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African Americans raised by cultural literate elders often heard them say, “That’s the straw that broke the camel’s back,” whenever enough was enough. Like most old sayings, such truisms (That’s usually misquoted) had historical and/or cultural significance that had nada to do with us. First, however, African- AmericanNews&Issues must make sure that our estimated 2 million readers--in five major Texas cities and well populated surrounding towns, or the un-fathomable multitudes accessing our colorful WebPages (www.aframnews.com), know exactly where we’re coming from. For sure, we often misquote the idiom, “It was the last straw that broke the camel’s back,” that surprisingly originated in Great Britain.
In addition, the axiom translated to: “We can load the camel with lots of straws, but finally it will be too much and the camel's back will break. And it is only a single straw that breaks its back - the last straw.” Nevertheless, all of the above is applicable when we’re discussing our double-standard injustice system. An example is the mean spirited “legal lynching” that Judge Betty Brock Bell endured. Need we add that it wasn’t an isolated case, insofar as it’s a historical problem that has bedeviled Africans in America, even before the first slave ship docked in 1619 Jamestown, Virginia. In keeping with the camel’s back analogy, there are plenty more straws waiting for us, as long as brainwashed citizens see each straw of injustice as an isolated case and/or fail to grasp the concept of a single straw breaking an unwary camel’s back.
We Must Understand, the “Zombie” like grand juries (easily manipulated by a District Attorney) becomes an analogous straw and unfortunate citizens that become ensnared in a double-standard criminal justice system represent the camel’s back. And if truth be told, double-standard injustice isn’t just a Black thing. Bipartisan political games notwithstanding, even powerful politicians (i.e., Tom Delay, or I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby) aren’t exempt. On the other hand, the rich and powerful can protect themselves, therefore we’re more concerned about 2005 Black America. Sadly, we’re more impotent politically today than we were in 1965. Nevertheless, that’s a future article, because we’re obligated to respond to one of our loyal readers here. We received an e-mail…signed, Sincerely, JD Reyes, that questioned our Black perspectives.
Reyes wrote: “Greetings, I am sending this e-mail to let you know that your newsletter is very informative and very disturbing. I mean if you know (and do a good job) addressing the problem can you also spend more time and paper space discussing the solution to this problem. It is one thing to discuss the problem about what another ethnic group has done and continues doing, (let us include Anglos in our discussion) because just talking about it only fuels more racism and hate among minority groups that I am part of. Dear Sir, I read your newspaper and felt a disservice to our community with so much negative criticism. I would like to have some feedback to my comments to know that someone is listening.” We’re listening, and we hear what positive thinking citizens of good consciences are saying.
We Must Understand, we’re miseducated to believe that logic can solve illogical problems. Furthermore, an overwhelming consensus agrees with Reyes. In addition, most citizens who’ve never been ensnared in America’s double-standard criminal justice system are convinced that criminals’ bad decisions are their biggest enemy. However, that’s the way that our schools miseducate and indoctrinate our best and brightest citizens (That’s further programmed by the mainstream media), to rationalize a sin, sick, racist nation to be “the greatest.” So, please perish the thought that we’re condemning a positive, idealistic citizen for believing what they’ve been educated to believe. Conversely, they’re fully aware that racism (i.e., hate, bigotry, discrimination, man’s inhumanity to man), is illogical. Yet, they fail to connect the dots.
Cutting to the chase, one learns in kindergarten that a problem can’t be solved without identifying its root. And, in Harris County, there’s historical evidence that suggests that injustice starts in the District Attorney’s office. Even so, can we really hold Chuck Rosenthal acountable for the inequality that persists? You bet we can. We suspect that Holmes, who passed the baton to Chuck, flinched when he tried to criminalize Houston’s Police Chief. Yes, Bell made bad decisions. Nevertheless, one is evil to destroy people, because they won’t dance to their music? Consequently, an even bigger question is why did the voters re-elect an alleged malevolent, vindictive, racist D. A.? After all, injustice stops where it starts. At the polls. Meanwhile, let’s make history by voting on Dec. 10.