WS Chronicle

By James J. Hawkins, Guest Columnist

A Nov. 8, 2016 rematch is scheduled for Tuesday morning!

THE PROBLEMS:

Our opposition is still mostly lifelong extreme conservatives, but some of our former progressive people have become so comfortable with their new “temporary” friends, jobs and salaries that they have become ice cold.

Many of us progressives took our defeat in the 2014 mid-term election just as hard as losing a close family member.

We experienced denial, anger, bargaining, depression then acceptance commonly known as the five stages of grief.

I went through anger, depression and bargaining. I stopped reading, listening to and watching anything that had to do with politics for about seven weeks. I did not write about or discuss the elections.

I foolishly hoped that only the people who did not take the time to vote would suffer at the hands of the people they allowed to be elected.

[In the stages of grief,] We assemble at church to say goodbye to our loved one, the choir sings the final song, the minister gives the eulogy and benediction, we go to the grave site; wipe our tears for the last time, then to a fellowship hall to share a celebratory family meal with friends.

The fifth stage of grief is acceptance, which will allow us go on with our lives. Some people take a long time to reach this stage, so we must be patient and accept their timeline. If we try too hard to rush them, we may lose them.

Their personalities play a small part, but their occupations are a large factor in deciding when they step back into the movement.

It took me, a retired teacher, seven weeks dwelling on the negative before I got back involved in the movement. My son, a sixth-year social studies teacher, had to have a lesson plan ready the very next day.

Most of us are now ready to fight again for the civil rights we gained during our second Reconstruction in the 1960s. The issues are still equal rights, equal pay, equal protection and voting rights.

Will you please join me and other freedom fighters in going back to work?

To be successful in this our third Reconstruction, we must make the best use of one hour (60 minutes). Please spend only five minutes discussing the problem and 55 minutes working on solutions.

Psalm 30:5 “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.”

James J. Hankins is a retired vocational education teacher, past president of the New Hanover County NAACP, N.C. A&T State University alumni, member of friends of Abraham Galloway and author of the book “What We Blacks Need To Do”To comment or order a copy of his book, please e-mail him at jhan606@gmail.com.