Opinion

On My 40th Wedding Anniversary, I Saw How Much Race In America Has Changed

REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst (UNITED STATES - Tags: ANNIVERSARY POLITICS) - RTX17N5S

Lloyd Marcus Chairman, Conservative Campaign Committee
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Sunday, July 23, 2017, was Mary and my 40th wedding anniversary. We celebrated at our favorite sushi restaurant. I enjoyed sashimi (raw fish without rice). Over 40 years ago, I brought this outspoken hippie blonde home to meet my black parents. Dad was a Methodist minister. I instructed Mary not to speak, confident she would say something to offend them.

Entering my parent’s home, Mary asked what is that horrible smell? I said that is dinner. Mom was cooking my favorite hog maws and chitterlings.

Dad was the pastor of our all black community’s Methodist Church. His eldest son dating a white girl was embarrassing.

Upon meeting me, Mary’s grandma said, “Lloyd is nice, But couldn’t you have found a nice white boy to marry?” As fate would have it, Mary’s grandma later succumbed to Alzheimer’s disease. The only family member she recognized was me. Excited, she would yell, “LLOYD” and give me a hug.

God really did right by me, gifting me with Mary; my greatest fan. I can honestly say I would not be who I am today had I married anyone else. I wrote and recorded a song to Mary many moons ago titled, “When I Look In Your Eyes.” The lyrics of the song are truer today than when I wrote them 30 years ago.

My parents were married for 45 years before mom passed away. I asked my now 89 year old dad how to make a marriage last. Dad said there always has to be one of you thinking correctly and praying. Dad said sometimes it was him and other times it was my mom.

Mary has always been super supportive of my endeavors; acting, my paintings, music career, writing and etc. Forty years ago, Natalie Reed, an extremely bright, beautiful and classy lady driving a pink Cadillac showed up at our home to present Mary with an opportunity to sell Mary Kay Cosmetics. Mary was hooked, became a beauty consultant and Natalie was her mentor.

The company had a sales contest in which beauty consultants had to make 10 presentations (shows) in a week. Mary entered the contest. I blew the whole thing off as her silly little make-up project.

Mary quickly booked her 10 shows, but women began canceling. Mary desperately re-booked shows. Plus, our car broke down. Still, Mary stayed laser focused on winning the contest. Finally, it dawned on me. This is a really big deal to her. I began doing whatever I could to help.

There were hundreds of beauty consultants and company big wigs at the banquet to announce the winner of the contest. My heart nearly exploded out of my chest when the sales director at the podium said the award for highest sales of the entire freaking region goes to Mary Parker Marcus. With great pride I thought, “Yeah, that’s my wife.”

I learned the importance of giving back to my wonderful supportive wife.

This month, we are relocating from Florida to a tiny town in West Virginia to be closer to our parents. West Virginia is not my favorite choice, but it will make Mary happy. And that is good enough for me.

On the day of my 40th wedding anniversary I received an email from a Leftist named Edward. He gave his full name, but I will not expose him. Edward began his email with “You are an a**. You sir are a vile piece of s***!” Edward then went into a passionate vitriolic rant against me, Trump and Jesus.

Normally, I laugh and delete hateful emails. But for some reason, I felt a bit sorry for Edward and responded to his email. Obviously, he is in pain and out of his mind with rage from consuming fake news regarding conservatism, Trump and Christianity.

I thought, “Why does this guy hate me so much?” In a nutshell, my writings are about spreading the truth to empower people. I tell fellow blacks that they are blessed to be born in the greatest land of opportunity on the planet. I tell them to forget the victim nonsense and simply pursue their dreams.

Over 40 years ago when I met Mary, interracial dating was taboo. We were verbally assaulted by blacks and physically attacked by whites on a hand full of occasions. In a surprise attack in a family restaurant, a white guy smashed a beer bottle over my head and ran out of the restaurant. He was later prosecuted.

Today, interracial couples hardly receive a second glance. Despite the insidious hate-generating lies of Black Lives Matter and fake news media, we have come a long ways baby in regards to race relations. Americans electing Obama for two terms should have ended Leftists’ lie that America will always be a hellhole of racism; scheming 24/7 how to keep blacks down.

Meanwhile, Mary and I enjoyed a fabulous 40th anniversary.

Lloyd Marcus, The Unhyphenated American, is author of: “Confessions of a Black Conservative: How the Left has shattered the dreams of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Black America.”