Whippin's (Bring Back The Belt!)

I've recently had cause to reflect on my childhood. The thing that stands out most in my mind were the butt whippin's.
My step-dad had old school country values. I'm not sure exactly what that means but it translated into plenty of the long drawn out old school tanning of one's backside. Didn't... I.... tell... you... too... stop... (fill in the blank).
*Hot Wheel tracks - they don't really hurt much. They're really not flexible enough.
*The big wooden spoon hanging on the dining room wall- they are too stiff and the pain doesn't really linger.
*The traditional switch (which one had to pick and de-leaf one's self)- they sting more than they hurt.
*Extension cords- probably the second best tool as far as efficacy.
*The strap one uses to sharpen a straight razor- now we're talking. This was the tool of choice. Hung on the bottom loop of my parents' staircase, it was a constant reminder of our fate if we were to mis-step on the tightrope my parents called discipline. We were whipped so often and so badly that we thought Kunta Kinte was a sissy. Denzel's character in "Glory"? Ne...ga...ro, please! After a while they became ineffective and something to be avoided but not necessarily feared.
Once (I must have been about six years old), Donny -my best friend at the time- and I stole little cowboys and Indians and those little green army men from a T.G.&Y. I had told my mom that his mom bought them for us, while he was to tell his mom that my mom bought them for us. This was our "master plan". We never thought that our mothers would call to thank each other for the "gift". His mother called us into her home (You know that feeling of foreboding - when something is wrong but you're not exactly sure what? This was one of those moments) to whip us. She then sent us to my house to get a second whipping. We then had to go back to his house and wait for his father to come home. A third whipping took place. We then had to go to my house. This was the forth plague of the Apocalypse. We cried the whole hour and seventeen minute wait. This whippin' would have made "masta' " proud. One crime - four whippings. My step-dad said: "I bet you won't steal again". "I won't get caught again", I whimpered, under my breath.
The most effective beating I received was from the neighbor across the street. I was playing with the children of the house that morning. I had skipped breakfast, in order to fit in as much play time into the day as possible. Being hungry, I reached around the corner and was stealing strips of bacon from the counter top. Pinky (the children's mother) watched as one piece went missing after another. After the third or fourth piece was taken, Pinky grabbed my hand. She whipped me. Back in those days, the neighbors could (and did) whip any child deserving to be whipped. Afterwards she made me sit down to eat breakfast. She told me that she would feed me if I was hungry but never to steal what someone would give to me. I remember this whippin' well. Not only was I punished, I was taught and corrected. To this day, I still kind of flinch when I see Pinky.
In dealing with all of these bad little "niglets", I have one thing to say. Bring back the belt!

Everone is racist

Everyone is racist- but not everyone is a Racist. When I lived in California- race was an issue but it wasn't the issue. Since moving to Texas- nine days out of ten, an issue regarding race comes up. Am I just more aware of race since moving? I don't know. It just comes up in everything.
Today I had a long discussion about the Black responsibility in dealing with racial issues and again was tagged with the "Uncle-Tom" title. The same people who cited a Tom Wise authored article on the white responsibility to race attempted to discredit my opinions. Earlier, I stated that racism in America (at this point in time) isn't a Black/White issue so much as it is a Black issue. In quoting a white person's message to white people - the same people made a stronger case for my message to black people. They don't see it that way. Personal responsibility only applies to white people?
There are so many "ist"s ; sexist, racist, fascist, ... . I'm pretty sick of the titles when many people don't understand their meanings. How can it be racist when a white person uses the term "those people" (in referring to others of a different race) but not when a Mexican, Black, Asian or whatever use it to describe whites? I'm not an apologist for whites. I just think that ascribing a higher standard for whites implies the inferiority of other races and cultures. I think that we need to get to the point where race isn't the issue, to where race just becomes incidental.
I may be inherently racist but I try not to let those judgements determine how I treat others. Some would argue that this example is just using prudent judgement predicated on race, culture or looks and since I don't mistreat people based on these judgements - I'm not really racist. It's still racist, just to an acceptable degree. I'm racist - not a Racist.

What the "F" is White Guilt ?

Recently, I was browsing different sites and blogs just to see who was saying what. I stumbled across a community on a blog site dealing with "White Guilt" Is this an actual phenomenon or is it the latest trendy new age malady? Did/do you own slaves? Did/do you oppress minorities? In my opinion, this is just the new mantra for white Obama supporting, "one of my best friends is Black" stating, Kanye West loving, Roscoe's Chicken-n-Waffles eating, well intentioned but ultimately condescending liberals.
My other question was "What/Who is White? (Capitalization intended) When did those people become white? Are Jewish people white. Are Italians white. Are Irish people white? What about the Spanish (from Spain)? I read an article about the problems Italy has with the Roma. From an American point of view, Both of these groups are Italian. Are the Sicilians, Italian? Aren't all of these groups considered to be white? How did/do the Irish make being Protestant or Catholic into a killing offense?
White guilt...Why? This is the most arrogant, self-important, and racist mind-set since..."White Trash". What the heck is white trash (or TPT)? How is it a racist statement? It implies that all whites are better by default. The anomalies are "White (or Trailer Park) Trash". What do those same people say about "the blacks"? What name or title is given them? Black, African-American if one is being polite. N***** if one is being more honest.
Barney the purple dinosaur has more credibility than the people suffering from "White Guilt". At least Barney knew that he was fake.

Home

"There's no place like home", according to Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. "Home is where the heart is" states someone else.
I was on another site that lets one comment and give advice on the places they've lived. I always look at the Riverside/Inland Empire page. Most people hate the I.E.. I love it. "Why don't you move to L.A." they ask. I like going to L.A., The O.C. and South-Town but Riverside is home (even though I now live in Beaumont, Texas).
In Riverside, everything is brown. The dried weeds on the hillsides are brown. The people are various shades of brown - or at the least very tan. The sky is even, more often than not, brown. Crime has been on the rise since a nice house in a nice area became more affordable than a shack in "the hood" that is South-Central L.A. . Employment is mostly blue-collar and housing (by most standards not California) is over priced. The hills catching fire every summer is as reliable as the thick blanket of smog rolling in from the west most evenings. Not only can you see the smog, or smell it, you can taste it - even feel it (in your eyes and lungs). Mix that aroma of smog with that of the skunks that litter the roadways and you have true Riverside.
Delightful.
Okay, not really. Most of my childhood friends have left for the more glamorous coastal cities. Even I don't live there anymore. But I wish that I did. Why? For the same reasons I've listed for people not wanting to live there. The smog blows through to Moreno Valley at night. The smog on summer nights still hurts your lungs. But I miss feeling the warm cerulean sky on those summer nights. I miss the mix of hood and good. I miss eating tamales on Christmas Eve at Fernie's mom"s house. I miss the quick flight (or long drive) to Vegas on a whim. I miss Wednesday poker night - where there would be a Blood sitting next to a Crip sitting next to a prep sitting next to a stoner sitting next to an Esse' sitting next to a skin. I miss the Mission Inn, Mario's and T.G.I. Friday's (in San Bernardino). I miss going up to the snow in Arrowhead and/or getting drunk and kicked off the roof at the Hilton (thanks Turtle). I miss my pretty, smart, thin (not skinny) and nice female friends. (Everything really is bigger in Texas) I miss being able to date inter-racially without standing out in a crowd. I miss the potential that is Riverside.
Funny thing about Riverside-It's in the middle of nowhere... but in the middle of everywhere.

Hook Me Up !

I went blog-surfing today and discovered a few things.
Most Black-run blogs have a"Blame-Whitey" drift to them. ( Conservative- from a Black prospective). The more liberal (i.e. open to change- progressive) Black-run blogs are viewed to be more like "Chicken Little" than they are the kid in "The Emperors New Clothes".
It's funny that the same titles could mean different things, in different situations.
A conservative white is seen as racist while a "conservative" Black is seen as a victim.
A liberal White is seen as generous and caring while a liberal Black is seen as selling out.
According to Websters :
-conservative a. tending to conserve; disposed to maintain existing institutions; hostile to change; n.one opposed to hasty changes or innovations.
-liberal a.open-minded; generous; catholic; unbiased n.one who favors greater political and religious freedom from tradition.
If one refuses to change from an ideology that enslaves many of it's members but steadfastly holds onto the traditional "Blame-Whitey" mentality- would you call that person a conservative? Yes, I would. But go ahead, hold on to those dogma which hold you back, which keep you from reaching the full promise that America has to offer. "Keep it real".
Now, on the other hand - if one believes that our current Black culture is deficient in many ways and realizes that it is easier to change one's self than it would be to change society, isn't that liberal?
Another blog tried to point out that too many Blacks have a Master/Slave relationship. One of affirmative -action, welfare and a litany of other entitlements. I don't think that it's master/slave so much as a "Hook a Brotha' Up" state of mind. Not networking but "hook me up".
Don't get me wrong, I would rather help a beggar than to be a beggar. I'll help anyone who's willing to help one's self (even better to help someone who helps others). I'm just tired of so many Brotha's wanting the hook-up.

Racist Blacks ?

Can Black people be racist? Several prominent Black leaders say no. They say that Blacks don't have the financial authority or resources to be racist.
I live in a 100% Black neighborhood. One day a lawyer inquired about purchasing a lot on which to build a house. She explained that her husband was also a lawyer and that he would come later to finalize the deal. The (Black) wife and her (White) husband came to talk to the owners of the property. Upon seeing that a White person wanted to move into our neighborhood, the offer was rejected. This is a true story. The owners and neighbors told me about the details of the situation. When I told them that they were racists, they replied; "So what, they've been doing it to us for years." I just said; "What are you...5? You sound like children who use the excuse- 'He hit me first' ". So yes, using the rules put forth by Spike Lee and others, Blacks can be racist.
There are many things that Blacks do that if Whites did the Whites would be called racists.
I know you've heard this all before:
BET - Black Entertainment (One can't have White Entertainment)
Ebony- (One can't have Ivory and gear it towards whites)
Black this ,Black that-Enterprise,Voices,Miss Black America, etc.
The "Tom Joiner Show" is quick to call someone racist. If you replaced the hosts with White hosts and put Black wherever they state White (in their routines)- Al Sharpton, Jessie Jackson, Louis Farrakahn and every other self-serving polemic would be out in force.
We all need to grow a thicker skin and take responsibility for our words and actions.
By comparing ourselves to the worst we become the comfortable in our own ineptitude.
Like the child in "The Emperors' New Clothes" learned- the truth is the truth.

Why so angry?

You know, I miss when I used to work at Friday's and would get off from work and have little arguments/discussions/debates with ErickA and Danny and have everyone else put their two cents in. I still owe ErickA a retort from two years ago on gay marriage. I miss how integrated the place was and not having race determine who ones friends were. I wish that I could actually get feedback on ideas and not hate mail. I guess people get upset when one points out their shortcomings.
How do people find my e-mail address? Why don't they just post their comments?
I've gotten mail asking me why I'm so down on the Black race or why am I so angry. The thing is, I'm not down on the Black race, I am disappointed in the prevailing Black popular culture. Is it a rapper's fault that if he makes a video that looks like an R-rated movie and that video gets shown at a time when children are watching? No. Most rap videos should be shown after the "family-hour". The rappers know that their videos contain adult content, the music networks know that these videos should be shown at a later time but kids buy music and they have to sell to their audience.
I guess I am a bit upset with people who fail to adapt, even when it is in there best interests. My main point is this; everyone who wants equal authority-needs to have equal accountability and understand the responsibility that goes with that authority. Hold EVERYONE accountable on the SAME level without blaming others for your situation.
Do I think my views are popular? Maybe with a Klansman. The problem with this thinking is that racist people hate me more than they do the stereotypical "ghetto" black. The "ghetto Black" is just proving all of the stereotypes to be true. I'm kind-of like Jessie Owens to Hitler in the Olympics.
I'm not trying to tear any race down. My goal is to build-up all people. Frederick Douglas said; " I will join with anybody to do good but nobody to do bad." I'm just telling it like I see it but I feel
like Casandra from Greek mythology.
Believe it or not , I hadn't intended for race to be so prevalent in this blog. Being in Texas you're inundated with race. Crime...Black and Latinos . Oppression... the "Blame-Whitey" chants start. Like Rodney King said; "Can't we all just get along?"
Actually we can't. Not until we respect (not just tolerate) each other.
Goodnight, UBJ

Who's Your (Black) Daddy?

Today I had to help one of my little cousins get ready for his high school prom. This is the same cousin that I; taught how to drive, acted as his personal trainer, tutored and mentored through adolescence. I have a lot of cousins with whom I go through this same process. In the Bible it says; ..Blessed is he who is father to the fatherless.. . Is this what the Bible was talking about? Most of the kids I mentor have fathers- they just don't know who their father is or their father is nowhere to be found. Why do so many Black children grow up without a father and in turn end up being absentee fathers themselves?
Q- Who's your daddy?
A- In too many instances this question cannot be answered. My father died when I was one year old. My "daddy" was from the South, from the country, in the military, on drugs -and my STEP-DAD! Talk about mean and strict. The thing is; he was there. He made me do things (chores, homework,sports,etc.) that I didn't feel like doing. But he was there. I tell my "little-niglets" (that's what I call them all-to their faces-they think it's a funny name) about my adventures growing up. About the times I've been in trouble. I always thought that my step-dad was mean, but we were just some bad little kids (I was the "good" one). Too many Black boys don't learn respect (to have it or to earn it) in the home, they don't practice respect at school, they don't treat people with respect on the street. This cycle leads to them fighting for "respect" in the showers of prisons across the country- while leaving their boys in the hands of overwhelmed single mothers. The question shouldn't be; "Who's your daddy" but "where's your daddy".

How Could You Vote for Bush?

-Annon. - "You had me..." As far as Bush being the worst president of the last 80 years - I'd put him up there with Nixon and Carter- tied for worst for different reasons. Voting for Bush (unintentionally) precipitated our country's current situation in allowing a moderate Republican, a woman or a black to be our next President. I took a calculated risk ,in voting for Bush, that he couldn't do any worse (I guess I was wrong) and that Kerry was the wrong man at the wrong time.
-Annon.- Welfare/Immigration I didn't say that all people on welfare were abusing the program. In fact I think that it our moral obligation to help those people who need help. As far as these welfare recipients filling the void left by illegals- it wouldn't. But by bringing some of these people into the workforce it would diminish (very little) the need for illegals in some situations while lowering our costs for welfare. The rest of the job opening could be filled with documented workers with work-visas and green cards.
The month or so following 9/11, America had a greater sense of unity than it had had in the last sixty years. During this time period we were more focused on what we had in common. Being inundated by illegals creates too many differences in beliefs, language and culture - which cannot be effectively absorbed into American society. If American culture is terrible- why cross the border? I'm not "illegal-bashing" but these illegals took a calculated risk in entering our country without papers. The jig is up...they lost the bet, it's time to pay the price for breaking our laws. There is a sensible, feasible and even compassionate answer to the illegal-immigration issue and it involves (but is not limited to) respect for our laws.
D-Pizz 19th? Saying that we are genetically different sets up a greater argument for inferiority based on past performance. Are we genetically different? Well, yes. We wouldn't have different hair, skin and/or tolerances (i.e. flu, diabetes or hypertension) if this weren't true. But these genetic traits have more to do with adaptability than they do with behavior or competence.
Q- Why do we focus on the 10% that makes us different and not the 90% that we all have in common?
A- We have no common enemy? We have several: poverty, ignorance, A.I.D.S., cancer, the economy, national defense... All of the important issues of this campaign season.
- We lack strong and inspirational leadership? This may be the case. A leader doesn't do all of the work. They're like the quarterback of our national team. We citizens need to make sure that we execute our responsibilities and earn the respect of our team mates- before we point our finger at others for not doing their job. A quarterback guides his team(only occasionally does he carry it) with a plan for accomplishing both short and long term goals. Even Jesus knew that if he started with twelve disciples and they grew the church exponentially- they (as a whole) could accomplish more than any one man could.
-We've become fat, lazy and satisfied in our dissatisfaction.

I Don't Know...

In writing this blog, I'm not so presumptuous as to think that I have all of the answers or that my answers are entirely correct and apply to every situation. In writing these theses, I am attempting to get beyond race and address the real problems and hoping that someone has a good answer. Simply restating the problem doesn't solve the problem. I am attempting to learn, more than I am trying to teach. Why do I preface most topics with race? A valid question. We in America are so busy fighting over the crumbs (race, religion, nationality, etc) that we miss the meal. The racial problems in America aren't so much Black/White/Latino/Asian or (?) but are more socio-economic. Blacks don't have problems with whites as much as they have a problem with themselves. It's mainly the whole "House N----- - Field N-----" mentality. "Annon." & "Dpizz" I see your points of view but I don't understand them (yet).
Q- Why do Blacks expect/hope for reparations?
A- Most Blacks that want reparations have only heard part of the whole "40 acres and a mule" story. General Sherman issued this promise to accommodate the large African-American population fleeing slavery and/or fighting for the North. This wasn't a promise issued by the U.S. government but was a short term idea to fix a much larger problem. When people say that blacks were slaves to America for 400 years, they're incorrect. The United States didn't become a country until 1787. Slaves were freed in 1865 (actually this date is two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. Texas, still behind the times, was the last to free slaves. This date became what many African-Americans celebrate as "Juneteenth"). The U.S. government permitted slavery for about 80 years not 400. Was slavery wrong but legal? Yes. Do the whites living today owe me money? No. Who would get the money and how would it be given?
There are about 45 million blacks in America today. Few actually had to come through Ellis Island, swim across a river or hike through a desert to gain citizenship. We are a lot better off (in the opportunities given) than our cousins in Africa. I know the whole 3/5 & Jim Crow saga but what has that got to do with me. (Besides from a historical perspective.) In this country -at this time- we are not guaranteed to be equal, we are guaranteed equal rights and opportunities to be equal. Not every issue is about race. Some have to do with being under-qualified and under-prepared.
How would we distribute a fair reparation? Here is an idea.
-The oldest person in every family over the age of 72 would receive $6,000,000.00. (The age is from what the Bible says every man would live to be. The monetary amount is arbitrary)
-That person would get half (3 mil.) with the rest split evenly with their children.
- Let's say that the first group had two children. The children would get $1.5 million with the other 1.5 million to be split with their children.
- Let's say that these people had two children. Each child would get half of $750,000 with the rest to be split with their children.
-Again, let's say that each of these people had two children. Each person would receive half of their $375,000 with the rest being past down or held in trust for everyone born to that family on or prior to a set date.
Smaller and more well-off families would be rewarded for not being burdensome to the country. Upon receiving your check, you sign away any right or expectation for government assistance for the next 3,4 or 5 generations- depending on how many generations received payments.
This plan may not be feasible but it is an idea and not just a complaint.

Why do Black people?

Today is the day that I collect rent from my tenants at my rent-houses. I don't make a lot of money from these houses- I only charge 20% of a person's net income. My houses are in the worst part of town- in probably the worst town in America. My tenants aren't just ghetto, they're country-ghetto. For the the South, these people were born into the perfect storm of unfortunate situations: poor, uneducated and Black.
Some would argue that those three traits describe most Blacks. This frame of mind comes mainly from the media's portrayal of Blacks throughout history. Let us go back to the "golden age" of the sit-com - 1976 , Tuesday night, the 8:00pm time slot. On ABC- Happy Days, on CBS- Good Times. Both shows had upbeat sounding titles and focused on intact American families. Happy Days seemed, well... happy. Good Times portrayed the African-American experience as seen from the projects. Not only did America in general- and Blacks in particular-accept these precepts but they wouldn't be disputed until almost 10 years later with "The Cosby Show". (A show that most people see as "acting white".
Q- Why are so many Blacks so dependant on entitlements ?
A- Money alone doesn't solve the problem of poverty.
A lot of the poor are more interested (or knowledgeable) in looking rich -but not in actually acquiring the skills, abilities and mind-set that it takes to actually become rich. It's the first of the month and I see most of my tenants "pay day pimpin' ". They'll get their hair and nails did (sic), they'll get a new outfit for the club and/or go out to a dinner they really can't afford. I saw the worst examples of this after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Most of these people had never had $2000 at one time in their lives. When the government saw the receipts of what the FEMA aid, Red Cross,&Wall Mart cards, etc. were spent on, they noticed that they just gave a lot of people a paid (with benefits) extended vacation.
The government and ghetto-society both are complicit in the cultivating and perpetuation of this Government/entitlement mind-set. It's costs more to be poor: the price of goods and services (i.e. check cashing) have an added cost in the hood. Black churches are also to blame. Most sermons in the hood are about paying tithes to the church ( Really the pastor- who is usually the only member of the congregation to drive a paid-off Benz.) and the blessing you'll receive or the other sermon on how to get what you want. These same pastors miss out on the other half of the Gospel- the responsibility and accountability one has to their fellow man. I just had this conversation with a pastor at one of Beaumont's more popular Black churches. We came to the conclusion that the Black church needs to get to the point where we can stop talking about how to receive blessings and begin to focus again on how we can be a blessing to others. That's a step in the right direction.
All the fortune
All the fame
You're still a N----
All the same.
This is taken from a poem sent to Hank Aarron just before he was about to break Babe Ruth's home run record. Many Blacks feel that if you adopt practices from other cultures- you're selling out or that you're an Uncle -Tom. America flourished because it took the best aspects that every culture had to offer and adopted them as their own. No matter what a black person accomplishes or acquires- he's still BLACK. If -in our arrogance- we stick to the belief that our way is the best way and nobody can tell me nothin' (sic) and we fail to adapt- then we become extinct.

Barak Obama vs. Jeremiah Wright

Have you heard the story of how Black people are like crabs in a bucket? If you go crab fishing, after you catch one you just throw it in a bucket. You don't have to put a cover on the bucket because whenever one crab tries to claw it's way to the top, the other crabs will reach up and pull that crab down to their level. This is the case with Jeremiah Wright- he once again proved this analogy.
Mr. Wright doesn't know when to just shut the F up! What's more important; Mr. Wright restating for the millionth time by the millionth person the problems in our society - without offering any valid solutions to those problems? Or allowing Mr. Obama the opportunity to state and define his policies?
The three most important issues of today's election cycle are (in no particular order);
The Iraq War- Bring our boys home- now. When one gets into a fight with someone, one can help their opponent back up. But it is foolish to nurse that person back to health, feed them, pay their bills and support their families - all while your opponent is still trying to kill you. Wasn't this misguided war supposed to make our country more stable?
Gas and Food prices- My friend Tracy gave me a book years ago dealing with the flaw in the government's plan to subsidize the production of ethanol (Lester R Brown- Plan B 2.0)
Illegal Immigration- Welfare reform is the first step in immigration reform. We need to stop subsidizing the institution of poverty and create ways for those who abuse the system to become productive members of the population. With ; food stamps, Medi-care,WIC,HUD, free school lunch and breakfast, and welfare checks, we're making poverty too comfortable. This element of our society is more inclined to be not just consumers but destroyers of our society and not the creators we need them to be. These people would become our labor pool. If they don't want to move to where the jobs are, fine- no welfare. Working people everyday move to an area that the costs are less but the pay is more. If you add all the costs of the benefits given to welfare recipients, the sum total would equal or exceed what a lot of working people struggle to bring home. Lex-Rex- the law is king. If you came here illegally, you broke the law. You diminish the accomplishment of those who did things the right way. Let every illegal fill out an application for a green-card or work-visa then leave. Go home,get to the back of the line until your name is called.
Don't give me the argument that; you didn't cross the border- the border crossed you. Blame the generals who lost the war, blame Santa Ana for signing land over but don't blame America for winning. You celebrate liberation from Spain- we in the Southwest celebrate liberation from Mexico. You lost- get over it.
Don't say that I'm black and should go back to Africa. I'm half black, a quarter Mexican and a quarter Native-American (Klamath/Modoc tribe). As an Indian- I was already here. As a Mexican- I was born on the NORTH side of the border. As Black - we were brought here by force, we didn't sneak in. I'm American..Viva America !
I guess Ozzie Davis was right.

Mission Accomplished?

Here is an aside: What was the mission? Why are we still there? Why are most of our troops and resources in Iraq and not Afghanistan? Much like Hannibal's plan to conquer Rome, President Bush overestimated the value of strength and the willingness of the Iraqi people to support perceived invaders. Would you go lion hunting and not take into consideration -and plan for- the chance that elephants, tigers or rhinos might attack you? After 8 years of Bush's liberal policies on government spending, free-trade and immigration, I originally supported Mitt Romney. We need a real Conservative, who understands economics. I voted for President Bush. It's not so much that I liked Bush, I just really disliked Kerry. I'm a Democrat... a Kennedy Democrat ( Ask not what your country can do for you...). I believe that we should help the less fortunate. The problem is: who do we help and more importantly how do we help them.
Actor/activist Ozzie Davis said that our country would have to be pretty messed up before we had a Black or a woman as President. Current events make Mr. Davis sound prescient.