Perspectives Matter OR: : White folk’s logic is Black’s History By Bud Johnson The "Old African Warrior"

Woebeit I had once again finished a very informative epistle (about mind control to “Heal Thy Self,” i.e. faith healing), when the good Lord sent me a sign. And you already know I always give divine revelations my immediate attention. The sign came in the form of a very nice, although slightly misguided message from an obviously broad minded Anglo gentleman, who had critiqued my (Oct. 22-28, 2003) front page feature about Kobe Bryant (“Black Role Model?”), with a clean heart and opened mind. His insight deserves consideration, although his political correct logic lacked one ingredient that he can never hope to have. A Black perspective. 

Hence, before we go another further, mayhap I should just let you read the man’s worthy opinion for yourself. But I won’t divulge his name, insofar as he intimated that his rebuttal was a one-on-one, although I fully intend to use the telephone number he provided for future discussions. Meanwhile, here is the forwarded e-mail in it’s entirety: 

“Forwarded Message…From: name withheld/Date: Thu, 23 Oct 2003/ 02:28 am…. To: aframnews@pdq.net…Subject: To: Bud Johnson: 
This is not a letter to the editor, but a personal correspondence to Bud Johnson if it could be forwarded to him. Mr. Johnson: I came across African American News & Issues almost by accident while doing a search on Google for some completely separate issue.”
“However, I found myself the subject of articles by Billy Groves which I respond to regularly in letters to the editor of your newspaper and on my website located at www.houstoncountyweb.com. I do not, however, read JUST the articles written by Billy Groves, but have found a lot of information in your AAN&I very informative and entertaining. I just read your most recent article regarding Kobe Bryant. I must say, and with all respect due to you, that you are way off base with your ideas here. For the record, I am a White male so my opinion may or may not mean anything to you. What I want to point out is that Kobe Bryant is innocent of the charge of rape and I truly believe that fact.” 
“He is guilty of adultery (which is by far not a Black crime as we all know most men tend to play when they get the chance). But I do not feel his charge has anything to do with rape or race as much as it has to do with a poor woman seeking to make some money and fame off of the reputation of a star. The fact that he is a black male and she is a white woman is not the point. The fact is that this woman is doing what American citizens tend to think is perfectly ok. How many times have you heard of someone suing Wal-Mart because they "slipped" and injured themselves only to find out that the "slip" was more intentional than the fault of the company? How many times have you heard someone threaten a lawsuit for the most trivial things because they see nothing but dollar signs?” 

“It can be as simple as someone calling a fast food restaurant claiming items were left out of their order when they never placed an order to begin with. American citizens, Black and White, have this false belief that the rich owe the poor and that because "they can afford it," it is somehow just fine to ruin their reputations with false claims in an effort to make a buck. The Kobe Bryant case can be blamed on history, but more recent history. The abuse of the legal system by Americans seeking fame or money, which evolved over recent history. Short of adultery, Kobe Bryant did no wrong on that night in this motel room. He did what a lot of 24-year -old males (white and black) do everyday. He "got him some" from a woman that apparently was very giving or she would not have been in a motel room with a man at that time of the night.” 

“I mean, seriously, how stupid could she have been? More importantly, how stupid does she believe the American public is? I want to say to you personally that I enjoy your article and keep up the good work.” Hey, once I get over the shock that there are a few enlighten White folks among my readers, I’ll, as usual, remind our estimated 2 million readers that I retired as a distinguished, well loved awarding winning Sports Editor in 1985, with every intention of devoting all of my time to completing my chronologically updated autobiography-- that I’ve been working on since 1953--for publication. But, alas, God wasn’t through with me yet. Henceforth, edifying my folks (by telling it like it is, because it is like it is, whether I tell it or not) became my ministry. 

Thus, I would be remiss not to inform White folks and my “We are not a monolithic brothers and sisters, who all think, or act alike,” that just as the world didn’t end with Revelation’s biblical “Amen,” discrimination didn’t end when LBJ signed the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Lest we forget, history is ongoing—starting when the Alpha spoke the world into existence. Thus, what is considered 2003 America’s current history isn’t isolated from history past, when a Black teenager whistled at a White woman in 1955 Mississippi. Fortunately, the methods that the land of the free uses its double-standard criminal justice system to send Black males messages have changed. Nonetheless, the message itself remains the same. Hello Orenthal James Simpson!

For sure, a whole lot of folks think I live in the past. Even so, when I implied that Kobe had forgotten Black History, I was talking perspectives. Surely, White folk’s have the luxury to see the past, as a past that has nothing to do with them. So, from their perspective, it’s best to focus on today and/or tomorrow. However, from a Black perspective, we’re must be mindful (that America is still sending us the same antebellum messages. No matter how subtle), lest we forget our place and cross that invisible line that has historically separated the oppressed from their oppressors. I wonder if anybody knows where I’m coming from?