Show Blessings of America By Henry Mitchell Pastor North Star Baptist Church Chicago A small number of blacks and whites are trying to discourage black Americans Americans Americans Amer Amer- from celebrating our Bicentennial nial next year because of the many years the black people were under slav slavery ry One thing those people fail to understand understand understand under under- stand is that every nation on earth at one time or another had people living in slavery The question was asked one tho thousand thousand and nine hundred and seventy-five seventy years ago Can anything good come out of Nazereth Can anything good have come out of slavery If those men and women who are against celebrating the American Bicentennial Bicentennial Bicentennial Bi Bi- Bi- Bi centennial would go to Africa India Mexico China Vietnam or Russia and see for themselves the deprived depressed depressed depressed de de- de- de pressed oppressed and primitive conditions conditions conditions con con- under which thousands of millions millions millions mil mil- lions of people live they would realize that out of slavery came blessings for forthe forthe forthe the black people in America Please dont don't misunderstand me I Iam am against slavery in any form for any people in any country But I say sayto sayto sayto to black Americans across this nation Lets not look back We know the story of Lots Lot's wife after she was told not to look back ack she turned into a pillar r of s salt ah handful ul of black dudes who are encouraging t I black Americans to look back only fill their hearts with hate I mj j and resentment A man has only one heart and out of that heart only one thing can proceed hate or love I have spoken in many colleges high schools churches and great institutions institutions institutions which have been built with love and understanding I have yet to walk into a building which was built through hate and confusion confusions Love builds Hate destroys I know we had slavery in America I am very much aware of it But as asI asI asI I travel throughout this world and see seethe seethe seethe the poor living conditions in Africa where thousands of black people are dying because they dont don't have water to drink food to eat shelter doctors or medical supplies if slavery were my only if my only way of coming to America was by slavery Id I'd get down on my knees and thank God for slavery If it had not been for slavery my family and I would be among the hundreds of thousands of Africans who are starving naked out of doors diseased and dying for lack of water and medical care If our black forefathers sleeping in their graves could see the condition which exists in Africa today compared to the condition of their black American American Amer- Amer ican descendents they would witness that out of their slavery and suffering came a blessing for their offspring Lets Let's not look back L Lets Let's ts t's not turn into a pillar of salt Lets Let's get involved not just with the Bicentennial but lets let's s get involved in everything which is building a better America for all Americans |