I HEARD THE STORIES

I'll admit that I wrote this a few years ago, then just tucked it away in my computer and forgot about it. Yet it is most definitely a bit of history that has gotten swept under the rug for way too long.

Here is what I wrote:

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I met a man the other day with whom I needed to do business. He was a very good-looking man, I'd say in his mid-thirties, beautiful deep brown eyes (always notice the eyes) and very well spoken. I mean VERY well spoken. He was also black.

Don't get your panties in a twist here, I mention this for one reason: to point out that not every black person is a young punk determined to milk the system dry with cries of "ancestrial slavery."

(Thank God that hasn't happened in years, but think back. It did.)

How many times in the past had you heard the cries: "My people were slaves of the white man. You owe us for all our misery?"

Whoa! Wait a minute! WE owe YOU? For what? Think about it.

My question is: what on earth do we owe you? Slavery was abolished December 6, 1865. That's 153 years ago.

In that span of 153 years, there have been many people of color - both men and women - who have made their mark in society AND history. Many of these fine men and women have become doctors, laywers, educators, statesmen, actors, NASA engineers, and one even became president of the Unted States (and did a damn good job of it, too.) (Watch the movies: Hidden Figures and Triple Six Eight)

This young man that I met is running his own business. A businessman! He didn't get where he is today by sitting around doing nothing while complaining about how society mistreated his ancestors. He studied and worked hard to get where he is today - and he succeeded.

I am definitely not being prejudiced; I'm just being annoyed.

I'm annoyed to the point where I pulled out my old (metaphorical) soapbox and wrote what has been on my mind since I was old enough to do my own research, learn, then understand how unfair words can be when spoken out of the mouths of those who can't be bothered doing their own research.

While my soapbox is still under my feet, I'll explain.

This little bit of history is easily accessible on the internet.

The Irish in colonial America were considered (and pardon this phrasiology - not my words but theirs) "niggers turned inside out." I kid you not!! Look it up.

Negro slavery was established in colonial America which was already dominated by white slaves. THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A MINUTE.

The Irish slave trade began in the year 1625. Can you imagine that?

The trade began when James ll sold over 30,000 Irish prisoners as slaves to the New World - America. his idea was to empty his prisons and send the prisoners overseas to the English settlers in the West Indies.

During the 1650's, over 100,000 Irish children between the ages of ten and fourteen were forcibly taken from their parents and sold as slaves in the West Indies, Virginia, and New England. Another 52,000 Irish were sold to the highest bidder.

African slaves were very expensive. They had to be transported long distances and paid for not only in Africa but in the New World.

Irish slaves were cheap and most often either kidnapped from Ireland, prisons, or were forcibly removed. They could be worked to death whipped or branded without it being a crime.

All too often, several of the slave owners used the young black women for their own sexual satisfaction. While the black slaves wanted to refuse, they learned quickly that refusal meant punishment, but submission meant being treated better.

Ironically, most Irish women were not treated that well. The mystic of the black skin intrigued many slave owners while the white, weathered skin of the Irish, was considered "unappealing".

Also, don't forget that while the Irish spoke English, the blacks did not.

While many Irish came to America willingly, they arrived with little more than the clothes on their backs. Slave owners watched for these people, confronted them and then made promises that were never meant to be kept: nice housing, jobs, schooling for the children, etc.

What they were actually given were one-room shacks that looked like they'd fall down in one strong wind, food scraps that you wouldn't even feed your dog, rags for clothes and then the entire family would be forced into submissive work. The women and children picked cotton or worked in the vegetable fields. The men often worked in coal mines.

The better life they were promised, never materialized.

The importation of Irish slaves continued will into the 18th century, long after the importation of African slaves became the norm. Records state that after the 1798 Irish rebellion, thousands of Irish slaves were sold to both America and Australia.

Irish slavery did not end until Britain decided to end slavery in the year 1839.

In addition, White slaves were often owned by the Negro landowners and Indians to such an extend in the South that the Virginia assembly passed a law against that practice.

So, as I'm about to step off my soapbox and slide it back under the bed for another day, just remember, that the young people of color should be thankful they were descends of the strong black slaves rather than those of the poor Irish that came looking for a better life and found slavery, instead.