By John Felder
Columnist

What is American democracy? Africans visited North America before the Mayflower and became friends of the indigenous Taino Indian nations. The fusion between Indian and African culture enhanced Mayan culture with African architectural constructions like the pyramids and temples at Tulum. European colonists also traveled to North America and throughout the continent of Africa studying ancient African cultures and sciences. With all of the documented evidence of Kenya being the cradle of civilization America has not been humane enough to create a total government of the people, by the people and for "all" the people who call themselves Americans.

The sons of Frederick Douglas and Lewis Latimer fought and preserved the Union as we know it today. President George Bush is always on TV advocating continued military force against Iraq to set up a government run by the people. That kind of democracy does not exist here in the United States. That is the main reason why Iraqis are resisting a system over there like the one that exists over here.

Democracy: 1. a community or state in which the government is controlled by the people directly rather than by their elected agents; people meet and exercise their government in person. In a republic, they assemble and administer it by their representatives and agents (James Madison). 2. A state of society characterized by tolerance toward minorities, freedom of expression and respect for the essential dignity and worth of the human individual with equal opportunity for each to develop freely to his fullest capacity in a cooperative community.

There have been so many contributions made in America by the minority population that are never mentioned in the history books. A few such contributions to the fulfillment of the American dream were citizens like Crispus Attucks, Willie Lee, Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Banneker and Arthur “Arturo” Schomburg. Those important figures will be the subject of my column next month.