The American Civil War has Never Ended

                                                                     
April 9, 1865 was supposed to mark the end of the horrors and injustice of black slavery. But every riot our country has sustained since the American Civil War conveys the war is still not won. The photo above is from the Baltimore riot of 1968.

There is a great abyss of time between the burning of Atlanta and the burning of Baltimore and the bad memories of our ugly past keep dredging up. What should be taught as history is a current crisis. There are millions of children today that live in abusive, drug laden communities, are raised in housing with lead poisoning walls and are educated in public school systems that teach nothing. Generally such towns and cities are populated mostly by black families and governed by local black officials.

This is not news. But what is always overlooked is the politics that run those communities. Black or white spurs corruption and ignorance and ego driven legislation that empowers politicians and not children. This is a disaster. The results of this cultural genocide lie in the ashes strewn on Baltimore streets and in the psyche injuries of our children and police.

This neglect has to stop now. Today. But where are the answers to absolve the ruinous impact of all this neglect? The answer lies in human willpower. The willingness to change, to do things different. To look for another way, a better way. Common sense knows Change can only come with decent jobs and better education. Children who eat nutritional meals, are shown compassion and love and most importantly discipline, thrive and grow into moral citizens of the world. Social reforms which means prison and school reform should be the first priority.

In the past days Hillary Clinton has come out swinging for prison reform. Can we forget it was her husband who funded building more prisons? Under Bill Clinton's terms more black men than ever before were thrown in jail for minor drug infractions. During Bill Clinton's administrations manufacturing jobs were virtually eliminated with his signing of the NAFTA bill. Hillary Clinton professes to idolize Eleanor Roosevelt, but Eleanor's husband, Franklin Roosevelt, say what you will about progressive politics, never took his eye off the poor. The Hillary run for the presidency will not be able to piggyback off her husband's legacy.

Society cannot put a responsible two parent system into every child's life, but society must work to provide and ensure there is an answerable and engaged school system in every public school building. Education empowers and strengthens the fibers of morality and motivation. In the void of no hope, the soul of a child withers and turns to arson and rock throwing.