nothing like fear...

I know there is racism in this country and I welcome the opportunity for the dirty laundry to be aired, because the more we explore it, the more we learn of the nature of what is holding us in this destructive pattern. When we speak of our racism, it’s at least out in front of us and not in our bodies working like a cancer to eat away at our hearts.

Thanks to Shirley Sherrod for not rolling over, but standing up to and speaking truth to power.

In 2007 the Southern Poverty Law Center sent a letter asking the FBI to investigate the 1958 death of James Brazier of Dawson, Georgia along with another 74 unsolved deaths of that era.

Brazier was beaten to death in front of his wife and children by two police officers. County Sheriff Z.T. Matthews was later quoted in the Washington Post saying, "There's nothing like fear to keep niggers in line."

This morning two points converged for me in a brazen and ugly manner. Not that I didn't recognize any of this before, but sometimes...

One was the story of Mrs. Sherrod’s father being murdered, along with the information from the SPLC letter. The other point was when I read a morning email from Congressman Alan Grayson. He relates how one day a Republican operative offers $100 to anyone who would punch Grayson in the face and the very next thing that happened was that death threats were phoned in to his office.

Grayson’s response to the first was to say that he punches back. The second sends a pall of fear through us all.

The owner’s of this country do not want us standing on our feet, talking back. They want us on our knees. Fear is a prime motivator for acquiescence to the will of another. It’s not about race, but that’s what is being used to divide us.

Until we hold ALL criminals accountable and there is justice for all, including at least finding out what happened in those 74 deaths, until we stop hate speech from riding the public airwaves, until we stand up and no longer bow before the yoke of fear, we will continue to betray the will of the people.

Huge K&R!:applause:

Wow, freaking unbelievable. That just tells me that it hit a nerve.