Excerpts – Test site

A speech

A Voice From the Stage

“Don’t get me wrong, people. I don’t want to mislead you into believing that the tables were always set for me. I clearly remember the morning when I walked to the other side of town to join the Boy Scouts and was told that I couldn’t register because Smokey the Bear wasn’t about to disgrace himself by shaking a Black boy’s hand, but I kept my dreams alive. I can still see the long, saddened face of a fifth grade teacher who told me that I couldn’t enter the city’s Science Fair Project because I didn’t have the substance to compete with my White brothers and sisters, but I kept my dreams alive. I can still hear the laughs and cackles of my high school counselors when I expressed an interest to enter the University of Alabama on a scholarship level, but I kept my dreams alive. And when I graduated from the University of Alabama—”

Inside the circle of candles

The Ritual

“Su tsniaga ssapssert ohw!” Standing behind a silver platter mounted on an inverted cement cross, the seven-footer waved its hands over a circle of thirteen candles and picked up a goblet made from a goat’s skull.
“Drink! And live in the trinity!” the seven-footer commanded and handed him the goblet. As the thick, warm fluid trickled down his throat, a bluish-green stream of smoke rose from an open grave and drifted high into the night.
“Esoht evigrof ew sa!”
He closed his eyes as the other figure sprinkled a foul-smelling substance over his head.
“Sessapssert ruo su evigrof dna!”

On the evening news

The Broadcast

“Here lies your servant for the six hundredth and sixty sixth time. Marcus Dexter. A servant who is ready to share your powerful forces with a weak world.”

The Untold Story

That’s him!” She bolted into her living room to turn up the volume on her television.
“…He was apprehended at 8:40 last night outside of the Anaheim Convention Center and authorities claim to have evidence that links Dexter to a conspiracy in the assassination of the late Governor Jack Jefferson of Illinois. Marcus Dexter, a self-made multi-millionaire through telemarketing, is also believed to be the head of the notorious Slick gang. In the parking lot of the same convention center, Reverend Isaac Langley, twenty-seven-year old pastor, and founder of The New Day Temple, walked through a crowd of angry protestors after his healing ceremony. Dispersed throughout the predominantly Black protestors were members of the NAACP, the Urban League, and The Africans for Peace. The protestors accused Langley of twisting biblical scriptures to support racism.

When asked to comment on the discontent and accusations, Langley said:
‘The truth has never satisfied the masses. Jesus revealed it and was nailed to a cross. What makes you think that I could get away with it?’
“We will be right back with today’s weather and sports…

Chapter 51, Book 3

question was, HAVE YOU BECOME MORE RACIST SINCE THE TURN OF THE CENTURY? Sixty-nine percent of our callers said yes, thirty-one, no.
“Doctor Byrd, Mr. Pierce, we thank you so much for taking part in this program.”
“ Thank-you for having us.”
“ It was our pleasure.”
“ And we thank you, America. As we look out to see the ethnic and racial upheavals taking place throughout the world, we can’t help but to look at ourselves. I agree with our guests tonight that the majority of Americans want peace. I believe that in spite of our misunderstandings and failures to communicate, there is still enough space for us to come together… there is still enough love… there still enough hope.