Analysis.

 

Genius is a word that accurately describes his longevity. For almost one century of living a dynamic life, W.E.B. DuBois fought for racial and economic justice, collaborated with fellow icons (like Ida B. Wells, Trotter, and Paul Robeson), and advanced the advocacy of the unity of people of black African descent sincerely. His revolutionary fervor for real social change dramatically increased as he has gotten older as a black human being. His contributions and intellectual insights into sociological research (from studying the black lives of the city of Philadelphia to recording to history of the Reconstruction era accurately) has been extraordinary. DuBois presented to the world non-stereotypical portraits of black American life in many spaces from a Chicago Fair to the NAACP's Crisis magazine. No human is perfect, and we know fully of DuBois' errors (i.e. his promotion of the Talented Tenth concept). Yet, W.E.B. DuBois is 100 percent right on tons of issues like being anti-imperialist, for being in favor of voting rights, for exposing the contradictions and weaknesses of capitalism, and desiring black liberation in the Motherland of Africa including worldwide. He not only studied history, philosophy, economics, and sociology in Berlin, in Massachusetts, in Atlanta, in Nashville, and in Washington, D.C. W.E.B. DuBois was an active participant in expressing heroic opposition to racism, discrimination, lynching, economic oppression, and colonialism. DuBois loved Africa so much that he lived in Accra, Ghana where he transitioned at the age of 95 years old (with then intention to write an encyclopedia about Africa and black culture in general). DuBois was praised by tons of people from Dr. King, Cornell West, and other human beings. Now, W.E.B. DuBois's legacy and wisdom will continue to embolden our minds in fighting for the Dream to be made real for our generation including future, subsequent generations as well. 

It has been sixty years since the historic 1963 March on Washington existed. It was a major event of the American Civil Rights Movement, of the black freedom struggle, and of the overall human rights movement in general. Over two hundred thousand human beings came into Washington, D.C. from buses, planes, trains, cars, and by other means. Speeches were made from John Lewis to Daisy Bates (a civil rights activist from Little Rock, Arkansas), hope was widespread in the atmosphere, and there was a contagious, stirring energy filled with inspiration. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his historic "I Have a Dream" speech to not only have hope for racial justice, but Dr. King condemned American racism as contributing to a society filled with nefarious, wicked injustices (like police brutality and poverty). He compared the corrupt system to false promissory note marked insufficient funds. The dream of the march existed back during the 1940's. Back then, A. Philip Randolph and Bayard Rustin wanted the desegregation of the wartime industries being caused by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt or there will be a march on Washington. FDR conceded, because FDR didn't want more controversies to be made manifest during the midst of World War II. Yet, A. Philip Randolph always wanted an actual March on Washington to happen in confronting racial injustice and economic oppression. He had his wish by August of 1963. John Lewis, A. Philip Randolph, Bayard Rustin, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, and other human beings organized the march. It has its problems like the march restricted many women voices unfairly, Malcolm X classified the rally as a liberal establishment puppet show, and many speeches were whitewashed or sugarcoated to please the Kennedy administration's politically correct sensibilities. The strengths of the March on Washington were that it was very peaceful, it energized the crowds of people, and it was a major catalyst for the passage of civil rights and voting rights legislation in the United States of America. It took a team of men, women, and children of every color to establish the 1963 March on Washington to be a great success. Likewise, we have a long way to go to make the Dream real. 

There are many situations that developed with the Waco tragedy. Waco happened in early 1993 when I was in elementary school. By February 28, 1993, about 100 agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms raid the compound near Waco, Texas. Four agents and an unknown number of cult members are killed in a gun battle. Cult leader David Koresh is among those wounded. Four children are released. The federal agents wanted to execute arrest and search warrants against David Koresh and the Branch Davidian compound. On that day, the FBI becomes the head agency involved in resolving the standoff. 

By March 1, 1993, 10 children are released, and Koresh spoke on radio. By March 2, two women and six children were released. Koresh promised to surrender if a lengthy taped statement was broadcast. His "sermon" is broadcast on radio and TV, but Koresh didn't give up. On March 3, federal agents said that Koresh will surrender when he received "further instruction from God." Two more children leave the compound on March 4th and 5th, 1993. By March 12, two adults left the compound. The FBI started to use loudspeakers to blare tapes of negotiations to the cultists on March 18. Two cultists leave the compound on March 19, 1993. Seven cultists leave on March 21, and authorities blast the compound with chants of Tibetan monks on March 22. One cult member left the compound on March 23. March 24, 1993, was the turning point. On that date, David Koresh broke off negotiations with authorities. By April 14, 1993, David Koresh sent out word that he will surrender after writing a manuscript which he reveals the contents of the Seven Seals, referred to in the Book of Revelations (found in the New Testament of the Bible). On April 16, the FBI agent said that the agency has its own time schedule and won't wait forever for Koresh to give up. April 19, 1993, was when the Davidian compound burned to the ground after FBI agents in an armored vehicle smash the buildings and pump in tear gas. By April 23, 1993, President William Jefferson Clinton defending the government handling of the Branch Davidian case but promised a full investigation. The first body in the rubble identified was Koresh's brother in law law, David Michael Jones. The Texas Department of Public Safety said that the hunt for bodies had ended with 72 human beings being recovered. By May 2, the Justice of the Peace David Pareya announced that dental records and X-rays confirm that Koresh's body was found, with a gunshot wound to the forehead (which could be a sign of suicide). To this very day, the federal government said that they did nothing wrong. On July 21, 2000, after a 10-month investigation, Danforth issued a preliminary report said that the federal agents didn't start the fire, direct gunfire at the complex, or improperly employ U.S. armed forces. He or Danforth blamed the tragedy on the Branch Davidians and David Koresh. There is no question that David Koresh was a false Messiah and was an evil male whose actions have no justification. David Koresh was no hero as he was a pedophile and sexual abuser too. Ultimately, Koresh is responsible for his death and the deaths of innocent civilians in the Waco compound. Yet, to assume that the federal government did everything right with no alternatives in my opinion is fantasy. Even Danforth conceded that an FBI agent fired three pyrotechnic tea gas rounds at a concrete pit 75 feet from the living quarters of the compound. Danforth said that the rounds didn't start the fire, but it was negligence. 

By Timothy