Lucille “Big Mama” Allen was more than my grandmother—she was the moral compass of our family and a fierce truth-teller rooted in Southern Black wisdom. Born in the segregated South, Big Mama raised a village, sewed dignity into our backs, and seasoned her lessons with the kind of truth that hits harder than any switch. And one of her favorite warnings came with a side of cornbread and clarity: “Never bite the hand that feeds you.”
Today’s America needs to hear her loud and clear.
We’re watching leadership—from local city halls to Capitol Hill—strip away freedoms, cancel budgets that feed communities, defund life-saving programs, and purge people from systems that once offered stability. Working families, educators, veterans, small business owners, and children are all paying the price.
And yet, some of the same people suffering are backing the very politicians and power structures dismantling their livelihoods. That’s why Big Mama added another hard truth:
“People who bite the hand that feeds them usually kiss the boot that kicks them.”
That quote is often attributed to Eric Hoffer, a moral philosopher and longshoreman who understood that misplaced loyalty often turns victims into defenders of their oppressors. And we’re seeing it now—up close and personal.
Wake up call #1 – Governor DeSantis has erased Black history from curriculums, banned books, and demonized diversity. He’s biting the educational hand that fed generations of students truth and perspective. And too many still kiss the elected boots that stomp on educational freedom.
Wake up call #2 Medicaid Purge Across Certain States: Thousands have been dropped from Medicaid rolls under the guise of “efficiency (DOGE).” The same folks who depended on that healthcare safety net are watching it get gutted—by those they helped elect.
This ain’t politicsI it is a controlled demolition. And if we don’t wise up, we’re going to keep feeding the same wolves who return only to burn down the village.
But here’s the good news: the voter still gets the last word.
Now is not the time for passive outrage. It’s not enough to boycott, protest, or post on social media. We must vote. Vote out the boot-kissers and bring in representatives who actually represent—the ones who feed schools, fund healthcare, protect civil rights, and build opportunity. as well as sustain democracy.
Because guess what? All politics are local. Not national.
That pothole in your street, that underfunded school in your neighborhood, that hospital closing down the road—those are local decisions made by people you elect.
So let’s honor Big Mama’s wisdom. Don’t bite the hand that feeds you—and don’t let anyone else bite yours without a fight.
VOTE. NOW. Before the next hand that gets bitten is yours—and it’s too late to stop the bleeding. Email at the paper and let me know you voted – terryallenpr@gmail.com and I will let you into the City Men Cook BBQ.
