Black History Month (Don Imus, Dr. Laura, Buffalo Ny, Cleveland Heights) Poem by Luke Easter

The cries of the weak and helpless are heard from the shore,
To a ship bound for the America’s under the master’s roar,
“Up the anchor, set all sails, let this profitable journey begin, ”
With a laugh, “you’re safety’s temporary, we’ll be back again.”

If today’s descendants of slavery had a small idea, if they only knew,
For freedom the daily struggles their ancestors had to go through,
There could never be a class to prepare or nothing you’d ever do,
Black kids would realize wearing pants below the butt, is not cool.

February’s the selected month celebrating what’s called Black History,
Why we only have one and not all twelve is an even bigger mystery,
Not that I’m in denial about the planting & harvest of Blacks as slaves,
But, is there really that much difference between now and yesterday?

And if there truly is then how come African Americans don’t rejoice,
Exercising this freedom in the form of voting, we died for this choice,
Doing well in school, obeying parents, seeking to expand and excel,
The 21st century practice of bondage is simply none other than jail.

And the 13th Amendment really wasn’t all that effective because,
Many Blacks are still slaves, this time to smoking, drinking & drugs,
What’s the sign of a predominantly black neighborhood? Think fast,
The streets and schools of the inner city are usually filled with trash.

The bible tells us that, “a house divided against itself will not stand, ”
Some Blacks act like they’re charter members of the Klu Klux Klan,
I never read in the paper; heard from a radio, saw on television news,
Whites shooting other Whites for Starter Jackets or Air Jordan shoes.

February is more than the exploits of Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King,
It’s about the everyday pride of our history to each other we excitedly bring,
After the day is over, chores are done, are you willing to answer the call?
Black America is more than hip-hop rappers or playground basketball.

There’s big money in entertainment and sports, millions earned and paid,
Truth is that many of our people still have to struggle with minimum wage,
Back History is more than meager celebrations, a speech or gala parades,
It’s Black Americans presenting ourselves as examples every single day.

Plantations, cotton fields, whipped, raped, hung 24/7, cruelty didn’t tarry,
Slavery was the backbone of building this country & all we get is February?
Who was responsible for the crops, creating growth, centuries of hard work?
As breath of life left our bodies we weren’t allowed burial in the same dirt.

Slaves taught each other to read and learn the bible, reaching for the stars,
Some even had the nerve to set their goals far beyond the planet Mars,
Considered property, a statement about our race is that we’d NEver GROw,
Those latter two words combined were used to identify our race as Negro.

2008, we’ve more than paid the price with mountains of blood, sweat & tears,
It’s time to stop setting aside one month and start recognizing us by years,
Yowza master, yessir boss, are these times actually many decades in the past?
If we continue killing & disrespecting our own race how long can we last?

Don Imus uses the word, “Ho’s” so we have condemn him to hell,
Hip-Hop Rappers use it in songs, millions of records they will sell,
There is a huge outrage and a cry of racism when used by Whites,
However, Blacks describe their women with this and it is all right?

Guy #1 broadcast it on talk radio and he is fiercely under attack?
#2 dudes get a pass played on likewise radio cause they're Black,
Certainly it’s a double standard so should there be any mystery?
Why do we have such a hard time? Disrespecting our own history!

Chicago, Detroit, New Orleans, NYC & South Central, LA,
Murders in the Black communities average several per day,
You don’t have to be in a gang when shooters just drive by,
Just being Black anywhere is the only criteria needed to die.

Ok how many of you know who created the elevator, Alexander Mils,
And Richard Spikes, invented the gearshift creating automatic thrills
Joseph Gambol, Super Charge System Internal Combustion Engines,
Garrett A. Morgan, traffic light signals were his contributing invention.

John Love’s pencil sharpener along with William Purvey’s fountain pen,
Albert R. Robinson, rapid transit system’s electric trolley, all Black men,
Joseph Smith the Lawn Sprinkler, the Hand Stamp William Purvey again,
Dr. Charles R. Drew pioneered techniques preserving blood plasma when?

I am sure at this point, that some of you are just about beginning to ask?
No, Garrett Morgan did not invent but he did help updat the gas mask,
Also, the surgeon who helped stabilize plasma did not die as many say,
He fell asleep at the wheel and a white hospital did not turn him away,

John Burr did the Lawn Mower, Lee Barrage’s new Type Writing Machine,
Charles Brooks, mastermind behind the street sweeper too keep cities clean,
Phillip Downing the Letter Drop, W. A. Love the Advanced Printing Press,
William Barry the Postmarking & Canceling Machine, nothing but the best.

Everyday we use, Thomas W. Steward the Mop, Lloyd P. Ray the Dust Pan,
Granville T. Woods, the automatic cut off switch yep still another Black man,
Frederick Jones cool with the Air Conditioner, Lewis Lattimer Electric Lamp,
Alice Parker, Heating Furnace & how many Blacks were Heavyweight Champ?

Jan E. Matzelinger the Shoe Lacing Machine while Walter Sammons the Comb,
Sarah Boone invented the Ironing Board, millions depend on these in their home,
John Standard invented the refrigerator yeah just like this list the band played on,
Many African Americans are engaged in doing & creating right instead of wrong.

Life is more than entertainment, music Grammy’s and athletic MVP’s,
Alex Haley’s “Roots” is something middle school students should see,
There’s more to African Americans than Snoop Dogg, Beyonce, Jay-Z,
Almost before everyone reading this was born that’s real Black History.

Last but not least, for all of the years of slavery and discrimination we did tarry,
There are twelve months in every year so why do we get the shortest, February?
Well, if you think that’s a slap in the face stop what you’re doing and think again,
Because we are in a very exclusive club, how exclusive? Read “American Indian.”

In Leviticus sacrifices to God must be, “without blemish” this is how we should strive,
To respond on a daily basis not through arrogance, standing tall with historical pride,
One of the greatest oracles ever delivered was on August 28,1963, “I Have A Dream, ”
Without battlefield soldiers like Rosa Parks there's no generals like Martin Luther King.

02/10/10 A Metro Seattle bus terminal was the scene of a senseless and vicious attack,
A 15 year-old female was minding her business then viscously beaten by another Black,
After the beat down she was stomped & kicked in the head as Metro Security looked on,
While lying unconscious another Black teen stole her purse & the gang of ten was gone.

Yeah right February the month assigned to honor African American History and celebrate,
An innocent young lady lies so badly injured it’ll take medical professionals to resuscitate,
While the gang escaped up the escalator laughing like hyenas there is some good news,
The assault was captured on video surveillance cameras & of course it’s now on you tube.

OK, I challenge you to watch the injustice like the 3 Metro Guards, who did not get involved,
Now this means that just more than the act of, “Attempted Murder” also needs to be solved,
And the saddest most disturbing of all, is this not a one time thing or even an isolated case,
Never in recorded history have another people been so intent on destroying their own race.

Black on Black crime while the attitude of security seemed to be let them kill each other,
Not Whites, Asians, Hispanics no other race or creed just our own sisters and brothers,
Why join the military go to a foreign country fight a war where you seem to be all alone?
Put on your fatigues grab your weapons start the car there’s a battle right here at home.

Probably the most amazing things are the incidents occurring in the years 2009 and 2010,
Because in 2008 Barack H. Obama ran for President Of The United States oh did he win?
Blacks get very upset as people like Rush Limbaugh & Sarah Palin show him no respect,
Republicans, Democrats sure but then neither do some of us what else would you expect?

02/11/10, there is a push on cable news to question the security guards and that too is fine,
However, they are missing the main point about this, which is BOBC, Black On Black Crime,
Slavery to freedom back to slavery as at least 5 are charged with felonies, possible jail time,
This cancer of a blatant disregard for human life is malignant so how can we make it benign?

June 1 1921, how many reading this have ever heard of the name, “Black Wall Street? ”
A prime example of how before “Nike” as a Nationality we could successfully compete,
Alas, a major African American movement resoundingly defeated and utterly destroyed,
So why? Obviously because of jealousy on the part of the racial majority being annoyed.

Now, let’s fast forward to the annals of our race in corporate main street of America today,
There’s no longer a need for outside interference because openly we keep ourselves away,
Truly it is not from any other thing except by what Black Americans choose to do and say,
We have to do what brought us out of bondage in the first place, we must unite and pray.

08/12/2010 Dr. Laura confronts a caller, uses the “N” word 11 times & all hell breaks loose,
Urban League, NAACP, countless awareness groups are crying foul just like Mother Goose,
The homicide count of African American youth gunned down in Chicago has risen sky high,
A Black community comes together seeking an apology from Whites but not Blacks uh why?

Outside a nightclub in Buffalo 8/14/10 a shooting leaves many wounded at least 4 are dead,
At 2: 30 AM when most people are safe and secure at home while comfortably tucked in bed,
As BuffaloNews.com publishes criminal records for 7 of the 8 because of their unsavory seed,
And relatives are upset at the newspaper? They didn’t pull the trigger causing Blacks to bleed.

Okay, exactly why are law enforcement agencies so quick to stop or question Blacks?
Maybe it could be the current modern day history of gang affiliated assaults & attacks?
Think of what other nationality will beat their own race for refusing to buy & use drugs?
Where many inner city kids are not interested in being students they’d rather be thugs.

Black students are being detained, questioned in Ohio’s exquisite Solon and Pepper Pike,
And for just being an African American does not automatically switch this wrong to a right,
However, before anyone starts pointing fingers at sworn protectors, city or suburban cops,
We as a nationality must first show respect amongst each other in order to make it stop.

Is this to say African Americans are never unjustly accused, certainly not,
However, it is to say that in most circumstances we are all that we’ve got,
So although we should never be afraid of facing a noose seeking to hang,
There is still a threat just as deadly if not even scarier, called rival gangs.

African Americans need to stoop blaming others when we’re the one’s who are dirty low down,
It has gotten to the point where all races not just Whites, do not want Blacks anywhere around,
This behavior is more than pitiful, it is ungodly, disrespectful, demeaning, an outright disgrace,
We hold the highest office on earth maybe President Obama wasn’t born in the United States.

No there is not a mistake, “Stoop” in lieu of, “Stop” because it denotes humble,
If there is constructive conversation many Blacks instinctively want to rumble,
Martin Luther King Jr. did not get results with his fists or a 9 millimeter Glock,
Now is the time for us to move forward & become peacemakers on the block.

Most Black youth and young adults are more familiar with Frank Lucas’ fame,
Denzell Washington portrayed him, “American Gangster” was the film’s name,
Gang leaders, pimps, players, hustlers, pushers, as though these are heroes,
But by adding up the total of destruction in our neighborhoods the sum is zero.

African American people, a nation, have shed an ocean of blood to flee slavery,
And yet how many are even the least bit familiar with the truth of Black History?
Slave ships, beat like animals, sold for 2 dollars, centuries none heard the cry,
Not gang violence but back of the bus, cannot eat here, for these causes we died.

Not to disrupt a festival July,2011, in the calmness of Coventry, Cleveland Heights,
Disrespectful, riotous behavior & forcing a curfew law then crying about your rights,
What about rights of city residents who use the area for a gathering/meeting place?
To mingle with other families, shop, eat & whatever, it’s about safety not about race.