Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Violence: An American Pastime Part 1

The Commonwealth of Virginia. Named after Queen Elizabeth I of England, who was known as the Virgin Queen, this commonwealth was one of the thirteen colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution. Virginia was the first part of the Americas to be continuously inhabited by British colonists from its founding as a European colony up to the American Revolution. Home of Arthur Ashe, Ella Fitzgerald, Bill Bojangles Robinson, Melissa "Missy" Elliott, The Clipse, The Neptunes, Timbaland, General Robert Lee, and oh yeah...Nat Turner.

On Feburary 25, 2007 I read this:
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Meeting on the grounds of the former Confederate Capitol, the Virginia General Assembly voted unanimously Saturday to express "profound regret" for the state's role in slavery. Sponsors of the resolution say they know of no other state that has apologized for slavery, although Missouri lawmakers are considering such a measure. The resolution does not carry the weight of law but sends an important symbolic message, supporters said. "This session will be remembered for a lot of things, but 20 years hence I suspect one of those things will be the fact that we came together and passed this resolution," said Delegate A. Donald McEachin, a Democrat who sponsored it in the House of Delegates. The resolution passed the House 96-0 and cleared the 40-member Senate on a unanimous voice vote. It does not require Gov. Timothy M. Kaine's approval.

COMMENT: I think that is an amazing step towards responsibility. Slavery. 400 years. Was it worth it? As far as being slaves and the trade off we have now. We survived and here we are. Free!! Free to be dignified or stupid like everyone else. Free to get married! Free to divorce! Free to buy rims and houses and as some people say: "bling". (It's amazing how I used to like that word when Birdman said it) Free to shake it as if it were a salt shaker. Free to.....well that's it. That's about as deep as we allow ourselves to be portrayed. Free to be unfairly accessed I guess. BUT! We are American right? Just like other people. Accepted. Equal. YESSSS JESUS!!! Happy? Grateful? Thankful you're not worshipping Satan in Africa? Yes I am saying what I am saying. Cynical and grouchy. But...here we are. Here WE are. Safe and sound and protected from all evil.... foreign and domestic. Day to day. Bliss. And then....yesterday.

Pray for your nation

Professor Taylor

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