Hard Work is a Demeaning Term to many Blacks

ON A RECENT SEGMENT OF HER MSNBC SHOW MELISSA HARRIS-PERRY IMPLIED THAT THE TERM "HARD WORK" WAS OFFENSIVE TO SOME BLACK PEOPLE.  SHE CONTINUED SAYING SHE HAD A PICTURE OF BLACK PEOPLE PICKING COTTON HANGING ON HER OFFICE WALL SAYING THAT WAS HARD WORK.  I'VE GOT NEW FOR MELISSA---MANY WHITE PEOPLE IN THE SOUTH PICKED COTTON IN THOSE HOT AUGUST FIELDS, INCLUDING YOURS TRULY.  SHE WAS RIGHT IN THAT IT WAS HARD WORK, BUT SINCE WHEN IS HARD WORK OFFENSIVE. 

Hard Working White's Picking Cotton

I PICKED COTTON ALONG SIDE OF BLACKS ON MY GRAND DAD'S OLD FARM.  THAT IS, UNTIL LYNDON JOHNSON'S GREAT SOCIETY PLAN WAS PUT INTO EFFECT.  THAT WAS THE TIME WHEN ALL THE BLACKS IN THE RURAL PARTS OF OUR COUNTY PICKED UP AND MOVED TO TOWN TO SIT ON THEIR PORCHES AND ENJOY ALL THAT FREE STUFF DEMOCRATS WERE PASSING OUT TO THEM.  TO MANY OF THEM "HARD WORK" DID BECOME A DEMEANING TERM AND CITY BLACKS BEGAN REFERRING TO THEIR "HARD WORKING" COUNTRY COUSINS AS COUNTRY NI**ERS!  THUS WE HAD THE BEGINNING OF THE WELFARE STATE IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY!  NO LONGER WAS A MAN JUDGED BY THE CALLOUSES ON HIS HANDS, BUT BY THE NUMBER OF ROCKERS ON HIS FRONT PORCH.  YES MELISSA YOU ARE RIGHT THE TERM "HARD WORK" IS OFFENSIVE TO SOME WHO RATHER STAND IN THE WELFARE LINE THAN POUND THE STREET LOOKING FOR GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT.  

by Ron Russell

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