BLACK PANTHER- SOMEHOW I MISSED IT

Houston - I finally made it to see the movie...and I guess I have to acknowledge I'm not as intellectual and analytical as I thought I was. I'm not sure how it happened but I totally missed the messages that the Alt-Right propaganda said I, a conservative, was sure to find hidden in plain sight in the movie.

However here is what I did see...as I sat and watched Black Panther I was reminded of the historical stories of civilizations that once ruled the continent - their images were portrayed in various forms throughout the story. Unfortunately, those who have never read any history of the great continent would not see the obvious. I saw the beautiful land that I often see as I fly from one country to another, one city to another city; or what my eyes stare at in wonder as I take long bus rides from one region to the next, and country to country to country...

Black Panther reminded me of two great ideas that are a part of the continents deep-rooted culture - Harambe and Ubuntu...humanity at its finest. When one travels through the continent they quickly see the pride each country and each tribe has, sometimes to their downfall, but splendid pride none the less. But they are also graciously proud and humble... always willing to serve, loyal, committed, warriors of the heart and mind, brilliant, and amazingly resourceful.

They often wrestle with the idea of how to welcome outsiders, while at the same time eagerly embracing the stranger as a guest of honor that they are responsible for protecting and caring for.

I have to admit I'm biased...I fell in love with the continent nearly 30 years ago on my first visit when I was a young teenager. So to me, this was a movie that pays homage to a place most people have been encouraged to see as a burden, a place many have never visited or only taken a trip and scratched it off their bucket list...it also was a message to the people of the united nations of Africa that you have the wealth, you have the intellect, you have the grace to be great, but you must have the will to elect the people that will allow all of your resources (including the citizens of each country) to make the continent great as it once was civilizations ago.