On May 18th, 1918 in Brooks County Georgia, a white mob lynched Hayes Turner, a Black man who may or may not have been involved in the killing of Hampton Smith, a white farmer well known for his hateful mistreatment of impoverished Black sharecroppers.
I really appreciate the clarity and breadth of this essay. Hard to read on a beautiful sunny Saturday morning but the light of truth is brutal. Especially when it shines on the racism that is foundational to our history. Keep shining the light Wayne!
I knew that would be a hard post to read Thor. I wrote and re-wrote it and re-wrote it some more just to make it easier to read and digest. Then I read it and re-read it many times considering whether to even post something so difficult to read or think about. But if I wrote east-to-read stories, I’d be writing a fantasy, right?
Hi Mark Harvey. Sheesh...I'm sorry it has taken me so long to respond. Thanks much for your note and thanks a ton for continuing to read me at least occasionally.
You’re right Heather. We ARE broken. Or ‘sick’ as I tend to say. But there’s more that we CAN do and MUST do. More on that coming up soon in one or two posts down the road. But if we don’t put the brakes on our downhill slide, we’re sure not going to be happy with the world we’re passing on to our kids.
And we're seeing more of those traits everyday. I'm worried for the country.
I really appreciate the clarity and breadth of this essay. Hard to read on a beautiful sunny Saturday morning but the light of truth is brutal. Especially when it shines on the racism that is foundational to our history. Keep shining the light Wayne!
I knew that would be a hard post to read Thor. I wrote and re-wrote it and re-wrote it some more just to make it easier to read and digest. Then I read it and re-read it many times considering whether to even post something so difficult to read or think about. But if I wrote east-to-read stories, I’d be writing a fantasy, right?
Excellent essay! Hate also is the product of arrogance and the inability for self-reflection. Two traits we see too often in American society.
Hi Mark Harvey. Sheesh...I'm sorry it has taken me so long to respond. Thanks much for your note and thanks a ton for continuing to read me at least occasionally.
We’re broken. And it seems freedom to some is just the right to be hateful assholes.
You’re right Heather. We ARE broken. Or ‘sick’ as I tend to say. But there’s more that we CAN do and MUST do. More on that coming up soon in one or two posts down the road. But if we don’t put the brakes on our downhill slide, we’re sure not going to be happy with the world we’re passing on to our kids.