GET IT TOGETHER OR LEAVE IT ALONE

“Once Again, We As A People Are Late. Late, late and more late…”
~ Vaughn Dap Dunlap, School Daze

Yes, this entry’s title is a quote from a Jackson (5) hit from the early ‘70s. And those are my instructions to us. Blacks, Folk, African-American—Negroes! I showed up for the Atlanta King Day Celebration March 32 minutes late. I did. And I own that. But for the parade to start 84 minutes late, I need to know who in the hell “owns” that? It’s ridiculous. Ludicrous (not Mr. Bridges, either). Why can’t we be on time?

It’s 2011. There is every type of technology you can think of at our fingertips. We are not slaves working the fields anymore (well, not technically…but that’s a whole other blog). Added to that, the weather up until around 3:30 was almost perfect (the mercury nose-dived and it started raining right when the parade ended). And I’m going to say this even though it really has no bearing, but still—we have a Black President, for crying out loud!

I enjoy fellowshipping with people and meeting new folk, but on the real—I froze out there today. I had on sufficient clothing, and even brought a hot cup of tea. Howsonever, I was not prepared to stand and wait almost an hour and a half for the march to start. Now as it was explained to me by a city official in attendance and on the job, the event cannot begin until the service at Ebenezer Baptist is over. Hmmmm. Furthermore, it appears that every year more speakers are added (say what?). This is no hate, nor sacrilege, but somebody needs to be bold enough to step up to the pulpit and tell them preachers, senators, judges, etc., to shut it down. Cue the organist to play “wrap it up music” like they do at award shows. And I know the latter can be dangerous in a Baptist church, because folk might get confused and start shouting and falling out. Still, its gotta be done.






Now a holiday in honor of Dr. King’s birthday is more than parades, speeches and all that good stuff. It is about serving others and lending a hand to your fellow man. But we are doing ourselves a serious disservice by continually being late for stuff, even something such as a march. What are we teaching our children? “Get there when you get there?” Furthermore, what are we showing the world about us as a people? I have never liked nor associated myself with the term, “colored people’s time.” Its derogatory and we need to move away from it. Now stuff happens. Things get changed around. But tardiness of this nature (an hour and change) is unacceptable. We need to stop saying that this is how we “do” or how we “be.” The belief that people of color cannot be on time, “do” or “be” full of ignorance. I fully and truly believe that if Dr. King were alive, he would say the same thing.

We cannot turn the Dream into a reality unless we get our asses where we are going on time.
~ Sonia Clark

Ashay.