<TriceEdneyWire.com> – I go to bed at night drained from the bad news of the day brought on mainly from a man who advertises himself as King. I wake up in the morning and there’s more bad news with which he leads.
Like others, I go to the store and have to pass by certain food counters because of the shock of rising stickers on things we once automatically picked up. I became ill for a rare time in life and had to leave the stress I was experiencing from meanness by a few that outweighed the goodness of others. I experienced a huge disregard for what I’d been doing for nearly 20 years—often on my own dime, and too much of my time, never taking vacations because I was the only professional staff working and playing almost every role except the few things I was able to get family and friends to do. Ultimately, I felt responsible for the success of the organization.
I rarely got paid anything after quitting a good job, relying on income from speaking engagements, writing a few books (and selling a few), and I shared as much as I could helping others. To get the work done and the organization prospering, with no retirement benefits, no vacation time, no sick leave and little pay if I could raise the money from friends who worked in companies that donated to our programs. I had family and a few friends who helped me at the national level toaccomplish great things.
I was an activist and honored all over the world for my work in human rights, while working for civil rights in my own nation. There’s no benefit to me to call names of those who claim the glory for my work and my many sacrifices, but did little or nothing to help. I find myself with few tangible benefits.
Why do I talk about this now? A few days ago, a young woman in my neighborhood went to the top of a building and threatened to jump. I was so saddened, and wondered what was so bad in her life that it wasn’t worth living. My instinct was to wonder what I could’ve done to help her, but all I could do was pray for her and people like her.
I know a lot of people who’re losing faith and wonder how, on my limited resources, I can help more. I share a few beans and rice. I know many, despite the ability to help others, choose not to. Some even choose to make the lives of others miserable and relish how they can do that.
My plea is for more people to look around, find somebody to help—and just do it. Most people are grateful for small things others do for them when they can’t do for themselves. They just want to know they’re not alone as their current leader does everything possible to make their lives miserable. I looked across the TV screen as Trump made hostile remarks about people he caused to be fired. He gave a long awful speech with grievances against those he’s punishing now, while forgiving those who did a lot to damage our nation’s capitol.
I looked across the table from him in his news conference, saw a bunch of men laughing at Trump’s sad talking points while many of us teared up.
He claims his friend, Vladimir, as he now admiringly calls him, wants to end the war—as he continues to bomb the hell out of Ukraine! If they‘re such good friends, why won’t he ask him to end the war he started? If we’re such good people, why aren’t we doing all we can to help, not hurt others?
(Dr. E. Faye Williams is president of The Dick Gregory Society.)
