The Royster Chronicle

“As long as we see one another through the lens of race, we will never truly experience authentic humanity.” Dr. BLR     In 1981, I made a decision that would change the course of my life, and I never looked back. I enlisted in the United States Army Reserve. It was a decision I truly needed at the time because I was unsure about my future and didn’t want to end up like so many of my friends, who were lost, unemployed, in jail, or dead.    I served in the Army Reserve for six years. When my contract ended in 1987, I received my honorable discharge and was proud to have served my country. During my enlistment, there were no active wars, so I wasn’t deployed.     Looking back, the discipline I received set me up for success. I followed in the footsteps of my maternal grandfather, who, along with my father, fought in World War II. My uncle served in the Korean War, another served in the Vietnam War, and two of my cousins were deployed in two recent wars. ...

    “When the world is in turmoil, turn to sports to ease discomfort.” Dr. BLR   If there ever was a time for the world to try to come together, now would be that time. The wars in Ukraine and Russia, Israel’s genocide in Palestine, Israel and America’s actions against Iran, Israel’s war against Lebanon and Syria, and the xenophobia occurring in South Africa against other Africans are keeping the world distracted and at odds.  Enter the FIFA World Cup. A soccer tournament featuring 48 countries, meant to bring everyone together and set aside our political, social, and religious differences to play a sport played worldwide. The world has been waiting, and so have I, until we watched the Trump administration's actions toward some of the teams and their players. Looking at the social media newsfeeds, watching Senegalese players disembark from an airplane and be patted down as if they were criminals, watching Haiti’s national jersey be denied, watching Iranian players be...

  “Based on your history, I know you will fail me.” Dr. BLR   Freedom is not free, and history does not fade. In the coming months, America will celebrate its founding day. Scores of Americans will seize any excuse to make the celebration spectacular and monumental. Feelings are not mutual. I, for one, will not be celebrating it as the 250 th  year but rather as the 161 st  year of independence, and, more importantly, pseudo-freedom.  As I've grown older, my ability to dismiss nonsense from individuals caught up in this country's patriotism has increased, especially among those who refuse to acknowledge its tainted history. Throughout my entire middle school, high school, and university education, I had no clue about the day commemorating the independence of the last enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, who finally learned they were free.  “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the  Executive of the United S...