“Caught between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea” In 1899, David Fagen, a black man from Alabama defected to the Filipino revolutionary army during the Filipino American War of 1899-1902. He was caught in a moral dilemma - which was a the black man’s quest to achieve 1st class citizenship in his own country through battlefield & heroism meant bringing virtual slavery to another Colored People for the benefit of the Whites People. To resolve this moral conflict, on Nov. 17, 1899, Fagen defected to the Filipino army. Fagen served enthusiastically for the next 2 years in the Filipino cause. His bravery and audacity were much praised by his Filipino comrades. Fagen was promoted from first lieutenant to captain by his commanding officer, General Jose Alejandrino on Sept. 6, 1900. Such was his popularity that Filipino soldiers often referred to him as “General Fagen.” His exploits earned him front page coverage in The New York Times which described him as a “cunning and highly skilled guerilla officer who harassed and evaded large conventional American units.” Clashing at least 8 times with American troops from Aug. 30, 1900 to Jan. 17, 1901, Fagen’s most famous action was the daring capture of a steam launch on the Pampanga River. Along with his men, he seized its cargo of guns and swiftly disappeared into the forests before the American cavalry could arrive. White officers were frustrated at their inability to capture Fagen whose exploits by now had begun to take on legendary proportions both among the Filipinos and in the U.S. press. Fagen’s success also triggered the fear of black defections (of which there were actually only 20). To this day, it remains unclear of what exactly became of David Fagen. His life after the war continued to be as mysterious as his existence before it. In summary, After he was ordered by the military to go overseas to fight the Filpinos in their own country, David Fagen found himself “Caught between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea” Thus, David Fagen was a black man who followed his heart, not his orders and heroically fought injustice and the spread of American Imperialism his with his Filipino “Cousins of Color”. This is a current choice that many of us as blacks face today: Fight with the Oppressive System or Fight for Whats Right. This is Adrian X, and this is “Just My 2 Cents” References: blackpast.org/aaw/fagen-david-1875 kapeathopia.wordpress/category/david-fagen/ Willie EdwardsPrrecious DiamanteTavoris TavorisNzuri MunguNatefan PageCampbellMykEl Djedi BakariiLisa CarterChris MorrisPatrick WashingtonTanja MayOmari GardnerYeYe Angel Lyke SaintAngela FussellJunell Ford-WellsVanessa FlournoyNumtum Bot
Posted on: Sat, 20 Dec 2014 12:27:58 +0000
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