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When history is not history [1]
['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']
Date: 2025-07-12
People are fond of this saying “Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it”
But what if the past, the history you’ve learned, isn’t the past that happened
What if the history you’ve learned, isn’t really and truly what occurred?
What becomes of your learning then?
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It is only recently that true history has started emerging from its confines
But you are resistant in learning it, you fight against the ugly truths within
You refuse to face your past, you refuse to admit your present
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You rant and rave in defense of statues, statues of ancestors who were slave owners
You rail against the removal of the names of those who fought to keep slaves
Claiming pride and history as grounds for your defense
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But is it pride or shame? Shame that ancestors of yours could have been monsters?
Your ancestors enslaved people and fought to keep them enslaved
That is the truth, that is your history, for now and for eternity
You cannot change it, cover it, erase it or modify it, except to yourselves
They say history is written by the winners, but history doesn’t only live in books
It lives in tales passed down from generation to generation
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You keep telling Black people to get over slavery, to let go of the past
We are not the ones holding on to a slew of self-delusion, you are
We have dealt with our history, we know the truths...
Both, yours and ours, the good and the bad of all sides
The history of this land and all of its people
Those who were here, those who came here,
Those conquered here and those brought here
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It is that refusal to see the past for what it was,
Which in turn keeps you from seeing it’s grasp on the present
It is YOUR refusal to learn from YOUR mistakes
That keeps you from doing what is right today
It is YOUR refusal to see the ugliness in your past
That keeps you from learning acceptance today!
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Your mind keeps searching for the reasons of your ancestor’s actions
You do not seek absolution from the past; you seek excuses for your ancestors
There must be something wrong with us Black folks that’s why they did what they did
There must be something wrong with us Black folks that’s why we’re poor
That’s what you tell yourselves to justify your actions past and present
And future
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But… there is nothing wrong with us
There is however something wrong with you
It is time for you to grow
It is time for you to accept these truths
It is time for YOU to let go of YOUR past
And move forward
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We are ready to move forward with you
We have been waiting to move forward with you
We are waiting… for you to learn
Though it might already be too late
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#TheAmericanHaitianPoet #Woke #SocialPoetry
Paypal.me/murielvieux (the poet could use some help)
Muriel Vieux – July 12th, 2025 (rewritten)– ©All rights reserved
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