The Next Beatle from anonymous
What was done to me?
I was probably 12 years old. I had been learning the guitar on my own. I had a Learn the Guitar record and had it on the Sear’s record player in my room. I didn’t want to go ‘public’ until I thought I was pretty good. I had the basic 4 or so chords down pretty well for a beginner and started learning Puff the Magic Dragon (this was a few years before Smoke on the Waters). When I thought that it was time, OK I’ll admit it, with visions of being another Beatle going through my head, I went to play for my parents. I don’t remember exactly what their reaction was, but it was less than encouraging. There was some chuckling under their breath, but not officially mocking, or dismissal– at least not directly– mainly there just was silence. What was noticeable to my insecure little heart was the absence of what I needed. There was no excitement, no encouragement, no ‘you’ve got some natural talent!’, no ‘let’s call our friends!’. All of my insecurities flared–and there were a lot. What was done to me?
If I had to choose from the list of what was done to me, it would be a withholding of honor. It would’t have cost the folks much to act excited at my attempts at playing the guitar.

What was taken from me?
It sounds so petty. I am not talking about being sexually molested here. But I grew up with lots of insecurities about public speaking and performance, even about achieving success. Someone might say, ‘Get over it. Move on with your life, Bub!’ I have. I am not in depression over this. I am a successful person in my field. I even kept up with the guitar–wrote some songs (one I sold to a band). I play as part of a church worship team. But I know that I play with loads of insecurities. I was even asked to try out to be a part of a neighborhood band. I just couldn’t. I wonder what might have been different if my parents had just given me the honor that was really due a child? What was taken? Maybe it was the freedom to be expressive.

How much was this worth?
Wow. This is hard. What is the loss revenue of the fifth Beatle? Just kidding. I will say that to me the value has to be in the millions. I lost many opportunities to be expressive, creative, bold in public. Honestly, I would love my folks to just admit it to me. But to tell the truth, they don’t even remember the event at all. That is the way this works a lot. The victim is the one who carries the memory of the event. It just wasn’t a big deal at all to my parents. I need to forgive. You are right when you describe this as a lingering debt that I just can’t get rid of. It would be great to have the debt finally paid. It is sad to think how my life might have been different.

anonymous

The Next Beatle
What was done to me?
I was probably 12 years old. I had been learning the guitar on my own. I had a Learn the Guitar record and had it on the Sear’s record player in my room. I didn’t want to go ‘public’ until I thought I was pretty good. I had the basic 4 or so chords down pretty well for a beginner and started learning Puff the Magic Dragon (this was a few years before Smoke on the Waters). When I thought that it was time, OK I’ll admit it, with visions of being another Beatle going through my head, I went to play for my parents. I don’t remember exactly what their reaction was, but it was less than encouraging. There was some chuckling under their breath, but not officially mocking, or dismissal– at least not directly– mainly there just was silence. What was noticeable to my insecure little heart was the absence of what I needed. There was no excitement, no encouragement, no ‘you’ve got some natural talent!’, no ‘let’s call our friends!’. All of my insecurities flared–and there were a lot. What was done to me?
If I had to choose from the list of what was done to me, it would be a withholding of honor. It would’t have cost the folks much to act excited at my attempts at playing the guitar.

What was taken from me?
It sounds so petty. I am not talking about being sexually molested here. But I grew up with lots of insecurities about public speaking and performance, even about achieving success. Someone might say, ‘Get over it. Move on with your life, Bub!’ I have. I am not in depression over this. I am a successful person in my field. I even kept up with the guitar–wrote some songs (one I sold to a band). I play as part of a church worship team. But I know that I play with loads of insecurities. I was even asked to try out to be a part of a neighborhood band. I just couldn’t. I wonder what might have been different if my parents had just given me the honor that was really due a child? What was taken? Maybe it was the freedom to be expressive.

How much was this worth?
Wow. This is hard. What is the loss revenue of the fifth Beatle? Just kidding. I will say that to me the value has to be in the millions. I lost many opportunities to be expressive, creative, bold in public. Honestly, I would love my folks to just admit it to me. But to tell the truth, they don’t even remember the event at all. That is the way this works a lot. The victim is the one who carries the memory of the event. It just wasn’t a big deal at all to my parents. I need to forgive. You are right when you describe this as a lingering debt that I just can’t get rid of. It would be great to have the debt finally paid. It is sad to think how my life might have been different.

anonymous

So said Richard E. Barber of Somerset N.J., a descendent of slaves, who participated in one of the latest slavery Reparation Movement class action suits. Per the Washington Post article by Mike Robinson,

“We are here on behalf of all of those enslaved Africans who worked for 240 years without a payday. [There are people in America] who have trust funds built on the backs of slaves. Time to pay up.”

This particular class action is targeting American corporations who have made profits from the historical use of slaves; companies such as the Lehman Brothers brokerage firm, Aetna Insurance and R.J. Reynolds Tobacco. The case was turned down by the Federal Court in Chicago, but a lot of room was left for an appeal. No doubt, this will eventually end up in the Supreme Court somewhere down the line.

What does the Reparations Movement have to do with forgiveness? Everything. That’s the whole point. A vast dehumanizing crime has occurred 1000 times over. But to-date, there have been no trials for the victims. They were given no judicial voice. The surviving slaves were merely set free. Real justice was never a real consideration. And now, 140 years later, the injustices have festered and bubbled over. This is a forgiveness issue. How can they forgive until there has been real justice? (see more)