Recently, I attended the home-going services for former Miami city commissioner Arthur Teele. A large number of people were on hand that shared heartfelt memories about the brother. There were also just as many people that ran up to the pulpit to lie about how much they loved Teele and how well they knew him.

But I didn't care. I was thinking about Arthur Teele and Patrick Henry.
If you don't know, Patrick Henry was an early American revolutionary. He and other colonial freedom fighters often described their revolutionary pursuits with the phrase 'liberty or death.'

Patrick Henry was talking about the liberty of a nation when he used the phrase. But I was wondering is there a 'liberty or death' situation that was applicable to Arthur Teele.

Reports indicated that Teele meticulously planned everything that went down on that suicidal evening in the lobby of the Miami Herald newspaper building. He knew what he was going to do, when he was going to do it and what he wanted done on his behalf after the task was accomplished.
But why would a man that fought for his country in the armed forces and sought to liberate others around the world stop his own personal quest for liberty, freedom and justice?

Perhaps Teele thought he could free his family and his friends if his life was out of their way.

No, no family member or friend encouraged Teele to do what he decided to do. In fact, the last persons to speak with Teele attempted to discourage him.

However, Arthur Teele did what he thought was necessary to liberate those persons that he loved.

Why do I think that? I think that because even though no one told me what happened in Miami, I know how the devil works. A beast with a badge will act the same anywhere he is. A yellow-dog slimy, degenerate, criminal-minded and evil newspaper reporter will also show his colors once the sheet is pulled off of him.

The people who had it out for Teele, law enforcers, newspapers and others, didn't stop at investigating Arthur Teele. They followed his wife, they investigated his staff, and they threatened Teele's friends.
The first thing the devil will do is attempt to turn your friends and family against you. The devil will call your spouse and say that you don't love them. The devil will lie and say you love prostitutes and transvestites.
The devil will tell your friends, "If you don't help us bring down Arthur Teele, we will investigate you." They will lie to your friends and say, "Teele said something bad about you. Why don't you say something bad about Teele?"

Don't act like you have forgotten how the devil used false comments to turn Elijah Muhammad against Malcolm X.

Teele did not want his family and friends to suffer because people were mad with him. Maybe he thought his family's liberty could be realized by his death.

If that was the case, Arthur Teele is a better man than I am. If someone says that Lucius Gantt ended his life, call Dr. Henry Lee and ask for an autopsy, especially if I didn't take some people to meet their maker with me.

Black Panther Party founder Huey Newton once said, "To die for the racists is lighter than a feather. But to die for the people is heavier than any mountain and deeper than any sea."

In a way, I believe Arthur Teele died for the people.

(Get Lucius to tell the truth at your next event. Contact theganttreport@comcast.net)