{"id":12024,"date":"2016-11-19T23:02:55","date_gmt":"2016-11-20T04:02:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=12024"},"modified":"2017-02-20T18:26:57","modified_gmt":"2017-02-20T23:26:57","slug":"saturday-short-the-tuskegee-airmen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=12024","title":{"rendered":"Saturday Short – The Tuskegee Airmen"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"blog-tuskegee-airmen-2\"<\/a>Photo Credit: Tuskegee Airmen<\/a><\/p>\n

Last night I watched a 1995 HBO film<\/a> about the Tuskegee Airmen. <\/a>They were the very first African-American military pilots. What an incredible story of how they had the opportunity to train as pilots (in 1941) and then how they entered the air battles of World War II (in 1943). As much as they confronted America’s enemy (Germany), they also faced the segregation and racism of that day.\"blog-tuskegee-airmen\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Photo Credit: Tuskegee Airmen<\/a><\/p>\n

The HBO film was based on the true stories of these men, but it’s hard to know, not having studied the Tuskegee Airmen before, what is true and what is Hollywood.<\/p>\n

\"blog-tuskegee-airmen-getty-images\"<\/a>Photo Credit: Wikipedia<\/a><\/p>\n

There is one scene that was especially timely then…and today.<\/p>\n

It was some sort of hearing (some congressional committee) about the fitness of these pilots and whether the training program should be shut down. The African-American colonel who led this fighter squadron was able to speak for the men under his command. Below is his appeal and defense of these courageous fighter pilots…and of African-Americans. {Watch the clip below, as well. Moving.]<\/p>\n

All we asked for was a chance to prove ourselves. A fair and impartial opportunity.<\/strong> \r\nWe thought we had that chance.\r\nBut you invite us to a poker game,\r\nhand us a fixed deck...\r\n...and then wonder why we can't win?\r\nEvery colored pilot in the 99th...\r\n...went through his own private hell\r\n\r\nto wear those wings.\r\nEach of those men carry...\r\n...not only the dream\r\nof becoming American Military Aviators...but the hopes of an entire people as well.\r\n\r\nAm I the only one in this room\r\nthat understands what that means?\r\nI was brought up to believe\r\nthat beneath it all...\r\n...Americans are a decent people...\r\n...with an abiding sense of integrity and fair play. The cheers I heard across this country\r\nwhen Joe Louis and Jesse Owens...\r\n...humiliated Hitler's \"Master Race\"...didn't just come from proud colored folks.\r\n\r\nThey came from everyone.\r\nHow are we to interpret that?\r\n\r\nAs a United States Army Officer...\r\n...who gladly puts his life\r\non the line everyday...\r\n\r\n...there's no greater conflict within me.\r\n\r\nHow do I feel about my country?\r\nAnd how does my country...\r\n...feel about me?<\/strong>\r\n\r\nAre we only to be Americans\r\nwhen the mood suits you?\r\n\r\nA fair and impartial opportunity\r\nis all we ask.\r\n\r\nNothing that you yourselves\r\nwouldn't demand.*\r\n\r\n\r\n<\/pre>\n