Have discussed impact of American slavery more than once on this blog. Like was stunning to me to conclude that Black folks were trained to take unequal pay, with lessons learned with the aftermath of slavery over 150 years ago. Yet still today, so many will accept far less money than they should in pay, so the people cheating them, can simply pocket it.
Deciding you will not be held by things from a tragic past is a great thing I believe for Black people in the US. But how do you know?
Like grew up in Georgia, USA, with parents who thought of themselves as devout Christians, and received beatings with a leather belt, including one so intense from my father that my legs were bleeding. I was six years old. Will never forget. And I know I know what torture feels like, from experience.
Years ago was shocked when came across the information that an adult who has never been beaten may die when first whipped. The shock of the whip can kill them. So they need to be prepared for it. And works best when beaten from a young age. And I knew why, finally.
My parents were preparing me for whips that were silenced over 150 years ago, and yet would probably not accept such an explanation. Repeatedly have heard Black people in the South bragging about beating their children, infuriated at attempts to stop them.
We are born equal, as human beings. But tragic mechanisms can be propagated endlessly until faced.
I imagine that slave families preferred to beat their children ahead of the slaveowners, who made sure it was done, to limit losses when whipping adults.
Today all people in the US need to demand proper pay for their work. Is that simple. And we need also to demand safe spaces. Just some simple things to actually move this country beyond past horrors.
So yes, I talk about torture as I do as have experienced it--as a child. I pray that no longer is routine for any American children, but for now? We are not there yet.
Dare I admit that a part of me struggles with the weakness I feel I witness in others though? That yeah, being beaten so brutally made me different. And yeah I understand torture, and power. Am scared of myself too at times, but feel better admitting it here. I know how to inflict pain.
How does one gain the power of such knowledge--safely? I wonder.
But I can choose to be someone I can keep liking. Can choose to be a friend to my species. Can choose to try to be a better human being.
Maybe as a kid? You really just need to take martial arts classes, if need to go in a certain direction. Yeah, I like that answer. Am certain getting beaten viciously is not the way.
We can do better as human beings in training our children am sure. We can do better in finding best ways.
James Harris
