Cast Down Your BUCKET

Booker T Washington 1856-1915. Born a slave, he rose to National and International Renown. Booker T was the first teacher and principal of the Tuskegee Institute in Tuskegee, Alabama, a school for African-Americans where he championed vocational training as a means for black self-reliance.

"A ship lost at sea for many days suddenly sighted a friendly vessel. From the mast of the unfortunate vessel was seen a signal, "Water, water; we die of thirst!" The answer from the friendly vessel at once came back, "Cast down your bucket where you are." A second time the signal, "Water, water; send us water!" ran up from the distressed vessel, and was answered, "Cast down your bucket where you are." And a third and fourth signal for water was answered, "Cast down your bucket where you are." The captain of the distressed vessel, at last heeding the injunction, cast down his bucket, and it came up full of fresh, sparkling water from the mouth of the Amazon River." I learn about this quote when I was in college. It is amazing how it is still as powerful to day as it was then. This quote is from the 1895 Address To Altanta Exposition. It was titled "A Better Approach To Healthy Race Relations" To read the full text it is available here.

With Black History Month right on our heels, it is important to count the blessing that this new year has brought. Financial I urge everyone to Cast Down Your Bucket by Joining Our Community. Contrary to what many political pundits may say about the Democratic Primary OBAMA has already WON. America has also WON.

America has won because racial attitudes are changing. I worked as a volunteer with the Obama campaign and it is mostly staffed by white people. I was on the train one day ago. I was on my way to a clients house to complete the job I was doing on their computer.

I was feeling a little tired and started snoozing. When I woke up I saw this Middle Aged White Man Looking at me smiling. I looked at his lapel and there was an Obama Button. He said, "Let's Cross our Fingers and Pray". He then handed me an Obama Button and exited the train.

Now why did he single me out? I was wearing my Obama hat. Obama is more than just a black candidate. But in some ways he's like Booker T in that is the first Black that many White Americans Respect enough to even consider to be a spokesperson for the country.

Dr. King birthday will be celebrated in two days. While I still get the racist "N**G*R" comments online, I am more hopeful for our country and the world than I have been in a long time. I realize today that we still have a great deal of healing to be done. I also realize that many of us have to let go and get out the way.

I guess it's knowledge of the Black Man's Experiences in recent history that drives me so hard to pursue financial freedom.