Many, many hundreds of years ago, the "Founding Fathers" of this country, in which we live, sat down and wrote two very important documents: one the United States Constitution, and two, the Declaration of Independence. Today, as much as it pains me to say it, certain statements in these two documents are not worth the "fancy paper" it was written on. These particular statements sound good and look very nice printed in our textbooks, but they have no meaning- no validity- no position in the world in which we live. This "so-called" government doesn't acknowledge them. The Supreme Court tramples over them. The White House laughs at them. The President plays around with them. Today we must unite to tell America that regardless of your prejudices and injustices, we as a people- we as Blacks still shall rise.

Before we can go and voice such a powerful message, we must make sure that we are able to rise- we must have ourselves prepared so that we can make that change. We must make sure that we are ready.

We can prepare ourselves three ways to take on this unorthodox mentality of America and her oppressive means:

Number One is unity. No matter where we go or what we do, we have to have some support- and we have to have unity first. I remember a few times when cakes that were baked in my house came out "warp sided" because a portion of the cake "fell" yet the other side rose. Just as in cake, if one side rises properly and the other doesn't, all we have on our hands is a big mess. This can be avoided if we would simply unite.

While I'm on the subject, I'd like to inquire: what is so hard about coming together? What is so hard about joining our brothers and our sisters for a common cause? What is so hard about giving support? Nothing that I can see. The funny part to me is this- many of us want someone to support us, but we don't want to support someone else. Many of us want somebody to help us in our time to need, but we don't want to help someone else. Many of us want somebody to wipe our behinds, but we don't want to wipe somebody else's. We think that we can get by without doing this and doing that- but just as we didn't do our part for someone else, someone isn't going to do his or her part for us. We have to be concerned about the welfare of others- we cannot survive as an island.

Number Two is not paying attention to America. Now before you question my thinking, allow me to explain. America is a country living off of lies, half-truths, and undemocratic beliefs. For years we have been led to think that our motto ("E Pluribus Unum- out of many one) is true. We might have one thousand, but we do not have one. How are you going to have one people when you live in a nation with prejudiced officials and politicians sitting in Congress? How are you going to have one nation when discrimination, racism, and inequality still slips through the cracks? How are you going to have one country when one time she [America] is saying one thing yet is doing something else? It is not possible. It is not going to be achieved anytime soon.

Any country in which your skin color decides your eligibility for a job, you know there's something wrong. When one of the richest countries in the world kills innocent people because they don't have the "money" or the "resources" to catch the right criminal, you know there's something wrong. Any country where thousands of homeless people are dying CONSTANTLY everyday, yet it is sending money abroad, you know there's something wrong. AMERICA SHOULD TAKE CARE OF HOME FIRST!

But we as Black folk are still saying that this is the majestic "land of the free" and the mighty "home of the brave." This is the great country with "spacious skies" and "amber waves of grain." This country is supposed to be America the Beautiful- the land that "God shed his grace on." But allow me to interject this thought: America is no longer so beautiful. It's now America the corrupt- America the unethical- America the unappreciative- America the schizophrenic. Yes, I did say schizophrenic. At certain times, America preaches equality, but it makes everything as unequal as possible. At certain times, America preaches liberty and justice for all, but it makes things as crippling and unjust as possible. If you don't believe me, go to the workplace. Go into the office complexes. Go into the postal offices. Go into anywhere nowadays and believe me you'll get an up close and personal view of exactly how crooked America really is.

Today, amid these injustices, we still bow down. We still submit to this type of government. We still allow ourselves to be manipulated by this schizophrenic mastermind. But we must tell America- today- that we still shall rise. We must tell her that there is nothing that shall stop us. Once we get this attitude, we'll be able to distinguish between what is true and what is not- once we get this mentality we'll be able to "cut through the fat of the meat that has been thrown on our table."

I challenge you today to not allow yourself to become prey to this government. Be bold enough to tell America although your dictionaries and your thesauruses portray us as being filthy animals that won't stop us. Although you may laugh in our faces and call us all types of names that won't impede us. Although you kill our leaders and our young that won't desist us. Although you may wound our bodies and oppress our spirits that won't obstruct us. Although you may make rules to stop us that won't bind us up. Although you may steal from our communities, causing all types of confusion among us, REVENGE WILL BE OURS!

America-- I'm sending word to you right now. Go get your lies and your half-truths. Go get your blades and your knives. Go get your patriots and spies. Go get your guns and your bombs. Go get your thieves and your crooks. Go get your canons and your planes and your ships. Go get your F-16's and your M-16's because war is at your door.

The oppressed have been let go. The captives have been set free. The blinds' eyes have been opened. The closed minded have been changed. The cold hearts have been revived. The dead spirits have been awaken. The unknowing now know. The uncaring now care. The do nothing's are no more. The truth is coming to light- and its beams are starting to shake us up and unbind us...

Your oppression techniques didn't work- your slavery didn't work- your servitude didn't work- and they won't work. WE STILL SHALL RISE!