I'm just a white man. I'm just a black man.

 I'm just a white man; I'm just a black man. 

By Reed Johnson

On a whim, I wrote down some lyrics I was singing to myself on a cross-state bike ride. When I can only hear the engine roar and the wind in your helmet, I tend to just start singing. That night, while settling into another hotel in Roanoke, VA,  I wrote to Oliver Anthony (Chris) a song/poem and posted it to his Facebook page. Now, the following is not direct or exactly what I wrote, and the truth is I did not write it down. I wrote to him my thoughts for a song in a matter of minutes.  What I put down on paper here will not be exactly the same, but close. It's the catchline that is the most important. Like "Rich man north of Richmond," mine is as follows. I told him he could have the song if it inspired him; it is free to use. 

I'm just a white man living in a black man's world. 

I'm just a black man living in a white man's world. 

I'm just a black man living in a white man's world.

I'm just a white man living in a black man's world. 

Oh, why do you take from me my history and bury it in the ground?

Oh, why can't a man, a black, educated man, find a job oh, where can one be found?

I'm just a white man living in a black man's world. 

I'm just a black man living in a white man's world. 

Oh, why do you kill in your urban cities for a thrill? 

Have you no regard for life?

Oh, why do I live in poverty? 

Why do my schools fail me? 

Why do leaders turn to apathy and stab my soul with a knife?

I'm just a black man living in a white man's world.

I'm just a white man living in a black man's world. 

Oh, black man, Sunday comes along, and where are you?

I sit here in church praying for you?

Oh, white man, Sunday comes along, and where are you?

I sit here in church praying for you.

We are just men living in the rich man's world.

We allow our politicians to live high on the hog.

While we country folk live in a bog

Our lives are but tiny swirls and whirls.

We go round and round, knocking the rural man down.

The urban politicians care nothing for our small town.

I'm just a black man living in a white man's world.

I'm just a white man living in a black man's world. 

Ross Perot was right.

When he said, they would take in the night.

Our jobs and factories.

Does the rich man know no boundaries?

Unions are no better.

Just dues for the rich few.

A socialist kind of debtor.

Drowning my sorrows in a mug of brew.

I'm just a white man living in a black man's world. 

I'm just a black man living in a white man's world. 

I'm just a black man living in a white man's world.

I'm just a white man living in a black man's world. 

Oliver Anthony is right.

We have to take care of ourselves on the left and the right. 

We find our sister and brotherhood in our churches at night.

Together we can have might.

We can rule our lives.

Without greed and apathy.

Without covetness and agony.

Without hate and knives.

Stabbing each other in the back

As we allow the politician man to attack. 

I'm just a black man living in a white man's world.

I'm just a white man living in a black man's world. 

Envy is the world's original sin.

We can no longer let in.

We can no longer allow envy to be used

To separate us, we must be fused.

Together we win; divided, we fall

To the rich politicians who give it their all.

To divide us a black man from a white man. 

I'm just a white man living in a black man's world. 

I'm just a black man living in a white man's world. 

I'm just a black man living in a white man's world.

I'm just a white man living in a black man's world. 

America's core values and creeds are under cancel culture attack

If you ever get to read Joseph Filco, a regular commentary writer with the Williamsburg Gazette. In that case, I challenge you to find his sensible opinion based on years of human experience and education worthy of a chance to read. Joseph's recent opinion was entitled "Culture change takes time" Williamsburg Gazette 8-5-2023. When I read Josph's commentary, I thought about "Environmental change takes time." A subject near and dear to my heart. Using Joseph's advice and analogies for the same progress would be easy. Today, I am exploring why the American divide to progress. Following is my discourse and letter to Joseph for his consideration.  

"America's core values and creeds are under cancel culture attack."

If I may call you Joseph, I read your opinion today and couldn't agree more. A fine piece of critical thinking and explanation, at least from one point of view, and that is your own. I expect you will be attacked in the coming weeks, but then, like the Rhinouras, your skin is four inches deep. Welcome to the herd. Ad Hominem would be a good topic for consideration. To write about (an argument or reaction) directed against a person rather than the position they maintain. For many today, like our politicians, and the media, personal attacks seem the norm. So would it be any wonder this behavior trickles down to the average citizen hiding behind a social media post?  

Alas, I think of apathy. Why do people use personal attacks? Why does the media use personal attacks? Why do politicians today use personal attacks? Why would the editors of the Daily Press not expect personal attacks? What makes them immune to citizens? 

I suggest apathy. For example, the editors of the Daily Press, Williamsburg Gazette (any media), politicians, and academia should respond better to criticism. They use cancel culture to stifle those they disagree with. The only method left to attempt conversation is personal attacks of which the average citizen learns the behavior from the media, academia, and politics., It is because of the lack of communication with readers, community citizens with different opinions, and taxpayers the average citizen lashes out at school board meetings or board of supervisor meetings. 

In other words, why is it okay for the editors of the Daily Press to attack our governor's opinion or action, yet these same editors lack the fortitude to take criticism themselves? Example: I can write to the president of William and Mary with a different view, asking questions and expecting answers. The response is typical, "We just have to agree to disagree." It's a pretty lame way to treat a fellow citizen. The same can be said for media who do not respond or, for whatever reason, decide to cancel a human being because they disagree with an opinion without reason. 

You can't tell me today that the media is not biased or even bigoted (unwilling to change), spearheading liberal culture change in our society with cancel culture in mind if you do not fall in line. Your opinion bodes well for those who print your opinion; it is like, duh, look in the mirror, editor. Your article/view was well written; maybe those who need to listen to your call are the ones in charge, not citizens. The citizen follows in the footsteps of leaders who lead by example. When leaders, as mentioned, want a culture change, they use personal attacks to whip up the frenzy of cancel culture; that is just propaganda, not conversation. Liberals, the media, and academia use cancel culture to push culture change— Don't you think diversity, a range of different things, only applies to the left if you agree with them? If you disagree, you are canceled. Don't you think inclusion flies out the door every day that we disagree with the media leftist who use propaganda to push culture change and use personal attacks against our politicians? Don't you think equity is sunk like the Titanic in the Atlantic when cancel culture is used to push a narrative? Don't you think it is a sad day for America's creed and core values when leaders in our community use their power to squash communication or a difference of opinion?