The Next Sunrise

I was not mortified, incensed or even angry when I saw the cartoon depiction of the monkey getting shot by the stereotypical, fat white cops, and the caption that stated they’d have to get someone else to write the stimulus bill. I wanted to know what everyone was going to do. Were we going to organize? I thought surely by the next sunrise something big was going to happen.

A day after the nonsense was printed, I received an email telling me about the offense and I replied stop! Keep your eye on the prize. Our President, Barack Obama didn’t write the stimulus bill. He signed it. When President Obama came into office in January, he asked for economists from around the nation to assemble in Washington and come up with a stimulus package that would be a vehicle to help turn our economy around. African-American, White, Indian and Asian economists are the writers of the stimulus bill.

I do know the real meaning behind the cartoon. I also know it’s a felony to threaten the President, so the words in the depiction were chosen carefully. Don’t get me wrong. I am bothered by the fact that their ignorance has a forum, but what bothers me more is our indignation without a direction. Do you think they didn’t know we were going to express our anger? Of course! Before the depiction was printed, it had already been run by their attorneys. If the situation were reversed, our servers would have been hacked, and the building we worked in would have no lights. Please!

History has taught us that when we get angry we act, but now we should act responsibly. Do you think the people on the Underground Railroad had time to write letters and then do nothing? No! They decided they didn’t want to be slaves anymore, devised a plan, sang songs and acted. By the next sunrise. . . Masta and Missy woke up and . . .slaves gone! Rosa Parks sat down, Martin Luther King stood up! What are we doing?

By the next sunrise what will your righteous indignation have done for our Country? Since when do we need to buy those newspapers, listen to those stations and support those individuals when their purpose is to offend, denigrate and strip us of our personhood? Since when are we defined by the lead in someone else’s pencil? It’s 2009, and I don’t believe the Emancipation Proclamation was written with an expiration date.

By the next sunrise the newspaper people ought to know that this new administration and the voters are too smart to be sidetracked by buffoonery, but are more interested in how we can help our President change our nation. By the next sunrise they should know that ALL cops take their jobs seriously and need the help of citizens and do not appreciate being mocked by the media. As a caution: They might want to travel under the speed limit just in case they encounter a PETA supporting, monkey loving officer who is eager to help his community raise much needed revenue. By the next sunrise they should know our purpose is to improve our economy, healthcare, jobs and bring our troops home. We don’t support individuals who mock the leadership of our nation even though we did not, do not, have not, and won’t always agree with everything. We are a civilized, respectful people who believe in change. By the next sunrise somebody ought to know what we stand for, and it should be for more than just righteous indignation!