“Things which equal the same thing also equal one another.”
~ Euclid’s Elements, Common Notions
Truth is, until I watched the movie “Lincoln” I had never before heard of the above referenced theory, nor the man to which the theory is attributed. After Lincoln (Daniel Day Lewis) references the theory, he remarks that the theory is a ‘self-evident’ truth. Meaning the common sense evidence of truth proves the theory and not man’s desire or some convoluted equation. Example, a man and a woman who marry are equal to another man and woman who marry because a man is equal to a man (the same thing) and a woman is equal to a woman (the same thing), therefore, the marriages are equal. However, for the sake of Lincoln’s reasoning, a black man is equal to a white man because they are both men (the same thing) and a black woman is equal to a white woman because they are both women (the same thing); it is what it is, a self-evident truth. Conclusion being that equality should be based on what the truth is, the natural, and not on what we desire, the contrived or whatever makes us feel good.
I said all of that to say, we have reached the point in our national dialogue about race equality, gender equality, marriage equality and any other equality you might name, where we should all refrain from attempting to outsmart the truth. Truth has nothing to do with phobias, political correctness, or wanting to be down with your people or as we say in the hood, “not being black enough.” Truth is, truth hurts, and makes no distinctions based on getting along according to preconceived notions about peace. No, truth lifts the weight, truth unburdens, and sets at liberty those captured by the fear of not being elected, not being liked or being branded as a hater. To the contrary, truth is not the child of hate truth is the child of love and as we say, “will set you free.”
You see, in America when we allow a person to continue doing something society frowns upon we call it enabling but if we allow or encourage someone to continue doing something society accepts, we call it love. For instance, if we give someone money to buy heroin we say we are enabling, but if we encourage homosexuality we call it love because we want them to be happy. Truth is, I neither condemn nor condone, because it is not my place I am only stating the truth. You see folks, I love you and therefore I have no compunction about telling you the truth.
Truth is, I detest racism but as a Christian, I love the racists because as a Christian I understand that God loves the racists just as he loves me. Truth is, I love my (black) people but I also detest the buffoonery that I witness among some of us. Truth is, wearing pants down below your behind is disgusting, but should not play a role in how one is treated on the streets. Truth is, I would not hire anyone dressed that way but it is not because I don’t care, it’s because I want the person to care enough for themselves not to dress in that manner; to exhibit self-respect.
Truth is, that while we (blacks) should expect fair and just treatment the same as any other group or race we also bear the responsibility of self-respectability. Furthermore, that demanding justice for the senseless murders of blacks at the hands of police officers does not exonerate us from demanding that we refrain from killing our own; nor does it alleviate our responsibility for respecting the rights and property of others. Truth is, truth folks and there is no amount of spin, no amount of rationalizing, and no amount of compromising that will change that. There is no such thing as a ‘white lie” and there is no such thing as political correctness; no, both are lies and the truth is what it is, the truth.
Truth is, integration ruined blacks, and all that those in the Civil Rights era clamored for while it has helped some blacks, has destroyed and oppressed far too many blacks. Truth is we (blacks) cannot continue to complain about the score if we refuse to get into the game when given the opportunity. Truth is, we cannot expect to be taken seriously when we continue to jump up and down to be noticed or continue to participate in every fad or trend the wind blows our way (ice bucket challenge) while having no real passion for or even know the origins of the cause that spawned the trend.
Truth is, as my good friend Chara pointed out these days blacks do not know how to protest. Why is that? It is because far too many of us are dispassionate about the plight of other blacks; “when we needed one another we loved one another.” Now it’s, “I got mine get yours.” In addition, we are too far removed from our history. A history of which many of its participants are still among the living, yet we are too busy watching the birdie and looting stores for cigarettes, liquor, sneakers, and flat screen TVs to learn how to correctly protest and then we are we outraged to hear people refer to us as animals. That’s the truth people and you darn well know it is.
Truth is, that the majority of folks black and white who read this will agree with everything I have written. Unfortunately, there will be some folks black and white who will be up in arms over this and say that I’m homophobic, that I’m an Uncle Tom or whatever. The truth is folks nothing could be further from the truth. It’s just that I realize that until truth becomes part of the dialogue we will never sow the seeds of progress that reap the fruits of a real and lasting peace. It’s time we stop trying to manipulate and outsmart the truth and let the truth be what it is, self-evident.
“Lying to cover up a lie is like pulling weeds to save a dead flower.”
~~ Poetry Emotion By Jay – Jay Arrington
Jay Arrington is a featured writer and commentator of the Maryland Daily Examiner.
Publisher & Editor in Chief, Reginald Kearney
For information regarding Maryland Daily Examiner, Click Here
~ Euclid’s Elements, Common Notions
Truth is, until I watched the movie “Lincoln” I had never before heard of the above referenced theory, nor the man to which the theory is attributed. After Lincoln (Daniel Day Lewis) references the theory, he remarks that the theory is a ‘self-evident’ truth. Meaning the common sense evidence of truth proves the theory and not man’s desire or some convoluted equation. Example, a man and a woman who marry are equal to another man and woman who marry because a man is equal to a man (the same thing) and a woman is equal to a woman (the same thing), therefore, the marriages are equal. However, for the sake of Lincoln’s reasoning, a black man is equal to a white man because they are both men (the same thing) and a black woman is equal to a white woman because they are both women (the same thing); it is what it is, a self-evident truth. Conclusion being that equality should be based on what the truth is, the natural, and not on what we desire, the contrived or whatever makes us feel good.
I said all of that to say, we have reached the point in our national dialogue about race equality, gender equality, marriage equality and any other equality you might name, where we should all refrain from attempting to outsmart the truth. Truth has nothing to do with phobias, political correctness, or wanting to be down with your people or as we say in the hood, “not being black enough.” Truth is, truth hurts, and makes no distinctions based on getting along according to preconceived notions about peace. No, truth lifts the weight, truth unburdens, and sets at liberty those captured by the fear of not being elected, not being liked or being branded as a hater. To the contrary, truth is not the child of hate truth is the child of love and as we say, “will set you free.”
You see, in America when we allow a person to continue doing something society frowns upon we call it enabling but if we allow or encourage someone to continue doing something society accepts, we call it love. For instance, if we give someone money to buy heroin we say we are enabling, but if we encourage homosexuality we call it love because we want them to be happy. Truth is, I neither condemn nor condone, because it is not my place I am only stating the truth. You see folks, I love you and therefore I have no compunction about telling you the truth.
Truth is, I detest racism but as a Christian, I love the racists because as a Christian I understand that God loves the racists just as he loves me. Truth is, I love my (black) people but I also detest the buffoonery that I witness among some of us. Truth is, wearing pants down below your behind is disgusting, but should not play a role in how one is treated on the streets. Truth is, I would not hire anyone dressed that way but it is not because I don’t care, it’s because I want the person to care enough for themselves not to dress in that manner; to exhibit self-respect.
Truth is, that while we (blacks) should expect fair and just treatment the same as any other group or race we also bear the responsibility of self-respectability. Furthermore, that demanding justice for the senseless murders of blacks at the hands of police officers does not exonerate us from demanding that we refrain from killing our own; nor does it alleviate our responsibility for respecting the rights and property of others. Truth is, truth folks and there is no amount of spin, no amount of rationalizing, and no amount of compromising that will change that. There is no such thing as a ‘white lie” and there is no such thing as political correctness; no, both are lies and the truth is what it is, the truth.
Truth is, integration ruined blacks, and all that those in the Civil Rights era clamored for while it has helped some blacks, has destroyed and oppressed far too many blacks. Truth is we (blacks) cannot continue to complain about the score if we refuse to get into the game when given the opportunity. Truth is, we cannot expect to be taken seriously when we continue to jump up and down to be noticed or continue to participate in every fad or trend the wind blows our way (ice bucket challenge) while having no real passion for or even know the origins of the cause that spawned the trend.
Truth is, as my good friend Chara pointed out these days blacks do not know how to protest. Why is that? It is because far too many of us are dispassionate about the plight of other blacks; “when we needed one another we loved one another.” Now it’s, “I got mine get yours.” In addition, we are too far removed from our history. A history of which many of its participants are still among the living, yet we are too busy watching the birdie and looting stores for cigarettes, liquor, sneakers, and flat screen TVs to learn how to correctly protest and then we are we outraged to hear people refer to us as animals. That’s the truth people and you darn well know it is.
Truth is, that the majority of folks black and white who read this will agree with everything I have written. Unfortunately, there will be some folks black and white who will be up in arms over this and say that I’m homophobic, that I’m an Uncle Tom or whatever. The truth is folks nothing could be further from the truth. It’s just that I realize that until truth becomes part of the dialogue we will never sow the seeds of progress that reap the fruits of a real and lasting peace. It’s time we stop trying to manipulate and outsmart the truth and let the truth be what it is, self-evident.
“Lying to cover up a lie is like pulling weeds to save a dead flower.”
~~ Poetry Emotion By Jay – Jay Arrington
Jay Arrington is a featured writer and commentator of the Maryland Daily Examiner.
Publisher & Editor in Chief, Reginald Kearney
For information regarding Maryland Daily Examiner, Click Here
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