Due to so much “fireworks” and turmoil experienced by all of us this last year, including some law enforcement abuse, racial unrest, COVID-19 and the heightened political polarity, many folks have shared how they have cancelled 2020 from their memories … but unfortunately, many important inherent tenets to our great nation, however flawed, have been ignored also.

Pic: Public Domain - President Ronald Reagan Quote

“Mr. Keith, when I did a Google search, “Independence Day” was noted as just being a movie from 1996!” - noted Jamal my 6 year Baton Rouge inner city church friend.

“Really?” - I replied, as I had just been telling him, “it will be so much fun to do fireworks soon!”

“What did you mean about July 4th being the pronouncement adopted by the Second Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on July 4, 1776? I never heard of that in school!” - Jamal retorted.

Lamonte, a 10 year old inner city friend and brother of Jamal then noted to me, “And I don't know what happened to 'Thanksgiving;' my teacher told me before school ended for this summer that we will have a 'holiday' in November like usual – when Mom and family would make turkey and fixins for us – but it is not called 'Thanksgiving' anymore for some reason; don't we have a lot to be thankful for?”

And Lamonte continued, “And my teacher also told us that we will have a 'holiday in late December, but she said there was no such thing as Christmas anymore! I'm so worried that I won't get any presents again … nor will Jamal!”

Jamal then asked me, “Mr. Keith, I also really don't understand why our Baton Rouge Police friend, Chief Paul, and his Team, were now being taught to me as being bad … he really is a nice guy and takes the time to tell me about right and wrong and how to be a good citizen? I saw some things last year and recently that a few cops did on tv that were bad, but Mr. Paul and most of them have treated me greatly!”

Lamonte then noted to me and Jamal, “Yes, there was that tragic George Floyd incident and some others that were really bad for us minorities, but I thought that all people were created equal by our Creator, as noted in the Declaration of Independence, and that we all had inalienable rights, including life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?”

“Yes you are right,” I noted to Lamonte, “and the First Amendment in the 'Bill of Rights' ensured freedom of religious expression and speech. There have certainly been many injustices to African-Americans and other minorities, especially the long-standing past historical practice of slavery done by many ethnicities, but thank God that they have and are continually being addressed and corrected due to our nation being a Constitutional republic and a representative democracy with three separate branches of government ,” I replied.

Lamonte then continued, “Then how come people with different beliefs and opinions about things have been censored from my favorite social media, like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter?”

“I'm not really sure, Jamal and Lamonte," I replied, "but let's go to church ... it's Sunday and let's pray about it, including this great prayer for racial harmony from the Diocese of Baton Rouge:”

"God our Father, You call us to love one another as You have loved us. We pray for the conversion of hearts in our Diocese of Baton Rouge to bring about racial harmony rooted in Your Son, Jesus Christ. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, strip us of our pride, mistrust and prejudices, so that we may be able to dialogue with one another to build communities where justice, peace and love flourish. We ask these blessings trusting in the infinite mercy of Jesus and the intercession of Mary our Mother. Amen." - Diocese of Baton Rouge

Keith John Paul Horcasitas, LCSW
Prayer Care, LLC