The Tribune Online, 60

Linked by Liberty

A memorial by Booker T. Washington, from his Autobiographical Writings:

"I knew from my school history what Kosciuszko had done for America in its early struggle for independence. I did not know, however, until my attention was called to it in Cracow, what Kosciuszko had done for the freedom and education of my own people.

After his second visit to this country in 1797 Kosciuszko, I learned, made a will in which he bequeathed part of his property in this country in trust to Thomas Jefferson to be used for the purpose of purchasing the freedom of Negro slaves and giving them instruction in trades and otherwise.

Seven years after his death a school of Negroes, known as Kosciuszko school, was established in Newark, N.J. The sum left for the benefit of this school amounted to thirteen thousand dollars.

The Polish patriot is buried in the cathedral at Cracow, which is the Westminster Abbey of Poland, and is filled with memorials of the honoured names of that country. Kosciuszko lies in a vault beneath the marble floor of the cathedral. As I looked upon his tomb I thought how small the world is after all, and how curiously interwoven are the interests that bind people together. Here I was in this strange land, farther from my home than I had ever expected to be in my life, and yet I was paying my respects to a man to whom members of my race owed one of the first permanent schools for them in the United States.

When I visited the tomb of Kosciuszko I placed a rose on it in the name of my race."

From the Will of Kosciuszko:

"I, Thaddeus Kosciuszko, being just on my departure from America, do hereby declare and direct, that should I make no other testamentary disposition of my property in the United States, I hereby authorize my friend, Thomas Jefferson, to employ the whole thereof in purchasing Negroes from his own or any others, and giving them liberty in my name, in giving them an education in trade or otherwise, and in having them instructed for their new condition in the duties of morality, which may make them good neighbors, good fathers or mothers, husbands or wives in their duties as citizens, teaching them to be defenders of their liberty and country, and of the good order of society, and in whatsoever may make them happy and useful. And I make said Thomas Jefferson my executor of this." Signed: T. Kosciuszko, May 5, 1798

Liberty will defeat Terrorism and Tyranny

Democracy is gradually taking over in the mid east, freeing a people from repressive subgation of superstitious fears based on religiosity...that is, destroying the great Satan of the West (America) when all the time the great satans are in their midst, suppressing their freedom to be an intelligent and very capable people since ancient times, who want to forge a worthy destiny in their new world. This negates terrorism and tyranny in keeping fear of the unknown at bay.

This has been religiosity's secret weapon in all forms of human worship...fire and brimstone to solve all of mankind's issues. Therefore, propaganda by right wingers in America, in cooperation with the current dictatorial Arab regimes, will not fly in continuing to promote the looming existence of Al Quaeda and their boss, Bin Laden...as if we just caught and killed him, everything would be honky-dory.

These newly freed Egyptians as with others, who will follow their path, don't give a damn about Bin Laden, Al Quaeda, or any other humanly destructive cause, including the demise of Israel, as currently promoted by this little dumb ass leader in Iran, whose days are numbered. They just want to build a better future for themselves and their children. Should we as a "civilized nation" want anything less for them?

Liberty,Thelma, Frank, Islam, and Waterbeds

The connection and what's in a name? Thelma was one of my high school crushes but too precocious to even notice me at the time. Years later after we were both adults, following our divorces, we became quite intimate resulting from each other's vulnerability. 

Frank was also a member of my high school class who eventually transferred to another school, becoming that school's quarterback and earning a scholarship to a leading HBCU. I heard that Frank suffered from some sort of debilitating sickness, but got better and was back to his former outgoing self.

Thelma and Frank became a couple last I heard, and I even read a newspaper article with Frank giving a sports comment about that big HBCU football game, held annually in Mobile...and he was still that avid sports buff.

My "stream of consciuosness" thought pattern lead me to reflect about another sports figure that I came to know...Muhammad Ali. It was a few years before I joined Mr. Elijah Muhammad's following, becoming one of his representatives in California before returning to Mobile, just prior to his (Elijah's) death. After Muhammad Ali won the title bout from Sonny Liston, he was speaking to some reporters about his acceptance of "Islam" as taught by Mr. Elijah Muhammad, and that his name was no longer Cassius Clay, but "Cassius X" in accepting Islam. He went on to say that Clay was his "slave" name.

Mr. Muhammad's members had to schuck their "slave name" and accept the letter X to symbolize "liberty" in the awakening of the so-called American Negro. As a matter of fact, my name was "Bob X" which I adopted more or less as a pseudonym in my writing for various publications. Kind of gave the feeling of being a "muckraker."  I even thought about developing my own slogan like Ali's "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee." Mine would have been, "feeling mucked over, get some quick consolation from Bob X." It wouldn't have gotten pass Chicago.

Anyway, Muhammad Ali was on the campus of Howard University in the 70's explaining the importance of  name identity. He cited how people from variuos countries are easily recognizable by heritage, location, and home by their names, giving a litany of various names and countries. However, in the case of the so-called American Negro, if a foreigner or alien came to this land, not knowing any better, and asked for an American by name, you would have to wonder...the white one or the black one? It got a rousing chuckle from the crowd.

I later own matured to realize, it's not the name that makes you, it's you that will  make the name. This brings me to the subject of waterbeds. Shortly before I left Mobile to move to Roanoke, there was this televised commercial promoting waterbeds, owned by Frank Holmes who did the promotion. I heard the commercial from another room and wondered if it was my old buddy Frank Holmes from high school?  I couldn't wait to see the commercial for myself...turns out it was a "white" Frank Holmes and not my old high school buddy.      

Allen West...a truly acceptable "conservative"?

Please, don't take this critique as just being a base put down of another so-called "black conservative." Knowing America's track record when it comes to race and politics, if the black male is not a self-hating one, insecure about himself and his race, and seeks the comfort of a controlling white woman, like the Supreme Court Justice, of whom I shall keep nameless as often as possible...I have to ask... has Allen been truly accepted as an "American conservative" or is he just another "black bobble head" singing the right wingers' song and doing the customary foot shuffle? You know the kind of which I refer ...the kind that gets you in good with "massa"?

It was reported from the CPAC Convention that, "The first-term Congressman brought the audience to its feet several times late Saturday, repudiating President Obama's social and economic policies and promising a 'new dawn' in America". I couldn't help but wonder if this included Black Americans and other minorities, that have been denied their fair share of the economic pie. Admittedly, President Johnson's "Great Society" program was to make that difference, but turned out to be a miserable failure just by encouraging more widespread welfare, increased drug addiction, and destruction of the familial unit.

 Elijah Muhammad, who on the other hand, might be considered a true "red, white and blue conservative" was able to show what good and independently controlled economic policies could do. White America couldn't allow that kind of thinking to take hold among its "niggers." Now, you are witnessing the results of bad govermnental policies...and this "black bobble head" swears things are going to be different in the future? Why should any intelligent black person fall for this political rhetoric?

The problem in America since the Civil War and newly freed slaves was economic and not social as many civil rights' groups may want you to believe. That was one of the reasons Booker T. Washington had to be gotten rid of...eventually. He figured out the game and the jig was up.  Proper use of money translates into true "liberty" for those who understand and can apply the economic philosophy. http://infobuck.com/catalog.html     

Liberty in the Middle East...

And what it may mean to the west? There are twenty one countries in the Middle East that are considered Arab nations from Algeria to Yemen. The latest news that changes the course of history is the people's movement in the quest for freedom and democracy. Of course, Israel is a part of the composite of the Middle East and the only truly democratic nation, although not an Arab nation. The issue has been a source of tension since 1947, when the nation established its existence fleeing NAZI turmoil. The idea of "anti-semitic" is a misnomer, for the entire region is considered semitic by western nations...Europe and others including the US.

The flag below is that of Egypt, so far, one of the few nations to make the historic "break through" which I am sure others will follow...like Tunisia and Yemen. We, the Americans, have seen the clashes and flash points in the Middle East from the fifties onward. What does this revolution bode for the area's  destiny is still being written.

However, I believe it is a good sign, and that Egypt will lead the Middle East into a promising future. The wealth in the area is staggering, if all twenty-one countries are willing to set aside religious and tribal innuendos, and cooperate for the good of the region, with the inclusion of Israel. For if you know that Iran, lead by that "Napoleonic imbecile" is anti-semitic because of Israel's Jewish heritage...you can best believe he has as much detest for the Arabic semites as well.

Therefore, continue to overthrow the sultans and sheiks, establish democracies, and bring your countries and people out of the dark ages, of which you have been encapsulated, and fight for the light of progress and promise, for that is the nature of all civilized societies. http://www.mideastinfo.com