(Originally published 02/03/2021)
Black History Month was established in 1976, a year after I was born. As I now see this country at the age of 45 and through the eyes of being black…it’s impossible for me not to hate…
Hate is long-suffering for people of color, Black people, African-Americans, my people, me. Hate is rooted back to the 1600s when the American colonies used slave labor for their plantations. The number of slaves reached 4 million by 1860. The Revolutionary War (1775-1783) was incited by the different views on the atrocious use of blacks for slaves.
True, a small number of people in the North owned slaves and it’s known that even our third president, Thomas Jefferson own slaves, and yet he spoke out against it. I will not speak on his somewhat contradicting words since his home state of Virginia made high profits off of slave labor.
Hate.
It has been rooted deep. The triple letter hate group (one that I shall not deem worth mentioning) is the planter of hate. Hate is when Hank Aaron (1934 – 2021) surpass Babe Ruth’s home run record with 715—and for that feat he began to receive tons of hate mail. FYI, Hank hit his 715 on April 8, 1974 in Atlanta. Google it!
Hate is Martin Luther King Jr. been assassinated in 1968. Hate is when Martin Luther King Jr.’s mother was assassinated in 1974, in church! Hate is the murder of Emmett Till. Hate is the wretching number of slaves that were lynched. Hate is the cause of death of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Philando Castile, Alton Sterling, Tamir Rice, Ahmad Aubrey, Eric Gardner, Oscar Grant, Trayvon Martin, Freddie Gray, Eric Reason, Pamela Turner…
Body cameras will not end hate. No board or special committee of representatives can end hate. Hate is a part of my history. My complexion, my talk, my walk, my views, my opinion…my life. I hate, hate. I loathe, hate. I detest, hate. I abhor, hate.
Hate exist.
Hate is systematic.
Hate is in the past, yet it’s here now.
Hate is an obstacle.
Hate…I hate it.
Through it, through hate, my people have achieved. Wahida Clark, Vice President Kamala Harris, Tyler Perry, Gayle King, Ice Cube, 50 Cent, Steve Harvey, LeBron James, Julius Erving, Denzel Washington, Wendy Williams, Bubba Wallace, Senator Cory Booker, former President Barack Obama, Amanda Gorman, Spike Lee, Melina Matsoukas, Lena Waithe…my people do and will overcome.
Because of hate I’m driving to achieve. I, a black man, currently in prison, daily I’m disassociating myself form the stigma of where I am because it does not dictate who I am. Sandra J. Martin’s son, only son. And through hate my mom raised me and through the hate she love me and through hate. Period. Through hate, I pray for this new administration to lay the bridge of unity. I hate, hate. I love and long for peace. We all matter, everyday.
- Victor L. Martin
Keep Your Eyes Dry
&
Your Heart Easy
**Some corrections were made to fix grammatical/spelling errors in the handwritten communication or for clarity**
Victor L. Martin 