Today's blog post honors Hammering Hank Aaron who died today. Growing up in Baltimore during the 1960s’ and early 1970s’ I rarely got the chance to see Hank Aaron play because this was before ESPN, or regional cable stations. Hank didn't play for a major market team such as the Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals, Dodgers, or the Giants. He played in Milwaukee and then Atlanta so his games hardly reached my home on NBC’s Game of the Week. So you had to wait until the Midsummer Classic to Hank Aaron play. I did 715 when the Atlanta Braves played the Los Angeles Dodgers and Al Downing grooved a fastball towards home plate and Hammering Hank smoked that baseball into the stands for that historic record-breaking home run. You cannot fathom the degree of pressure that America put on Hank Aaron for eclipsing Babe Ruth’s record. Ruth was the white man’s icon and the racism of America showed its ugly face as Hank moved closer to homerun 714 and then ultimately 715. Hank Aaron got daily threats on his life because Hank was doing his work in the cradle of the former Confederacy. Hank played his games out in the open and any maniac could've taken a pot shot at him to kill him and keep Babe Ruth’s record safe. I wonder sometimes if Babe Ruth had played for a southern team or if Babe Ruth was born in the heart of the South if those threats would have been carried out. I can only say thank God that Hank Aaron persevered and broke that record. He will always be remembered for that majestic feat. Hank Aaron lived a life that was just and he wanted justice for every man and woman in this nation. I just wish Hank Aaron broke the record of racism before he died. I'm sorry that currently in America racism is undefeated.

One of the major issues with our Black political leadership is that many of them are either far removed, or never have experienced the lifestyles of many of Black Americans are forced to experience in this country. They don't understand living in blighted homes or apartments. They don't know the feeling of living in roaches and rat-infested homes or apartments. They don't know the feeling of not being able to their kids outside for fear that their kids won't return home safe and unharmed. They don't know the feeling of living in communities without a dependable supermarket full of fresh affordable healthy foods. They don't know the feeling of living in reinforced steel bars to protect you from crime-infested communities. They don’t know the feeling that school buildings that are supposed to nurture their children are more likely to induce children to lose hope and gain despair. They don't know the feeling of choosing between taking needed medicines or feeding your family. They don't know about living in communities where there are more liquor stores and drug corners than places that encourage and motivate children and young adults. They don't understand living in communities without a library filled with books to develop brainpower rather than draining brains with so many negative imaging. It is hard to fight for the least of us when you don't or can't empathize with those who struggle every day just to survive. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. decided to live in those conditions in Chicago in 1966 to sense the level of despair faced by those imperiled by the oppressive conditions of America. What Black American political leader today is willing to make that same level of commitment? Who amongst our so-called black political leaders is willing to experience the life of the least of us in our black communities across this nation? You cannot fight against or for something you have never experienced. You simply cannot know of the despair without personally experiencing it. Our black congressional leaders never have to decide whether to feed their families or get the necessary medical attention to get healthy. We need more King-like leaders who will take on these experiences. Why? Because it will be hard to deny aid when you have seen and experienced day to day despair. Yes, and bring along some of the white liberals and plop them right in those black communities. Then, maybe the black reparations movement will move ahead, beyond talk to true action. Yes, America we need a King-like live-in morality movement now.

America’s transfer of political power in the Executive Branch of Government is indeed an impressive display of pomp and circumstance. So it is understandable that Black Americans get caught up in the glitz and glamour of the day. However, the most important thing for our black communities to comprehend is that historically this transfer of power has done little to improve the wealth of black communities, the educational stature of black communities, the physical improvement of the blighted neighborhoods in black communities, the police mistreatment of residents in black communities, and finally the lowering of the despair felt by the residents in those black communities. You see America’s transfer of polemical power has yet to reflect a transfer of tangible policies that truly benefit black communities. So take away the glitz and glamour and the pomp and circumstance on starting January 21st in American History the question still remains unanswered when will a change in political power in the Executive Branch of America’s Government reflect policies or strategies that uplift us beyond seeing us at the ceremony reflecting or elevating the ceremony? We need tangible change now in our black communities. What President has truly lead that charge up racism and oppression hill to destroy that monster? Have a great Thursday but now we must carefully analyze each day’s policy choices to ensure we are no longer ignored. We should be way past pomp and circumstance and focused now on a constructive policy change.