I have noticed for some time now that some people who have been downtrodden as a group are more likely to fight for right, for justice, family, and God – despite their justified fears – in a definite, sometimes last-stand kind of way. Whereas many of the rest of us have learned to bow under the weight of fear or dominance and just live out our lives as calmly and discretely as possible.
Take African Americans. My belief is that they are closer to the horrors of domination and fear than many of us. The slave trade in America was not so long ago, and the ensuing years of having freed them and getting people to accept their freedom is still going on. We are looking at only a generation or two beyond the full-fledged slavery, and the effects of the continuing battle is raging through lives and setting the ground for fear – and for bravery. Perhaps their bravery is also because they were free before they were sold into lifetime bondage. Whereas many other races already lived under the bondages of state and/or church long before they came to America. Generation upon generation that lived with the need to be quiet in order to stay safe. It has become part of them.
This line of thinking started when I watched the African American Entertainment awards for the first time. That may seem strange, but it is true. I was overjoyed by the winners’ responses of “Thank you, Lord” before and often instead of thanking people. They had to work a hundred times harder to get to that moment than a white person, thus their battle to achieve such an award was not just about their ability to act. It was their ability to persevere, to survive – to trust God to get them through. This shows the free souls of their grandparents living in them; those who hummed their tunes in the belly of the slave trading ships – one of which was set to the words of Amazing Grace*. God is still nearer to them than many of us.
This is not a blog about God or how each of us responds to how we got where we have gotten. It is about taking a look at how we got where we’ve gotten as a nation. Fighting, anger, racism, a lack of love, or purpose, or teamwork. One of my sons and his wife set their family motivation as “teamwork.” It shows strongly when one of them is being selfish or discouraged. As a team, you are never alone; there is always help. As a team, we work together to accomplish our goals, so it’s much easier. As a team, we look to the good of the whole, sticking together for an end result. It works amazingly. When they decided to move eighteen hours away from home and family, the eldest child (8 or 9 at the time) didn’t seem to mind, until the day of the big move. The truck was full, the house was empty, they had hugged all the friends and family who came to help them move, and she is sitting in the back seat of their packed full vehicle, and she suddenly realizes what it means. She starts to cry because she doesn’t want to leave all of us behind, and I’m trying to comfort her. She says, “but I’ve never lived in another state before.” Her daddy comes to our aid and encourages her by saying, “You know, neither have I, but we’re a team, right? We’re going to do it together.” He didn’t say much more, because he didn’t have to. They had ingrained the “Team” to such a degree, she found comfort in the “we’ll do it together” words and stopped crying.
Imagine if our nation decided to be a team and move forward with the good of the team in all their decisions. Teamwork is astronomical.
*I stand by the free souls living in the next generation, however, after googling where the tune to Amazing Grace came from to make sure of my facts, it appears unlikely that it was taken from the slaves’ humming since the author didn't write the song until years after he would have been on board those ships (written in 1773). It is assumed it was either chanted or sung to various other melodies to begin with, but it is not known what they were. In 1835, American composer William Walker set it to the tune known as "New Britain". This is the tune we are familiar with. While the tune is beloved to many, and despite the controversy over the melody, the author of the lyrics, John Newton, a profane and rebellious younger man, former English slave trader, and later a clergyman and abolitionist, made the point that sticks more than the melody: open our eyes to the error of our ways, so we can see to be free (found).
Little Known History Fact: 'Amazing Grace' - Black America Web
Amazing Grace: Debunking a myth by Greg Howlett, Inspirational Piano Music
Wikipedia
Amazing Grace
Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved.
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far
And grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promised good to me
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
and mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.
When we've been there ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we've first begun.
--John Newton, 1725-1807
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