SOLIDARITY With Herbert H. Thomas, Jr., Ph.D. “Truth without Compromise”

We are living in a time where the truth is sugar coated with compromise and an inability to stop the perpetuation of systemic racism that exists in the United States. Inequalities and injustices against a people should not be in a country that says a land of the free. A country with a Preamble to the U.S. Constitution’s that states “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, ensure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” Every person, man, woman or child regardless of race, color of skin should experience fairness and justice in the United States.

Unfortunately, we live in a time that racism is prevalent and many are bold enough to not hide how they fill about African Americans. I welcome you to the first issue of LEGACY eMagazine’s infusion of Solidarity, which is a straight talk of truth from Dr. Herbert Thomas, Jr. It was birth out of his passion for sharing “truth without compromise” to African Americans and others willing to read, to create awareness, exposure and at times guidance on how to handle history from our past and future. This issue provides you with insight on the systemic racism and white supremacy that is profound in our country, we call the United States of America. It will shed light on eye-opening history that will push you to want to learn more. Before we get started, here are some definitions to distinguish the difference between racism, white supremacy and white privilege.

What is racism? Racism is defined as prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against a person or people on the basis of their membership of a particular racial or ethnic group, typically one that is a minority or marginalized. Simply put racism is social power combined with legal authority. What is White supremacy? the belief that white people are superior to those of all other races, especially the black race, and should therefore dominate society. What is White Privilege? A social and legal system designed to allow one to take advantage of and have the benefit of the doubt, due to their skin color.

Think about it, 40 of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence owned slaves, 10 of the first 12 presidents owned slaves, the third stanza of the National Anthem talked about killing slaves and Francis Scott Key owned slaves, and the U.S. currency has pictures of men that were slave owners. When one reads the constitution, it only mentioned the word “slave” once, the 13th amendment. The constitution referred to slaves as “such persons” or “property”, and the constitution allowed for the slave ships to keep going until at least 1808. Slave ownership ended in 1865 but today oppression continued. We see it in magnified forms of white supremacy and political policies. Examine the following “schools of thought” on white supremacy. As you review each thought, critically think about the ways African Americans have been beleaguered in this country, the 400-years of silence and the continued systemic ways of oppression.

White supremacy is killing a slave for reading or possessing anti-slavery material and still be considered three fifths of a person. The U.S. has military bases named after treasonous traitors from the Civil War. If you walked into the State Capitol of TN. They have (hopefully it has been removed

by now) a bust of Nathan Bedford Forrest, a known general for the confederacy and many say he was not only a member, but started the KKK. They lie and say the Civil War was over states’ rights and taxation. The states wanted the right to own slaves, so they could continue to pick the cotton and tobacco. The cotton and tobacco was being taxed; therefore, they wanted the slaves to keep doing all the hard work for free. Think about this: They killed American soldiers so they would have the right to continue to enslave people. Lincoln paid slave owners in the D.C. area $300 reparations for each slave (this was considered lost property). After General William Sherman met with some Black pastors in Savannah, GA. in early 1865, he figured the Union was going to win the war. He asked these pastors what could the govt. do to assist them? They responded by saying getting land and they would till and work with their very own hands and allowing their young men to serve in the military. They understood the value of owning property and working that property to take care of their families.

Here’s another example of White supremacy: Lincoln gave away 50 million of acres in the midwest and west to White peasant settlers and 100 million acres to the railroads. However, when Sherman, along with radical Republican Senators Thaddeus Stevens of PA. and Charles Sumner of MA. (who actually got beaten with a cane on the senate floor for given an anti-slavery speech by Preston Brooks, who was from South Carolina) made a recommendation to Lincoln that each Black family receives 40 acres and a mule, Lincoln rejected it. After the assassination of Lincoln, Andrew Johnson also rejected the 40 acres and a mule recommendation. Conservative economists say if Blacks would have received their 40 acres and a mule, it would equate into today’s dollars of at least 3 trillion dollars in the African American Community.

White supremacy is when a guy (Rutherford B. Haynes) loses the popular vote, but cuts a deal with the electoral college to appoint Supreme Court and federal judges, the atty. general, and a promise to remove the federal troops from the south. This allowed the Civil Rights Act of 1875 to be repealed and groups like the KKK to form and states to implement Black Codes.

White supremacy is when a White woman named Cindy Hyde-Smith gets elected to the U.S. Senate from Mississippi after making comments of wanting to have a front row seat at a public hanging. Then she had the nerve to say if you took offense to her comments you are just too sensitive. White supremacy is when you have public lynching’s with police assistance. They use to send postcards in the mail of Blacks being lynched.

White Supremacy allowed White soldiers to take advantage of the G.I. Bill, but not Black soldiers.

White Supremacy allowed Blacks to be legally redlined out of certain neighborhoods.

White Supremacy legally allowed banks not to loan money to Blacks, even if they met all criteria.

White supremacy prevented most Blacks from paying into social security for 19 years. FDR had to cut a deal in his “New Deal” that would not allow agriculture and domestic workers the ability to pay into social security. Who do you think had these types of job?

White Supremacy allowed for schools to remain segregated, even after the Brown v. Board of Education case of 1954.

White Supremacy allows for the U.S. to have 25% of the world’s incarcerated population, but the U.S. is only 5% of the World’s population.

White Supremacy allows for Michael Vick to get more time in prison versus all the cops who have killed unarmed Black men and women.

White Supremacy allows for the unfair gerrymandering of voting districts.

White Supremacy allows for an outdated voting structure called the electoral college to still remain in place.

White Supremacy is when politicians stand idly by and watch a man deliberately destroy and run amuck of the U.S. Constitution, spew racial rhetoric, lie constantly, roll back laws that protect people from racial discrimination, environmental protection, abuse governmental power, and say absolutely nothing, but will harass and undermined the policies and efforts of a Black President.

White Supremacy is conducting intentional voter suppression, the U.S. Supreme Court (unanimous decision with Clarence Thomas) ruled that North Carolina acted in surgical precision to disenfran-

chise Black voters. After the Supreme Court made a ruling in 2013 (Shelby County v. Holder), it left Blacks with less voting protection than they had in 1965. Since 2010, at least 22 states have implemented voter suppression laws.

White supremacy is when the state of Tennessee is trying to implement a law to prevent people from their constitutional right to peaceful assembly and protest. They want to arrest and strip you of the right to vote, if you protest. White Supremacy and White privilege is when White terrorist are arrested alive and given immediate medical attention and water. Dylan Roof was arrested for killing 9 Black church members, after sitting one hour with them at a Bible Study. The arresting cops took him to Burger King for a hamburger before taking him to jail. I’m sure this is not in the police protocol manual after you make an arrest of someone who just committed murder.

White supremacy is how Black criminals and White criminals are described by the media. They use terms for Whites like: “mental issues”, “troubled childhood”, “nobody saw this coming”, and “coming from an unstable home.” These are terms they use to describe Blacks: “thug”, “had violent tendencies”, “prior police record” “gang related”, and “possible drugs involved.”

White Supremacy is having laws that prevent people from getting certain jobs if they are convicted of a felony. Many states will not allow a person to get a license to be a barber, cosmetologist, plumber, electrician, or even sell insurance if they have been convicted of a felony. They will not let them vote, even after they have paid their debt to society.

White Supremacy is making the citizens of Washington, D.C. pay taxes without representation in congress or the Senate. That’s why they have on their license plates “Taxation Without Representation.”

White supremacy is when they intentionally under fund HBCUs.

White supremacy is when states try to make it illegal to film police while they are on duty, but then not make it mandatory for police officers to wear body cameras or turn them on. used this tactic and this is how Breonna Taylor got shot and killed.

White supremacy is allowing police to hide under “qualified immunity” when they shoot or brutalized someone. The police system was born from the old slave patrols of 1704. The slave patrols were implemented to capture escaped slaves, quell any revolt or uprising, and terrorize and intimidate the slaves by any means necessary. So, when people say the system is stacked against them, please listen to them. There are mountains of evidence to support their claim. The U.S. was never set up for Blacks to thrive and be equal citizens with equal rights.

As you can see, white supremacy is not just a belief that white people are superior to those of all other races, it is systemic racism that is wrapped in ways to keep African Americans from progressing and thriving to live the American dream according to the precepts outlined in the Constitution.

References: • https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-transcript • https://www.google.com/search?q=de fine+racism&rlz=1C1SQJL_enU -

S891US891&oq=define+racism&aqs= chrome..69i57j0l7.2926j1j4&sourceid= chrome&ie=UTF-8 • https://www.google.com/search?q=de fine+white+supremacy&rlz=1C1SQJL_enU

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Biography: Dr. Thomas is an advocate for social justice and equality. He is an avid reader and prolific writer of Black History and Church History. He is a motivational speaker with a storyteller style that captivates audiences through his engaging method of delivery. His research interest includes: studying African American economics and the role of television and film in the psychological development of the African American community. In addition, Dr. Thomas challenges the conscious of others in regards to racism and voter suppression, through a variety of platforms. He earned his B.S. and M.S. from Alabama State University and his Ph.D. from the University of Missouri-Columbia.