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December 21, 2006
by Lonnie D. Story
Today I had an interesting conversation. My only son, some 21 years of age, and I had the opportunity to discuss politics in general as we drove down U.S. 1, Florida. Our destination was an approximate one-half hour from our starting point, but, our conversation was decades past and decades future, with a lot of present thrown into the mix.
My son likes to talk politics with me for some strange reason, even though we have much differing opinions, overall. I guess that is one of the reasons we relish our discussions. A father and son, diversified and, yet, very united. Our opinions are extremist in the present context, our positions and firm beliefs resolute. However, we remain subject to change by virtue of discussion, consideration and curiosity. It is a laughable experience and yet it is rich with opportunity for personal growth on both parties.
Shane (my son,), knows enough about me to draw me to these types of discussion. I, however, know also that it is this very type of discussion he craves. We don't hold things back, we put forward our words as fast as our hearts meet our mind and our mind spits words. Right or wrong is not an issue. Opinion, understanding, consideration, possibilities, potential, demise, extremes, surreal, absurd, ludicrous, insane and profane all cross the lines and are open for discussion. The best of it is: we exercise each of these colloquiums with passion, truthfulness and honesty.
For an instance: He broached the subject of persistent and present unfairness. While watching some television, discussion among his peers, (a very diverse unit), that racial lines remain a tool and useful handhold in mainstream media. The fact that a person of dark skin coloration can call another person of like commodity a "nigger" and, yet, a person of a "whiter shade of pale" would be eviscerated for uttering such a contemptuous adjective or pronoun. The topic at hand was the fact that there is such a disparity between what we think as beings, what we see in modern media hype and the ground floor of truth.
One of my haunting visions is the fact that I recall being fresh into the Army at age 17 and having received my pay, went out for the day for some drinks at a couple beers and bars. On the taxi ride back to the barracks, my buddy and I prepared to disembark the vehicle and, as is common, a minor dispute arose over who would pay the tab out of generosity. Not such that it was "who should" but "who wanted most." True friendship and servitude to the bonds that bind men. My friend, made a statement that lasted me a lifetime. He said, on the heels of our payday, "don't be nigger rich."
That phrase haunted me from that day forward and continues. You see, the meaning of it (after much research), is that, from years past, a poor black man in America with found money from hard labor, could spend as he wished, however so foolishly, but with prideful gratification for an instant even to his own personal financial demise.
It now causes me to think, (postpartum Thanksgiving,) that things have changed to a great deal.
(Article Continues Below)
In our discussion, my son and I both realized that the most recent years have brought our society to a conflict of resolutions that are conflicting in nature, absurd and retrograde in intention and/or purpose. Today, a black man can call his cousin a "nigger." A white man can say the same thing to that cousin and get crucified in the media, not to mention, in persona.
The irony of it all is in the fact that my son had announced to me that he had found great favor in who he had a penchant for the 2008 elections. In his words, "Dad, I really like this guy Obama. He doesn't use a 'race card', he is real and says what he means. He doesn't hold one side or the other, he just be's himself and I admire that."
How could I argue? I agree, Obama is a force to be admired. As our discussion continued, we talked about why. Then we hit a very common chord. An Independent.
I told him the stories of "long ago" about a man named Ross Perot and how he defied the U.S. government, spent millions of his own dollars and sacrificed ridicule for the backing of an independent, mercenary exercise in the State of Iran to save the lives and rescue his employees during the Iran/U.S. conflict 1980. Ross didn't give a damn about public opinion, government rules and regulations, constrictions of the State Department or anything else in the equation. He had employees that served his company and, by God, he would do what he could, with what he had, to rescue them. Of course, the story is further told in his run for election to the highest office. The difference? The two had no ties.
Through this discussion, my son and I found a very common ground. Something I will propound upon and elaborate to a greater degree (God willing my editors agree), the subject matter of a "Flat-Tax."
It is an amazing thing how a father and son can run such a gamut between a corrupt governmental system, racial issues, media bias, political prostitution, will of the average American, the ideological climate of the 25 and under, the 40 and older, social security, taxes and whether or not this country will sustain or self-destruct.
Our conclusion: It will sustain and survive. Why? Because we fight. The one thing so many of us hate right now in these times is the God's honest truth. We fight. That is what Americans do. Right or wrong, we do it. Our history proves it. So call me a nigger, call me a spic, call me a honky, call me a bastard, a wet-back, a cookie, a rag-head, a sand-nigger, a southerner, a northerner, a democrat, a republican, a leftist, a rightest, a subversive, an activist, a protagonist, call me it all! One thing you can't call me is: Out.
Name calling is as old as a child. Being someone or something, being a difference is not only being adult, not only being mature; it is being American and taking hold of our Constitution, our Bill of Rights and exercising the right to say "I am not nigger rich, I am crying for my country to return to New York 1945, Italians, Germans, English, Mexican, Philippinos, Cambodians, Canadians, Finnish, Dutch, Luxembourger, Native American Indian; crying "I want to be none of the above! I want to be free and I want to be American! I want a country that says "we the people" and damned well mean it.
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Lonnie D. Story [send him email] is the author of "The Meeting of Anni Adams " and is working on "Without A Shot Fired: The Dustin Brim Story" Write Mr Lonnie D. Story at 1339 Center Avenue, Holy Hill, FL 32117.
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