The Base

noun – the lowest part or edge of something, especially the part on which it rests or is supported.”she sat down at the base of a tree”

verb -have as the foundation for (something); use as a point from which (something) can develop.”the film is based on a novel by Pat Conroy”

Whether noun or verb the word base describes something that something else is built on. It always seems to imply a foundation of sorts. If the base is damaged that which is built upon it is unstable. If a work is based on another work which is weak then that which is developed has less of a chance for success or credibilty. It is of great concern and attention that the base in building or developing something is strong and stable. No corners are cut. No second rate materials are used. Just watch advertisements for products. Much attention is given to assuring us that the best materials were used and the quality is unsurpassed.

Now some have said that we are a base people; my people, black people; people of African descent. Does this mean we are the lowest part or edge of something, especially the part on which it rests or is supported. Are other people in this country resting on us? Are we supporting them. Are things being developed with us as the foundation? I can empahtically answer yes. I can with a resounding voice say YES! There are other people groups in this country that were considered a part of this base but have been allowed to advance or build upon themselves to no longer be the base. So I am not ignoring their contributions. I am speaking about my people because they are my people. It is my experience. (Indigenous people may be included with the black experience for the sake of being held to the base. There has been some progress made in my lifetime but this country is digressing. Much of what was fought for in the 50’s and 60’s is being reversed. Attitudes toward us as base are returning to those decades and our fight continues. The difference is as a people we understand our importance. Atttending to the health of the BASE is necessary . If the base is neglected that which is built upon it is unstable. If Black people are in bad, mental and emotional health every institution developed in this country is unstable. The White people who hate us and are trying to subjugate us as they make America great again don’t realize that as they hurt us, they hurt themselves. The attempt to destroy us, they destroy the America that they want to make great.

Now I know someone is saying Black people are not the foundation or base that this country is built upon. It is the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Until the tenets of those documents are applied to the Black community as they are for the white community, the strength of those documents will be weak. Hence, that which is developed upon them, that which they support is unstable. America shore up your base by living up to the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Treat us as what we are..citizens of this country with the same birthright as yours.

And if you call yourself a Chrisitan, read the Book. Read the teachings of Yeshua. Read his geneology and research the ethnicity of each member. You may be quite surprised. At the very least it is clear he was born of a Hebrew woman which rules out a European appearance. He worked as a carpenter with no electrical tools in the heat of Nazareth. He was likely muscular and tan, not frail and fair complexioned. But most important is how he treated people and how he instructed us to treat each other. Love the Lord your God and Love your neighbor as yourself. On these two hang the law and prophets. These two embody all that God has declared and require of His people. So where do you stand? Do you destroy your Black neighbor or do you Love them? Do you help make the Base healthy or do you injure it?

Remember the health and strength of the Base has a direct effect on that which is supported by it or that which is developed on it. The health and the strength of the Base affects you.

Beet Root Powder

I finally ground the dehydrated beet pulp. Why buy beet root powder when you can make your own? All you need is the dried pulp and a grinder. I used my Nutribullet grinding attachment but a coffee or spice grinder will probably work just fine. I gave it a try this mornig. I put 1 tablespoon of the powder in my waffle mix. The batter was pink. I expected pink waffles. Didn’t happen. They were regular waffles . The beet flavor was barelty noticeable. The waffles tasted good. Results were nutrition boosted waffles.

I Just Don’t Understand

One year ago today a group of people attacked the US Capitol in the name of patriotism. Capitol police were assaulted and Congressional members were endangered. During that time messages came from those members that their lives were in jeopardy. We saw real time images of the attack. Had the assaulters been Islamic it would have been called a terrorist attack. If they had been black, well let’s just say there would have been more immediate arrests and deaths. It was an insurrection and was called such until some high level GOPers characterized it as a tour. I’ve been to the Capitol and the tour never included destruction of the windows, offices or attacking officers. 700 have been prosecuted and more are scheduled. Yet, 71% of the Republicans are reported to still resist the Presidency and don’t believe what they saw with their own eyes. I just don’t understand.

We have always had political disagreement. We have had riots and peaceful protests. But never this. At least not in my lifetime. I thought the atrocities of the Civil Rights movements or the mass shootings would be the worst I would see. An attempted coup on US soil I never thought would happen much less see.

Realize the HOPE

We are into the second day of 2022. Tell me, what has changed since December 31, 2021. I know some of you will say nothing and in some ways you are correct but there is an element that January 2022 has that December 2021 lost. There was an expectation leading up to midnight January 1, 2022. There were comments made among people everywhere that expressed “better is coming”. It sounded like, “I will be glad when this year is over.” “I can’t wait until January 1.” “I can’t wait until midnight.” There was an expectation. There was hope. Yes, HOPE.

We all HOPE things will be better. However, it just won’t happen. We have to make things better. We have to do what is best for humanity not an institution, not a political party, not a corporation, not a government entity. We have to do what is right and best for mankind. If we once again realize that the things I do to make your life better will actually make my life better, maybe, just maybe we will make things better. For you Christians reading this I would like to remind you that Yeshua (Jesus) instructed us to love our neighbor as ourselves. He used the story of the Good Samaritan to show that everyone is our neighbor and being a good neighbor requires a willingness to do more than take care of ourselves or people ethnically like us or people of the same faith. If you missed it or don’t know the story it is the despised Samaritan who was the compassionate one, the good neighbor. The political and religious leader stepped over the person in need. Which are you?

The Christian behavior in this country,especially in the last few years, is so far from Yeshua’s teachings and examples that a new name should be applied to it. There is no Christ-likeness. Where is the love for those with whom you disagree? Where is the love for those who may not believe as you do?Where is the love for those whose lifestyle does not conform to what you believe is God’s law? Let’s be honest. Our present Christian behavior doesn’t either. We need to get back to the Judaic basics of our beliefs. If nothing else we Christians need to get back to the 10 Commandments. That was what Yeshua taught. and lived. That’s what Paul taught the non-Jewish believers without requiring them to convert to Orthodx Judaism and lived before them. We need to obey them instead of requiring other people that never said they were believers in the first place to obey them. I am sure the other faith belief systems have a comparable tenet. So treat people right even if you disagree with them. or they are not like you. We were not commissioned to be judges but examples.

Only then can we realize the HOPE. Only then will 2022 be better than 2021. I remember when I was a child the admonishment to “do unto others what you would have them do unto you” was a powerful guiding force for decision-making. I’d ask myself before I said something or did something, would you want that done to you? If the answer was No then I likely didn’t do it. Now I did have moments of anger where I ignored myself but typically, I listened. We should start asking ourselves would we want to be treated the way we are treating others. Change our society by caring for each other. Realize the HOPE.