The American populace, and other interested persons around the world, are still reeling from the effects of the recent presidential election. There has been a political shift that is seemingly manifested in other parts of the world. Brexit is just one example.
A lot of people are talking about fleeing circumstances; it has been said that Americans were planning to move in droves to Canada. Others are looking around the world for other suitable places. Certainly, A Trump presidency brings to mind the situation that European Jews faced during the Hitler regime in World War II. But the world is different today; we are hopefully wiser and history won’t repeat itself, which brings us to the next point.
In spite of all of the changes that are taking place around us, there is a bright light at the end of the tunnel. That bright light, for which we can be really thankful, is the power of mind, and its connection to faith (heart). This is not so much whistling in the wind; there is an escape hatch to the challenges that we face. No matter how low we go, we can always find a way up and out, if we connect our desires with the power of our minds. This is a wonderful gift that is available to humanity, and which is why it is possible to fight oppression.
African Americans have suffered greatly in America, but if the truth be told, have suffered around the world. Black people represent the greatest and least of existence; even though they have experienced the great slavery of poverty, Black people have also gained prominence and mastery of many disciplines. So, what is the difference between those who achieve a modicum of success and those who don’t? It could very well be connected to the fact that because of their experience and their heart/mind connection, they have been able to put themselves on the road to success in spite of challenges.
As Americans, this is something that we should remember as we traverse uncertain times. America is still a democracy, which is a good thing. We can determine our collective destiny. This is also true of the Black community – our situation in this country and elsewhere can be influenced by our collective action. We can WILL our circumstances; the trick however, is that we have to come to believe that this option is true.
There are precedents for this notion, and master teachings throughout the ages have delivered this message. The following is just one that is taken from The Gospel According to Mark: “For verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, ‘Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea’; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” This passage is just one of many that have been handed down to humanity as guideposts for living. When we look around us, it is easy to see why things are somewhat chaotic. We tend to forget that attitudes are more important than circumstances, and that we reap what we sow. We have also often forgotten the golden rule, “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.” That rule alone would instantly change our collective circumstances. Imagine what our communities would be like if we followed these simple rules. Black on Black murder would cease and we would spend money with each other because we would understand that our destinies are connected.
We must remember these ideas as we embark upon the Thanksgiving Holiday during strange times. We can be thankful that there are still possibilities for positive change if we make the decision to take advantage of opportunities like voting, for example. During this last election, a lot of African Americans did not bother to go to the polls. That was a missed opportunity to control our destiny. The good thing, however, is that in a democracy, we will always get another chance to get it right. With this said, the Crusader wishes for you and yours a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.
