Put on Your Thinking Cap...We’ve Got Work To Do

by Elder James W. Williams
Elder James W. Williams Elder James W. Williams

This week we are writing to give you an overview of what is happening in and around Florence. Even though we see the same thing happening in many other towns, cities, and states, there is something almost magical about Black people's ability, or inability, to organize and cooperate. Something behind the scenes prevents us from working together for our own good. To say Black people are not a monolith goes without saying.

We are sure hundreds of years of being lied to and lied on have caused profound psychological impairments that keep us from trying to help one another, or at least from having some compassion. We see what the superintendent is doing to our school district and realize he has no problem doing divisive stuff to us because several of us are usually willing to help the process along. By the way, I found out all three Black board members knew about the board's first meeting to discuss the matters dealing with Palmetto Youth Academy (PYA). Somehow it did not register in their minds the significance of their presence at such a meeting. We don't know the source of information stating that they could not participate in the final vote because they had missed one meeting, but we have some ideas from the white board members who were in attendance.

Other organizations in town could and should have been advocating for our children, but we have been taught to think about them as children we need not worry about. If they will not open their mouths when our children are at stake, what do you think will happen should you need their assistance? Consider why they take minutes and record the meetings. If a board member is absent, he (or she) can review the minutes or the entire tape. We guess none of them knew to make that argument to the chairman. That's what we mean about just having black faces sitting in the place of representation. It does not mean they are incompetent. It means they must have the conscious competence to do what needs to be done in their position.

Others have think tanks and other functioning groups coming up with ideas and working through the more complicated things. We would instead put an individual in those positions and expect them to function appropriately. But that is not exactly what happens. We don't just get to put someone in those positions. No, sometimes we get outside help determining a suitable candidate. We have seen how well that works, instead of Blacks being outraged at the occurrences of the superintendent opting to close PYA instead of working with them to overcome whatever situation they may have been having.

It's not like FSD1 has been doing such an excellent job of working with at-risk students. They have difficulties in providing adequate service to those children. We didn't think to ask the superintendent what he had in mind for those students. We know of some pretty remarkable outcomes from PYA. So, to just let a school get closed down on technicalities is ridiculous. But that is what you get when you have dysfunction in your community. You get White folks making decisions for you. Decisions that don't make any sense. Can you make any sense out of Mrs. Caulder voting to close a school that has been around as long as PYA when she just finished fighting to restore McClenaghan? It is just a manifestation of something that goes along the lines of White privilege and superiority. They did not give any thought to how it would appear, with only the White members making that decision. That is why someone made it their purpose to tell the media the Blacks could not vote at the following meeting.

Have you ever considered why there were no notifications when the second meeting would be held? That is how they play us against one another. They leave that up to your Black representatives to do. They are clueless about informing their constituents to attend a meeting where discussions will be held to justify behavior. Do you remember a few years ago when we met to discuss rezoning and other issues involving our schools? Every White person and their cousin came to that meeting at Poynor. That's how they have been taught to show their concern. There's a lot of difference in how the two bodies show concern. Don't get me wrong, I am not blaming those outcomes on anybody, they had hundreds of years of practice, and we've only been trying to organize since we found out we have that right. But we can take some consolation in knowing what goes around tends to come back around. All the stuff they are doing, with relative impunity, they will see again.

Without giving it more thought than you gave to PYA being closed, you can consider all the expulsions coming from that course of action. That is precisely how they continue to feed the prison pipeline. We know you've heard of the school-to-prison pipeline, or did you think that was a joke? Look around. Can't you see what is happening? If not, sleep on and take your rest. Maybe you won't get caught in the taking back of America. It is not too late. Let's organize ourselves and demonstrate we are not who and what they think we are. We just got a late start at fighting for what we should have. We are more than conquers through CHRIST who loves us.

This week, I recommend calling a neighbor or friend and trying to help them understand what is going on. God did not bring us through all we've gone through to leave us. So please put on your thinking cap. We've got work to do.

Sincerely Yours,

You Don't Belong To Yourself,

We Are Somebody,

Black Lives Really Do Matter.

Elder, James W. Williams

Chairperson, Advocacy Organization, Lifelineplus