by Ernie McCray
2025.
A year in which I often
watched, in disbelief and grief,
as a president who, between
cheating at golf
and decorating
the White House with gawdy appearing gold leaf,
constantly and relentlessly
stood before a mic
spewing
disgraceful overly racialized
cockeyed jive
in braggadocious tones
about the crackdowns,
featuring ridding the country of dark-skinned immigrants,
he had going on
on our borders
and in our cities and towns,
openly celebrating
the “progress” being made
in ending diversity, equity and inclusion policies
as though such guidelines
shouldn’t be the crest
of what we address
in our society,
all the hatefulness
gnawing at my soul,
making me feel like
I’m mired in mud
that threatens to swallow me whole.
But, at the same time,
as I summarize
the year 2025
in my mind’s eye
I realize,
deep in my heart,
that no matter how
challenging and maddening
and disappointing and overwhelming
and woeful and awful
and chaotic and psychotic
that twelve-month period happened to be,
2026 doesn’t have to be the same
because many Americans, including me,
stood up lovingly in opposition
to the tyranny
that permeates in attempts
to delete some folks
and erase other’s history,
all of us fully understanding
that people of color,
be they American born citizens
or immigrants,
have, over time,
made contributions to our society
in so many ways,
as tax paying human beings
who have, as laborers,
and creative and innovative entrepreneurs
enriched our economy;
as people
who have, like other people
seeking a better life,
devoted tireless energy
towards molding our country into one
that lives up to its promises
when it comes to liberty and justice for all,
often facing immense adversity
while doing so.
So, I say to my fellow citizens
who, this past year,
acted in a spirit of praise
instead of rage,
in a show of appreciation
for people who are under fire
from leaders in our nation
in spite of all that they have given to the nation:
Happy New Year
and let’s keep that loving vibe
from 2025 flowing.
Knowing that’s what we
in a so-called Land of the Free
should be doing.
Right on! Happy New Year Hermano!