Why Are You Writing About Theses Issues I Keep Hearing? There Is Not One Answer, So Here Are Some Of My Reasons
Because every day I am bombarded with incidents of Black killings or brutality by the police. Because everyday I hear people "bagging on each other" saying things like, "at least I'm not Black like you," or "Yeah, but you ugly. I got good hair." Because everyday I see people clutch their bags a little tighter, or move it to the other side when they see a Black man walking towards them. Because there are some days when I wonder - what would it be like to not have to always deal with the issues that come with being Black, what would it be like to live a "Day Not Black."
This is why I write about this. Because it touches me in such a deep place in my soul I don't know what to do. I am angry, sad, frustrated. I often want to scream, cry, lay down and just sleep, give up - but I can't. My spirit won't let me. My spirit says get it out, before you split wide open, explode. Write about it, share what you're going through. Will it change anything? I don't know, probably not, but I still write. I'm sick and tired of hearing about Black men being killed daily by the police. I'm sick and tired of hearing Black women being beaten by the police. I'm sick and tired of Black children being viewed as "less than" by society. To all those who say that we are in a new era and racism doesn't really exist, and that it's just a few bad people - think again. Racism is alive and well and will probably never die.
America, it is okay to say that you see colour. So many people say they don't see colour in their attempts to prove that they have no biases, no prejudices. Honestly, how you can see a person walking up to you and you don't see colour? What kind of nonsense is that? If the police ask you to identify the person, would you say, "I'm sorry Mr. Policeman, I can't answer that because I don't see colour."
I see colour and l love to see the beauty of colour on this wonderful planet. That's what makes us unique. Now I do have to admit that I've asked God many times, "Why did you make everyone else's colour similar except Blacks?" (He hasn't answered me yet, but will let you all know when he does). Look at every race or ethnic group that is not Black. You see what I'm saying? I do love who I am. I just hate the negative and derogatory labels society has placed on me and and am angry at those of my race who help validate those negative and derogatory labels.
Racism is abuse - a cruel and violent treatment of a person regularly or repeatedly. The continued abuse of a people because of the colour of their skin needs to be evaluated. Do racist people have mental disorders or are they by nature just evil? Because the reality is, how can any sane person look at another human being and have a deep hatred, a fear, despise them just because of their colour?
One's fear of me because of my skin colour should be their problem not mine. However, it has been made to be my burden, my pain. I cannot and will not apologize for being Black. I love being Black. Yet at the same time, when I go into a restaurant, I find myself tipping more because they say that "we" don't like to tip and therefore don't want us in their section in upscale restaurants. I'll sometimes make certain to keep my face impassive so I don't have to see, "Oh, there's the angry Black woman" or "Don't make the Black man mad, you don't know what he'll do." I'm surprised that with all the abuse we've had to deal with, Black people have not come out with multiple personality disorders due to the traumatic events we continue to either suffer or witness.
Yes, slavery has left its imprint on us, but why must we continue to allow ourselves to be a race to be pitied. Why is it that African rulers will not get their countries economies, health, education, etc. in shape. Why must one still, in the 21st century, drive in Africa on dirt roads with enormous holes or poorly paved streets. It's not as if they can't be fixed, for drive a little farther and you'll see homes and streets that rival Bel Air, Beverly Hills, Malibu - yet the majority of the people in the country are starving. I cannot begin to understand why Blacks, a race of people who have been and continue to be imitated, a race of people who have taught the world so much about art, science, math, religion, navigation, architecture, sports the list goes on, is perhaps the most hated race on earth. Why? What is everyone so scared of?
On the other hand, at the same time I'm sick and tired of America's war on Blacks, I am also sick and tired of hearing about Black people killing each other, degrading each other. I am sick and tired of hearing Black men saying certain Black women are less than because these men are developing the mental disorder of self-hatred and now believe that dark skin colour is not beautiful, that natural hair is not beautiful (short, natural, braids and weaves, wigs, have been a part of Black beauty time immortal), that a Black woman's full body size is no longer beautiful. I'm sick of hearing Black men complimenting a non-Black woman's large butt, but seeing no beauty in a Black woman's. Jokes about hair, weaves, braids, skin colour, the size of one's rear end - jokes that are perhaps intended to deflect from the pain of the abuse of being made to feel less than - but jokes that eventually pierce the skin, pierce the soul, and make our little children want to be something else than the beautiful beings they are. How can we be who we were created to be when self-love is no longer evident?
Why do I write about these issues? I write about them because I guess deep down I have a need to understand. My mind is constantly racing in different directions as you can see, trying to understand. My soul hurts and I don't know how to heal it. Race is such a huge issue in America, and I wish we would stop pretending that it does not exist. Let's talk about it - it's okay. It may be uncomfortable, it may be angering, it may make us sad, but we've got to start somewhere. For only in engaging in honest dialogue can change be made.
Because every day I am bombarded with incidents of Black killings or brutality by the police. Because everyday I hear people "bagging on each other" saying things like, "at least I'm not Black like you," or "Yeah, but you ugly. I got good hair." Because everyday I see people clutch their bags a little tighter, or move it to the other side when they see a Black man walking towards them. Because there are some days when I wonder - what would it be like to not have to always deal with the issues that come with being Black, what would it be like to live a "Day Not Black."
This is why I write about this. Because it touches me in such a deep place in my soul I don't know what to do. I am angry, sad, frustrated. I often want to scream, cry, lay down and just sleep, give up - but I can't. My spirit won't let me. My spirit says get it out, before you split wide open, explode. Write about it, share what you're going through. Will it change anything? I don't know, probably not, but I still write. I'm sick and tired of hearing about Black men being killed daily by the police. I'm sick and tired of hearing Black women being beaten by the police. I'm sick and tired of Black children being viewed as "less than" by society. To all those who say that we are in a new era and racism doesn't really exist, and that it's just a few bad people - think again. Racism is alive and well and will probably never die.
America, it is okay to say that you see colour. So many people say they don't see colour in their attempts to prove that they have no biases, no prejudices. Honestly, how you can see a person walking up to you and you don't see colour? What kind of nonsense is that? If the police ask you to identify the person, would you say, "I'm sorry Mr. Policeman, I can't answer that because I don't see colour."
I see colour and l love to see the beauty of colour on this wonderful planet. That's what makes us unique. Now I do have to admit that I've asked God many times, "Why did you make everyone else's colour similar except Blacks?" (He hasn't answered me yet, but will let you all know when he does). Look at every race or ethnic group that is not Black. You see what I'm saying? I do love who I am. I just hate the negative and derogatory labels society has placed on me and and am angry at those of my race who help validate those negative and derogatory labels.
Racism is abuse - a cruel and violent treatment of a person regularly or repeatedly. The continued abuse of a people because of the colour of their skin needs to be evaluated. Do racist people have mental disorders or are they by nature just evil? Because the reality is, how can any sane person look at another human being and have a deep hatred, a fear, despise them just because of their colour?
One's fear of me because of my skin colour should be their problem not mine. However, it has been made to be my burden, my pain. I cannot and will not apologize for being Black. I love being Black. Yet at the same time, when I go into a restaurant, I find myself tipping more because they say that "we" don't like to tip and therefore don't want us in their section in upscale restaurants. I'll sometimes make certain to keep my face impassive so I don't have to see, "Oh, there's the angry Black woman" or "Don't make the Black man mad, you don't know what he'll do." I'm surprised that with all the abuse we've had to deal with, Black people have not come out with multiple personality disorders due to the traumatic events we continue to either suffer or witness.
Yes, slavery has left its imprint on us, but why must we continue to allow ourselves to be a race to be pitied. Why is it that African rulers will not get their countries economies, health, education, etc. in shape. Why must one still, in the 21st century, drive in Africa on dirt roads with enormous holes or poorly paved streets. It's not as if they can't be fixed, for drive a little farther and you'll see homes and streets that rival Bel Air, Beverly Hills, Malibu - yet the majority of the people in the country are starving. I cannot begin to understand why Blacks, a race of people who have been and continue to be imitated, a race of people who have taught the world so much about art, science, math, religion, navigation, architecture, sports the list goes on, is perhaps the most hated race on earth. Why? What is everyone so scared of?
On the other hand, at the same time I'm sick and tired of America's war on Blacks, I am also sick and tired of hearing about Black people killing each other, degrading each other. I am sick and tired of hearing Black men saying certain Black women are less than because these men are developing the mental disorder of self-hatred and now believe that dark skin colour is not beautiful, that natural hair is not beautiful (short, natural, braids and weaves, wigs, have been a part of Black beauty time immortal), that a Black woman's full body size is no longer beautiful. I'm sick of hearing Black men complimenting a non-Black woman's large butt, but seeing no beauty in a Black woman's. Jokes about hair, weaves, braids, skin colour, the size of one's rear end - jokes that are perhaps intended to deflect from the pain of the abuse of being made to feel less than - but jokes that eventually pierce the skin, pierce the soul, and make our little children want to be something else than the beautiful beings they are. How can we be who we were created to be when self-love is no longer evident?
Why do I write about these issues? I write about them because I guess deep down I have a need to understand. My mind is constantly racing in different directions as you can see, trying to understand. My soul hurts and I don't know how to heal it. Race is such a huge issue in America, and I wish we would stop pretending that it does not exist. Let's talk about it - it's okay. It may be uncomfortable, it may be angering, it may make us sad, but we've got to start somewhere. For only in engaging in honest dialogue can change be made.
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