(ThyBlackMan.com) “I view ignorance of all types as a punching bag. I consider myself to be like a boxer; empowered to fight the good fight. I am therefore duty-bound and honor bound to hit that bag as frequently and as forcefully as I can – until that bag falls.” This is my own quote. Accordingly, I stand in stark opposition to those who have gone fishin’.
Confused? Please allow me to elaborate.
Wednesday, August 28th of this year marked the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s March on Washington. On the golden anniversary of Dr. King’s demand for jobs, racial equality, social justice, full citizenship rights, and voters’ rights protections for all Americans, not one Republican Senator, Congressman, or Party leader attended or participated in the commemorative events in Washington, DC.
President Barack Obama, former President Jimmy Carter, former President Bill Clinton and Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) were among the leaders who addressed a crowd of thousands on the exact spot where Dr. King spoke 50 years earlier. On MSNBC Wednesday, civil rights leader Julian Bond said: “They asked a long list of Republicans to come… and to a man and woman they said no.”
Timothy Eugene “Tim” Scott – the junior United States Senator for South Carolina – was invited to be a part of last Wednesday’s festivities, but he politely declined. He preferred to remain in South Carolina during his recess; which is understandable. What isn’t understandable is how Senator Scott allowed himself to be used to perpetuate the falsehood that the lone Black US Senator was not invited to the 50th anniversary of Dr. King’s March on Washington because he is a Republican. In doing so, Senator Scott had gone fishin’.
Eric Cantor – the U.S. Representative for Virginia’s 7th congressional district – declined to speak to those gathered on the Washington Mall that day. According to a report in The Washington Post, he chose instead to meet with a North Dakota oil and gas lobby group. Because Mr. Cantor honored the legacy of the civil rights movement earlier this year in Selma, Alabama with Congressman John Lewis, I take him at his word when he cited “prior commitment” as the reason for his absence.
House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) was also invited to address the crowd in Washington last Wednesday. Mr. Boehner also declined. The Speaker of the House was in Jackson Hole, WY at the time; although his schedule showed no public events for that day. Mr. Speaker had apparently gone fishin’.
According to USA Today, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush – the two surviving Republican former presidents – were invited but could not attend because both were recovering from illness.
Right-wing talk show host Bill O’Reilly had no such excuse. During his Wednesday night broadcast, he repeatedly, loudly, and proudly asked where the Republicans were. He demanded to know why they were excluded from such a historic event. When the unvarnished truth was revealed to Mr. O’Reilly, he issued the following apology: “Last night during my discussion with James Carville about the Martin Luther King commemoration I said there were no Republican speakers invited. Wrong. It was wrong. Some Republicans were asked to speak. They declined. And that was a mistake. They should have spoken. Now, the mistake, entirely on me. I simply assumed that since all the speakers were liberal Democrats, Republicans were excluded. So, here’s the ‘Tip of the Day’ – always check out the facts before you make a definitive statement. And, when you make a mistake, admit it.” I give Mr. O’Reilly full credit for his apology. But he’s routinely gone fishin’.
People who scream that they want their America back are gone fishin’.
These folks are actually declaring that they want a return to the time when Black Americans knew their (segregated) place, American women knew their (domesticated) place, and immigrants – documented and undocumented knew their (migrated) place. Americans gone fishin’ aren’t looking for bass or trout or perch. They want racial inequality and conditional voting rights and economic advancement opportunities regulated strictly for those they deem worthy. Meanwhile, the gone fishin’ crowd’s leaders unerringly promote regress over progress; and partisanship over reconciliation.
Last Wednesday should have been a day for national unity and pride. It wasn’t.
Dr. King’s 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech was a call for this great nation to be true to the words written by our founding fathers in the United States Constitution. That document contains no provisions for hatred, discrimination, or poverty. But the term mankind doesn’t mean that men are always kind.
I oppose those gone fishin’ because they’re using race as bait for their catch. It was wrong in 1776, wrong in 1963, and it’s still wrong in 2013. Clearly, it’s time for me to hit that punching bag again.
Staff Writer; Arthur L. Jones, III
This talented brother is a local Minister, weekly featured Democratic Op-Ed columnist, non-profit advisor, and sees the Braves winning it all this fall. Rev. Jones welcomes your comments! Please email him directly at: tcdppress@gmail.com.