. She mentioned how some of the parents of all colors react and respond to some of the educators in a most negative and disparaging way. She, a grandmother, mentioned that while her grandson was dark complexioned (she pointed at me and said "like him" - again, she was a very charming and engaging lady) she made sure she taught him to speak up and claim his heritage ie that he is not black but Puerto Rican. Why she went there I have no idea, :-) but it shed light on a few issues we still face today. For starters, while I'm not saying she was racist, it points out the fact that it's no secret as to the way African Americans have been treated in these United States and no one wishes that treatment on themselves or family. Then it highlights the fact that it's really about survival ... What can I teach my sons (her grandson in this case) that will help them survive in these - you got it - "United" States. You best believe I have taught my sons when to speak up and when to just ... Well, come home safely. It's a harsh reality ... But a reality nonetheless. So what's the take a way? The "Clue?" Well, first let me say I thoroughly enjoyed our time in the Carib with our extended "family" of all colors!! Also, that we simply have a lot of work to do! I believe it was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who said "injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." What we've done in this country has been seen and continues to be seen around the world and to many it's barometer of sorts of how to treat others who appear on the outside to be different from us. I said it before ... Let's learn to get along, God made us in His image/likeness; He is creative genius ... So are we. Let's find, create, make, invent a way to make it happen! Peace. TheClue.