An American's Viewpoint on the Race War

I have a wonderful friend who has approved me publishing her point of view about a subject near and dear to my heart. She is my peer (a published author), my friend and my new hero. I pulled her bio from her website:

J. (Jewel) Adams was born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina. Her hard childhood spurred her imagination and later on those imaginings fueled her love for writing.

She moved to Utah in 1989 and started writing seriously a few years later.

She is a wife and the mother of eight children. When she is not home schooling her children or writing, she loves to curl up with a box of chocolates and read, her favorite books being romance and fantasy novels.

She frequently speak to youth and adult audiences. She has a great love for the youth and because of her own painful childhood, she is always anxiously engaged in helping them to understand how marvelous and special they are.

Jewel responded to a conversation on an email thread because someone sent an email saying we should be a part of history and vote for Barack Obama. I responded, I know you can guess how I responded, saying: "If only his socialist beliefs and programs didn't get in the way of me voting for him." Other responses came and then Jewel wrote this:

I am very proud to be black and I'm grateful for my ancestors. That being said, there are some black people in power, and without power, that make me a little ashamed at times. The ones in power claim they want to help those of their race and bring about equality, but they actually hinder more than they help. The name of the game is POWER.

My mother came from a prejudiced home and was brought up to believe that the black race was owed much because of what we "suffered." Fortunately, she came away believing totally the opposite. She taught us not to see color and that we are all equal in the sight of God.

We lived in housing projects a lot of the time, which we all know are government run. We lived there out of necessity just like so many others, but with one major difference. My mother did not feel that we were owed anything. Not so with so many others.

Nothing is owed to me. If I receive anything, I want it to be because I worked for it and earned it. There are only a few in my family who feel that way. The rest would rather sit around doing nothing and let the world take care of them instead of getting out and doing something to take care of themselves. Sadly, because we are raised in the tradition of our fathers, many know nothing else but this way of thinking, but some of us are fortunate enough to be blessed with the desire to break free because we want something more.

The reason I listed Booker T. Washington, George Washington Carver, Harriet Tubman, and Rosa Parks as my idols is because these people wanted more and they went out and got it. They expected nothing to be handed to them because of the color of their skin. They earned respect and they taught this by word and example. How divinely inspired they were!

The other list are people who I feel are and were, only interested in one thing: Power. Having Barack Obama as president would be bad, and not just because his beliefs and desires for this country are so off base. Many blacks would like to see this happen because of more generated equality, but I think the opposite would happen. It's like having a black and a white co-worker going for the same job, but the black gets it because the company needs to meet a minority quota. It breeds even more resentment and drives the wedge even deeper. I say let me prove myself. Don't give it to me because of the color of my skin. I don't want anything that way.

Now, tell me, why is there a Black History month? Why do we need a recognized month to celebrate our ancestors? It's basically a sympathy drawer that we don't need. Now what would happen if we suddenly had a White History month? Blacks would be in an uproar, wouldn't they?

Like George Washington's birthday, we have a Martin Luther King day, but to me Washington did far more for all of us than King ever did. As a matter of fact, the Civil Rights Movement was one of the worse things that could have ever happened to the blacks, and this country for that matter.

Change is a natural and gradual thing that can't and shouldn't be forced. Taking away the agency of others is a tool of Satan, and that is exactly what Martin Luther King tried to do. He spoke of peace, yet he led blacks out into the streets knowing exactly what would happen. Their deaths were unnecessary and it is saddening that so many believed they were doing the right thing. Change would have eventually come, but as I said, the name of the game is power.

You see, that was the difference between Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks. By refusing to move to the back of the bus, she created change without violence, proving that the small things we do are sometimes the most powerful. She was an amazing woman and I am sure her quiet ways have earned her numerous treasures in heaven. It also goes to show that the trials that assail us aren't as important as how we react and what we do with them.

As for Mandela, and Malcolm X, all I will say is that if a person condones the use of violence to promote peace and equality, then something is definitely wrong with his core beliefs. And as for Oprah, I'm sure she has done a lot of good, but there is an agenda there as well.

Finally, one of the things that absolutely irks me to no end is the use of the term African-American. Who came up with this? My ancestors could have come from Fiji or the Bahamas, or Egypt for that matter. My husband's ancestors came from Sweden and Scotland. Does that make him Swedish-American or Scottish-American? I am a Black-American, but mainly, I am an American, pure and simple. I'm a daughter of God and he has given me a good life because I wanted it. And I am grateful beyond words for it.

Jewel Adams (http://www.jadamsnovels.com)

Are you just as amazed by her as I am? Wow, I have never had this put so eloquently, succinctly and in this way. Jeremiah Wright can rant and rave that I have never been called a n*##%@. I have never lived in the projects. I have never had to fight for my rights. Jeremiah Wright can carry on all he wants, be as Anti-American as violently as he wants. But Jewel is right and he is wrong. Pop on over to her website and purchase her books. She deserves the support! Not to mention I like her writing and already own several of her books.

Alvin: We are still collecting donations. As I said, this is the most difficult thing I have ever had to ask. I have set up a Paypal Account specifically for this effort to raise the rest of the funds. Some of you have been very generous already and Alvin and I are eternally in your debt. I know times are tight right now and so if donating anything is beyond your means at this time, please know that we are still grateful for the great love you have for Alvin and the prayers you offer on his behalf. But if you are able to donate $5, $10, $15, $25 or more, we will be grateful for every dollar.

You may donate via www.paypal.com using the email address for these donations (candace.salima@gmail.com.) The funds will be downloaded from the Paypal account and into the bank account set up specifically for this purpose. You will be able to use your checking account, debit card or credit card to make the donation. This was the easiest way I could come up with. Read More on why we are raising the money at: April 15th - D-Day for Alvin.