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Fri, Sep 3, 2010 4:33 PM EDT |
Religion is to do right. It is to love, it is to serve, it is to think, it is to be humble. --Ralph Waldo Emerson |
People I Admire
The Tuskegee Airmen
I would like to pay a special tribute to The Tuskegee Airmen. Without them the losses of fighter pilots during World War II would have been significantly higher. The dignity and grace of these black fighter pilots was always present even when discriminated against before, during and after the war. All that was wanted was a better way of life for themselves and their family. Fighting for their country was believed to be one way to receive that type of respect just to live out their lives with dignity, the same dignity afforded to many european immigrants openly welcomed into the United States, while the "Not Welcome" signs were ever present within The Tuskegee Airmen's own country.
Lt. Gen. Benjamin O. Davis Jr., a West Point graduate who was "silenced" during his entire time at West Point (a practice where other cadets would only speak to him for official reasons and designed to encourage the cadet to drop out), as a Lt. Colonel, led the Tuskegee Airmen throughout their fighting during World War II. Not a single bomber was lost while being escorted by the Tuskegee Airmen. Over 850 medals and awards were presented to the Tuskegee Airmen. And all of this was accomplished while being denied standard rights and experiencing harsh discrimination both inside and outside of the Army.
If you are near any of the remaining Tuskegee Airmen and/or their family, acknowledge and honor them now. Those still alive and those who departed are living examples of what a good man is, respectful citizens and honorable human beings.
Also admired: positive grade and high school teachers, humanitarians, and others such as Harriet Tubman, Nelson Mandela, William H. Seward, Frederick Douglas, W.E.B. DuBois, John Brown, Madame CJ Walker, John Amos, Don Cheadle (I LUV THIS GUY!! well not in THAT way, but his work is awesome!), Grand Master Flash, Carlos Santana, Angela Bassett, Dennis Haysbert (one of my husbands!), Loretta Devine, Alex Haley, Richard Allen, Morgan Freeman, Ruth J. Simmons, Denzel Washington, Sidney Poitier, Debbie Allen, Suzzanne Douglas, Whoopi Goldberg, Diahann Carroll, Al Roker, John Leguizamo, Kim Cattrall (our HERO!), Jenny McCarthy, Patrick McGuinness & Ann Finnell, Elton John, Dennis Hopper, Jeremy Irons, Richard Pryor, Paul Mooney, Carlos Mencia, Russell Wong ('cause he's just too fine, or PHHFINNE!, scooch over a little LL Cool J), California Highway Patrol (overworked and underpaid professionals!), James MacLaren, and so many others who make the day-to-day ho-hums so much more bearable.