Frontiersman, May 2024

REAL Women With REAL Authority
Sam Aurelius Milam III

Back when I was still working as a nuclear engineer at GE, in San Jose, California, I had an account at the credit union. I walked into the building one day, and told the teller that I wanted to withdraw $15 from my account. She didn’t exactly smirk, but she did seem to be mightily happy to tell me that the rules wouldn’t allow it. She told me, with a smile that wasn’t exactly vindictive, that the minimum allowable withdrawal was $25. I asked why I couldn’t decide for myself how much to withdraw from my own account. Her smile was just slightly more frosty as she assured me, with what seemed to be thinly veiled glee, that a $15 withdrawal wasn’t allowed. I submitted to her restrictions and withdrew $25. She did a bit of paperwork, handed me my $25, looked smugly at the next person in line, and said “Next, please.” I said, “Wait a minute. I’m not through yet.” She looked nonplussed. Not quite annoyed, just nonplussed. I told her that I wanted to deposit $10 into my account. She became annoyed. She grimly took my deposit and gave me a receipt. I walked out with my $15 withdrawal. The credit union was a bastion of economic freedom and the teller was a real woman, with real authority.

Many years ago, while I was still living at Mere Keep, I visited some bookstore, the name of which I’ve long since forgotten. I noticed a door to a dimly lit back room. The door was labeled “Adults Only”. There was a woman nearby, stacking books on a little table with wheels. I asked her if they ever had problems with kids trying to sneak into the room. She sighed sadly, rolled her eyes, and said that it happened all the time. I told her that they were having so much trouble because they had the wrong label on the door. She looked annoyed and, with a slight sneer, asked me sarcastically if I could suggest something better. I told her that kids wouldn’t be even remotely interested in the place if it was labeled Actuarial Archives. She sniffed, turned her back on me, and continued stacking books. The book store was a bastion of creative thought and the woman was a real woman, with real authority.

A few years ago, I walked into the local library. I didn’t have any use for the library then, and I still don’t. I was there to carry a heavy load of books for my mother, who was in poor health. I stood and waited while my mother and the librarian swapped books, pleasantries, and gossip. Somebody said something that reminded me of a blonde joke. I started to tell the joke and the librarian suddenly turned on me, snarled, grew fangs, and eyes snapping, declared that she didn’t allow blonde jokes in the library. I don’t remember the color of her hair, but the library was a bastion of free speech, and the librarian was a real woman, with real authority.

Reality Check
Sam Aurelius Milam III

Many black people whose ancestors were brought to America and forced into slavery are now living in America. Many black people whose ancestors were not brought to America and forced into slavery are now living somewhere in Africa.

Injustices in America should be addressed, when possible, and when they actually are injustices, but the tragic circumstances of those black people who were brought to America and forced into slavery have turned out to be a blessing for their present-day descendants. That is, instead of living in Africa, those descendants are living in America, which is widely alleged to be the best place to live on the entire planet. Whether it actually is or not is a matter of opinion but, nevertheless, people are struggling, enduring severe hardships and, in some cases, even dying, trying to get to America. So, what’s the problem with those black people who’re demanding reparations? Reparations for what? Reparations for living in America? Sure, they still have some difficulties as a legacy of slavery. Everybody has problems and grievances. Every population has a past but at least they’re living in America. Maybe some of those black people who’re living in Africa, the ones that I mentioned in the first paragraph, might like to trade places with the ones who’re living in America, and not demand reparations.

I’m not proposing some stupid repatriation scheme. I’m suggesting that black people in America should reconsider their situations, their priorities, and their agendas. They could stop asking for free handouts. Instead, they could turn their efforts toward addressing injustices that really are injustices. There are plenty of those. Things are tough all over.

It’s A Sure Sign of Something
Sam Aurelius Milam III

On the morning edition of BBC World News America, on April 9, Nada Tawfik referred to the recent solar eclipse as an astrological phenomenon. Actually, it was an astronomical phenomenon. Hopefully, she understands the difference. A video clip showing her comment is available in the videos section of The Frontiersman Website.