Storytime.
This is my father. When he was young he joined the navy to serve his country and ended up in a war. He carried a browning automatic rifle through some of the worst fighting in Vietnam for three tours.
Before a mission, he always assumed he was going die...cont
This is my father. When he was young he joined the navy to serve his country and ended up in a war. He carried a browning automatic rifle through some of the worst fighting in Vietnam for three tours.
Before a mission, he always assumed he was going die...cont
He had already married his childhood sweetheart (which is also quite a story) so he made sure to write home before every mission to let them know how he felt about being sent to his death. He wasn't resigned. He was always angry about it.
After his miraculous survival it was not a shock to anyone when he parted ways with the Navy. Some were a BIT shocked at the next grouo he joined, the Black Panthers.
He was a member of an offshoot of the Oakland group in San Fransisco.
He was a member of an offshoot of the Oakland group in San Fransisco.
He much of the next few years physically fighting racism both in California and at his home in Texas. He carried self-defense weapons in a specially made leather jacket and used those weapons to protect himself and his loved ones repeatedly.
He stood up to police brutality and got knocked down for it. He took beatings from police, rednecks, and white-power organizations. He always fought back and gave as good or better than he got.
He was always angry.
The anger that kept him alive in war never left him.
He was always angry.
The anger that kept him alive in war never left him.
At the height of this tumultuous period in both his and the country's life, he left the Black Panthers.
He felt his experience had made him too volatile. He didn't want to defend. He wanted to attack. He wanted to vent his rage at all the injustice and burn it all.
He felt his experience had made him too volatile. He didn't want to defend. He wanted to attack. He wanted to vent his rage at all the injustice and burn it all.
He knew that wasn't the way.
Instead he got a job in the largest timber factory in the Lufkin area where he lived and worked hard. He campaigned constantly for fairness in hiring at that factory until they made him a permanent member of the hiring committee just tonshut him up.
Instead he got a job in the largest timber factory in the Lufkin area where he lived and worked hard. He campaigned constantly for fairness in hiring at that factory until they made him a permanent member of the hiring committee just tonshut him up.
He changed laws in the area to property protections to minorities.
He opened businesses for the express purpose of hiring black workers and kept those businesses open with his own sweat. He built his house, filled with 3 kids, and protected it.
He opened businesses for the express purpose of hiring black workers and kept those businesses open with his own sweat. He built his house, filled with 3 kids, and protected it.
Time and time again in times of trouble he would be at the forefront of those trying to help. If it was building firebreaks for wildfires or building housing for Katrina victims he was always there.
Today as my rage flows at the injustice and depth of corruption, I'm in awe of the man he gave his very own name.
He quelled his ocean of anger because he knew he was more useful alive than dead.
As a result, I'm here to tell this story and say: kindness ALWAYS wins.
@IamBenKind
He quelled his ocean of anger because he knew he was more useful alive than dead.
As a result, I'm here to tell this story and say: kindness ALWAYS wins.
@IamBenKind
Here's him and his youngest grandkid about 3days ago.
Her mouth is full of gumballs he bought for her.
Her mouth is full of gumballs he bought for her.
