Monday, July 11, 2016

680.


How-do y'all!

I hope everyone has lived to tell about the weekend.

Literally.

You never know with the world's many crises...

In light of all that's been happening in America lately, as a woman who self-identifies as African-American, I wonder when those who oppose the existence of anyone who looks like me (dark skin, Negroid features, etc.) will understand that we really are all in this sh*t together.

It's frightening that our destinies are intertwined in ways that can't be imagined by the predators who just can't imagine that possibility.

It leaves us vulnerable to those who prey upon us.

Those hunters fear "different" and "other" so much that they use any means at their disposal to eradicate "different" and "other" without thought of how said action activates an exponentially expanding ripple that eventually engulfs us all.

Black lives matter.

So does every life. I get that.

I also know that black lives in America have been dependent upon white folks' good graces since we were brought here kicking and screaming to do the work white folks didn't want to do.

We did it (still do) and where is the gratitude?

Not only did we pick the cotton, give their babies our milk, watch while our own babies ("half-breed" as well as full-blooded African) were sold away, suffer countless beatings and other assorted atrocities, but we were expected to do these things without ever expecting anything better.

From the comments I see on social media, the news, etc., I know that some white folk believe we've forgotten our "place".

Will colored folk in America ever be safe from the oppression we face because we're black?

How does human being A look at human being B and decide because of the color of human being B's skin, human being B is not worthy of a decent place to live, decent food to eat, the very breath in his or her body?

Daily this occurs, not only to the individual "B" but to Bs as a group. Bs are discriminated against just because they're Bs. No other reason.

Anyone anywhere can treat a B with any amount of disdain, up to and including killing a B, because history has shown a pattern of disregard and derision for the issues Bs face.

A young B man horribly beaten and killed for allegedly whistling at a white woman. An elderly B woman berated and threatened at gunpoint by a storeowner. A Skittles candy-wielding B teen on the way to visit his dad, shot dead by a man who claimed to be standing his ground. B men, women, children killed at seemingly random intervals by law enforcement professionals who have yet to be imprisoned for same.

Statistically, how often do these same events happen to non-B human beings?

A collective form of madness...

Of course we know there are good white people in the world. Oprah's grandmother told us so. Many of us even know and love good white people.

Those are obviously not the people I'm speaking of. Good white people stand with us, have stood with us, in our struggles.

Looks like it's that time again so I'm reminding anyone reading this:

As human beings who care we must stand up for each other. Regardless of skin color, religious preference, sexual orientation, gender, shoe size, hair texture -- when we fail to assist our sisters and brothers in need, we create a space for the same mistreatment to befall us.

If for no other reason, assist in some way big or small, even if it's anonymously.

Your future self will thank you.

One more thing.

Please let us always remember this:


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