Being that repetition is not redundant when the goal is retention, let’s refresh certain facts concerning a belief system that remains actively alive throughout ‘the south’ before
revealing the text that David received from Zetty, a hard working, single mother of two ...
“That the UDC website as recently as August 2018 included this line: “Slaves, for the most part, were faithful and devoted. Most slaves were usually ready and willing to serve their masters.”
“That 700 monuments exalting people who fought for black chattel slavery still stand as well as statuary and monuments in the form of “loyal slave” markers— which perpetuate the image of content enslaved blacks and benevolent white enslavers.”
“That the UDC tried to erect a monument in Washington, D.C., "in memory of the faithful slave mammies of the South.” The Senate signed off on it, but the idea never came to fruition.”
“That the UDC’s effort at placing a monument in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, which plays fast and loose with the biography of Haywood “Heyward” Shepherd (the UDC didn’t even bother to get his first name right), a free black man whom an inscription depicts as a “faithful negro” who chose slavery over freedom, as all “the best” blacks did.”
These “bold faced lie(s), passed from one generation to the next ...” perpetuate attitudes ... and when considering change for the better—attitude is everything.
Thanks to my son, David and his brother (joined together via Big Brothers Big Sisters) Bryce, my eyes have opened to attitudes that persist in plain sight from Civil War days to—right now!
Thankfully, I believe our nation is beginning to demonstrate proactive change for the better taking place before our eyes as the makeup of peaceful protesters has transitioned toward the integral inclusion of people of every color, who, for the most part, are responsibly wearing masks while marching toward claiming freedoms concerning life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, which, in countless ways both subtle and blatant, have been denied to those who are deserving of your respect and mine,
Today, you’ll read the text that David forwarded to me during a time when chemo was distressing my body and blood supply with miseries that blurred my mental capacity from publishing that which I plan to post, below, so that, together, we can, more seriously than ever, consider the importance of the words ‘black lives matter’ as expressed to David by Bryce’s mother, Zetty, while recent protests took off and riots fired up, throughout our nation. And I believe that Zetty’s heartfelt acknowledgment of David’s loving relationship with and mindful influence over the development of her beloved son, Bryce, over these past ten years, will inspire your spirit to grow ever more naturally proactive as has proved true of mine ...
Bryce, David, Zetty, and little sister, Shaonnie
During that initial time of peaceful protesting and fiery rioting brought about by the brutal slaying of a man by those who had taken an oath to protect one and all from harm, Zetty’s heartfelt words inspired my foggy mental state to dissipate, and with clarity revitalized, I engaged in lengthy conversations with Will, Barry, Steven, David and Bryce, each of whom had focused upon proactive changes taking place throughout our nation based in the fact that millions of eyes have been opening to acknowledge the role played by passive complacency, over hundreds of years.
Whereas earlier during those deeply troubled turbulent weeks, I’d felt so impassioned with repressed frustration uncoiling, subconsciously, that my defense system heeded intuitive need to retreat from all social media so as to recreate the zen emotional environment that maintains my personal sense of peacefulness while a multiplicity of trying times, all beyond my control, swirled, round and round, inside my head until Zetty’s heartfelt outpouring re-ignited my spirit’s connection to clarity, which stimulated my think tank to feel so positively focused that each time I answered the phone, an hour long conversation ensued with one of my sons, as if every discussion had been scripted to take place, one after another, all within a day’s time.
First with Steven, then Bryce, then Barry, followed by David. Each one feeling need to express personal perceptions, impressions and experiences with neighbors, colleagues, and friends.
As my mornings, during the pandemic, begin around 10am, my engagement with each impassioned discussion (separated from one another by maybe half an hour) pretty much saw my day consumed with highlights of each one’s experiences, most of which concerned proactive changes arising within their communities while other experiences exposed bigotry to the ninth degree.
So once the phone was quiet, what did I do in case this sudden surge of mental clarity proved short lived? Well, after penning a post to my blog, I finished reorganizing my sock drawers (until. being short of breath saw me in need of lying down), because that task proved within my realm of control, and thus, did I awaken the next morning with a feeling of personal accomplishment concerning having raised three little boys to aspire toward developing into a harmonic trio of loving, open minded men, and in addition to that I was glad to see not even one pair of socks staring up defiantly at me from my closet floor, today, since I’d felt too weak to complete that simple task for weeks. Hooray!
Over the next several days, many hours were filled with FaceTime calls (from Barry, Steven, David and Bryce), each of which offered my flattened spirit reason to inflate with parental pride. And then dawned the day when a heartfelt outpouring via text from Bryce’s mother overwhelmed my mind with an emotional reaction, which still runs too deep to express with clarity intact, so rather than trying to put words together that are not yet ready to line up sensibly, I’m about to copy Zetty’s text below in hopes of conveying the heartfelt state of a hard working, single, mother’s mind during trying times.
Though my body is still fatigued, the present state of
my mind and spirit has regained an immeasurable sense of inner strength, and here is why that’s true:
I believe our nation is beginning to demonstrate proactive change taking place before our eyes as the makeup of peaceful protesters has transitioned toward the integral inclusion of people of every color, who, for the most part, are responsibly wearing masks. Below you’ll find the text that I received, several weeks ago, from David.
Hi Mom,
Thought you’d like to see this text Zetty (Bryce’s mom) just sent me.
Love you,
David
Good Morning David,
Thank you whole heartily for opening your space, time, home and family to Bryce. Thank you for helping me raise him and for being the consistent male in his life. I am forever grateful for your entire family. THE WHOLE FAMILY!
As each of you love on Bryce as another brother and son, I couldn’t have prayed for a better family for my son to be adopted into.
I thank you for not treating Bryce like an accessory (like a credit card, pulling him out at convenient times).
The foundation you placed in his heart is like no other. Bryce respects each brother’s opinions strongly, but of course you are his favorite.. Lol
Please Please! let your parents know
Especially... your mom 💖 that I say THANK YOU!
For loving my son as much as I love and protect him. I thank you!! Ler her know I thank her for not allowing Bryce to be excused by his actions or lack of actions.
Having him participate in the family Jewish culture and to continue to teach and talk with him.
Bryce has the best Surrogate Mother and Father!!
If I had to redo my life, I would without a doubt walk the steps, knowing that my son has been blessed into the most loved, crazy, adventurous, hard working, compassionate family oriented family!
I love you all 🌷💞
Pop Shapiro for looking over Bryce’s shoulder and letting him make errors and having his way of delivering his words of wisdoms.
Thank you for not seeing color, but seeing Bryce as the little brother who got the short end of the stick... the circle of life ..🤣😉 love you guys!
Weeks ago, I learned that David has been protesting peacefully (in the rear so as to maintain social distancIng) along side of his friends and Bryce. Though we discussed the dangers involved in walking the walk, David said the attitude of unity that he’s been experiencing is a beautiful thing.
Barry has been debating with friends who are staunch republicans—one friend has been listening to Barry’s views with an open minded heart while another, being a hot head, said he is terminating their friendship unless the Biden sign is removed from Barry’s front yard—and then, as this person went on to express more of his views, a true redneck, demonstrating his ignorance of brotherhood, was clearly exposed.
Upon hearing that the bigot (cited in the paragraph above) has declared that his nine year old son, a very nice child, is barred from playing with Ray, though the boys have been close friends since preschool, here was Bryce’s reaction via text followed by my response::
“That is absolutely disgusting. All I can do is pray for his ignorance and insecurity. Shaking my head.”
Yes, Bryce. That person’s mindset is utterly ignorant. And, just like an infestation of termites that must be clearly seen before treatment to repair the entire structure can begin from the inside out, he has outed himself. On the other hand, the fact that your mind turned toward praying for this lout’s recovery from ignorance and insecurity indicates the heightened level of your emotional maturity!
I love you and have the utmost respect for your attitude ...
❤️👨🏻🦲👨🏼🍳👨🏼🎓👨🏼🎓👨🏻💻🦸🏾♂️
