Who’s Complaining?

Tags

privilege, racism, sexism

I’ve noticed something common in any conversation or discussion about race and(or) sex. I’ve noticed that those with certain advantages or privileges over the group or groups within those talks have a terrible habit of objecting any form of experience, including horrible moments, from members of those groups. The message given is that no matter what knowledge you have, no matter what you went through, no matter what you say, if it disagrees from MY point of view on the subject, it is not valid enough for me to hear it much less take it in.

Now, here’s where the fucked-up moment comes in: some of those same privileged members will turn right around and bring forth their own “painful experiences”. Another message is made that no one else has the right to complain but us. In their minds what those of the “outside groups” are doing is just whining because either they have everything going for them, or they are making a big deal out of something they (those with privileges) consider minor.

This is the double standard found in discussions among those with societal advantages and those without. Let me break it down for ya’ll.

A person of color (PoC) explains his view on how live is living within a white dominated society. He lays all his cards out on the table including the bad decks. He pours his heart out of the constant frustration of being judged by Western standards. He’s tired of not considered fully human, and he’s understandably tired of his pain seen as trivial.

Some of the white members of the conversation are not sympathetic by any means. They consider his venting and outpouring nothing more than typical whining, making excuses for not working hard. Sometimes they may even say how he is actually the privileged one as they believe society is bending over backwards for them and not white people.

Then, as it will likely happen with some of these guys, the white people will turn right around and start venting themselves. They will explain everything from crime stats to scholarships to show how they are now marginalized. They will even go so far as to say how they are racist against them. This is all an attempt to null the significance of the messages given from the PoC and to validate the message of whites whether there is some truth behind their words or not. And some people will take it as the gospel of truth.

It is the same thing with discussions on sexism. When a female talks about her experiences of the subject, which includes being a victim, some men will have no part in hearing her out. Some men will use every excuse not to listen to her from “She’s just bitter” to “She’s just on her period”. And some of those same men will give their 0.2 second-thought out dissertation on why men have it hard in a world where women are supposedly taking over.

In the end it becomes a “contest” to see who deserves to complain or not. Privileged people start the game the minute they verbally disregard anything said by non-privileged especially if it disagrees with their “view of the subject” which is often mass produced and distributed by other privileged people. Those with privileges are unaware they have any advantages from the beginning and will mistake them for class advantages.

The point of any conversation dealing with the man “isms” that divide this nation is not to see who deserves to complain, much less who deserves to suffer. It’s part of the process of healing and learning for those who were targeted. It’s an attempt to examine the issues from the point of view of those who have suffered from it since birth, the people who didn’t chose to be born into a world where they automatically have points taken away for being born with darker skin, a vagina, or having an interest of the same gender. It’s also about those who have experienced some form of trauma due to a form of hate or abuse.

It is NEVER about what those with an unfair amount of privileges think or feel. It is NEVER about what those with many privileges have done to help in the past, nor is it about why they think such discussions are irrelevent in the first place. It is about the group who demands equality in an unequaled society.

Some people think such talks are attacks on a specific group which, in their minds, is no different than a hate group. However, this is not an attack on other humans, this is a fight against the systems and mentalities that promote and normalize these divisions. Members of privileged groups must learn that such talks are not about them and their world, it is about the people left outside what is considered “normal”.

The Man Box

Tags

adversity, America, black, men, privilege, racism, sexism, stereotypes

The following is based upon the video “A Call To Men” by Tony Porter. I also want to say that this is not a blog for pity or sympathy. I’ve used my past as an example to illustrate the point of this issue. 

I’ve seen a video where a tall brotha was baring his soul to an audience challenging men everywhere for a serious self-examination into what being a man is about. Brotha Tony Porter discusses what he calls the “Man Box” a confined assortment of beliefs and behaviors that young men are expected to adapt and exhibit. He breaks it down by describing his own experiences in which he includes his upbringing into adulthood and his moments during fatherhood. Porter explains how men are pressured by other men to conform to the certain norms expected of males within their society and how it can be damaging on young boys, other men, and of course, women.

The video struck me deep as I am a man who had to “fit in” this box or be labeled an outcast of some sort. However, something else clicked in my mind as I listened to him. I realized that there was a space within the Man Box reserved for men of color, especially black men. 

When people say that it’s hard out there for a black man, it’s no exaggeration. Like being a male in a male dominated society can be harmful, being a black male in a white male dominated society can be fatal. You are placed in the smallest space imaginable for men of color and are expected to remain there so long as white supremacy still runs the show. Should you decide to step out or fight your way out, then you could invite the wrath of the system that threw your ass in there in the first place.

Reflecting on my own life, I realized that I had to become a certain kind of man in order to be accepted as a man. However, I’m a black man, and as such I had to become what the world expects me to be within limited parameters – limited racist parameters. Living in a racist nation with a racist past, I am “supposed” to be athletic, hyper-sexual, violent, talented in entertainment, stupid or all five. Why? Because I’m a black male. But since I was none of those things I was one of the “strange” ones, an outlier.

I remember one afternoon  a long time ago when I was in the Third grade. School’s over and it’s time to go home. I was sitting in the back of the classroom as I was supposed to as I was one of the car riders. A boy who got into trouble often stepped to me and told me, whom he referred to as “big nose”, to move so he could sit there. I told him no, and as a response, got punched in the stomach. The teacher saw it, and sent us both to the guidance counselor. The kid began lying on how I started the incident. I stopped him and told the truth. I was sent back to class while he remained with the counselor.  

My parents were told about what happened. They wanted to talk to me. I thought I was in trouble. So, I started crying. But, as it turns out my parents – my dad in particular- was more interested in why I didn’t fight back. My dad even asked if I was a chicken. 

None of us realized, least of all me and my father, that as males, we are expected to throw down when someone disrespects us. We can never back down or walk away without being called a ‘punk’ or a ‘bitch’, which is among the worst things you can call a dude, nor can we assume that an attack isn’t eminent when we let our guards down. As poor black men we now this all too well especially if you live in neighborhoods suffering from poverty, drugs, gangs, and violence. 

Here’s another example: It was hard enough not knowing the dynamics of sport games, but not having even the slightest ability to play is a “Ripley’s moment”. I’ve never been remotely average in sports or athletics. I’ve never tried out for any football or basketball teams, two sports that black males are seen as gifted in the wide world of sports. I was not so lucky. I could never dribble a ball the way my peers did. I could never throw a football as long as my peers did, let alone catch it. Don’t even get me started on baseball. I was okay in soccer which didn’t matter since soccer is not as popular in America or that soccer is not considered a popular sport for brothas in America.  

As black men you are expected to be great in sports in America. There is no reason why you shouldn’t be. After all, you are “naturally” built for athletics that require speed, strength, and(or) agility. A brotha with none of those qualities is an anomaly. I mean who ever heard of a black man that’s bad in sports?  

Lastly, black men are expected to be sexually prodigious since it is believed that black men have bigger cocks and a higher sex drive. We are seen as men above men in the bedroom who knows how to please a woman between her legs. If you didn’t, something’s wrong with you. To this day I’ve yet to engage in sexual activity. In other words I’m a black male virgin. 

I wasn’t taunted by other brothas, nor did any sistas thought it was weird. Although, when I told them, it was hard to take in. To most folks, the words ‘black male virgin’ is almost like an oxymoron. Black men couldn’t possibly be virgins. They have sex all the time with as many women as possible getting as many women pregnant. Hell, most rapes in this country are committed by black men (as if black men are the only men capable of rape). A negro being a virgin? Yeah, right! 

See what I’m sayin?

This Man Box can be stressful on black men in a white supremacist society. It can also be damaging on our loved ones and on women especially. Men have long believed that they were superior to women in strength and intelligence. They believe that women should remain at home where their only jobs are cooking, cleaning, and birthing. With the rise of women going to universities and getting careers, it’s no secret that some men feel threatened at the thought of “women taking over”. Women are rising out of the male stigma of only being good for being barefoot and pregnant, and that makes men feel more insecure about their sense of masculine supremacy. 

Some men will feel so angry about this change in norms regarding women that they may take it out on women using verbal and physical abuse. Since males believe they are superior, any hint of the contrary can open the floodgates of rage, and sometimes women are in the path of destruction. The truth is most men can not fathom on women being equal much less human. With that kind of mindset going, men will continue to treat women lower than shit.

Black men, you are in the same boat. Some of us have been molded into not respecting women, especially black women. Some of us buy into the hype that a non-black woman will treat us better while unwittingly treating black women like if they were the Klan. Some of us listen to music and watch music videos that degrade black women without apology. Some of us will use black women as punching bags and (or) sexual toys even without their consent. Yet, those same brothas will wonder why black women have a disdain for them.

Likewise, some black communities have a hard time accepting homosexual black men as part of the norms. Homophobia exist within the black community like it exists everywhere in the world. There is some fear and disdain towards gay black men closeted or open. Think back to the whole “down low” conversation and how it vilified gay black brothas. 

In this land we are damned if we are and damned if we aren’t. This is an urgent matter that calls for ways to free ourselves from this dangerous Box. 

There is hope, and Tony Porter is a shining example of much-needed change. There are some men, including black men, who are stepping up and challenging the images created by society and kept alive through racism and ignorance. These brothas know that change begins within. Men have to counter their own mindsets regarding socialized manhood. The speech by Bro. Porter is a call for action to all men to deconstruct the manhood that is crippling neighborhoods and communities across the country. 

So, ask yourself, fellas, are you a REAL man?

The Sickness of White Pride

Tags

racism, rants, white

I’ve made this point before, and I will make it again. Now, I know most of the people I am referring too are minor, comical threats, but there are way more closeted versions out there that are dangerous. (This is for them as well.) It’s still worthy enough to make light about this ridiculousness that is at the heart of racists and their mindless trolls that spring up like fungi in serious race conversations, threads, and blogs. 

The truth is that white racists, especially those that claim to have white pride, are not as benevolent to their people as some followers would like to think. They may come off as having a strong sense of white pride, but their version is sick. It is the same sickness that has spawned centuries ago that annihilated millions of the first true Americans and have murdered and enslaved millions of Africa’s children. Somewhere along the destructive crusade, a twisted, diseased form of pride developed, a form of pride that justifies the murder and enslavement of indigenous people throughout the world.

It is a sense of pride that excuses and negates any and all sins of history. It is a sense of pride that cause more chaos if it is invested through commerce. It is a sense of pride that creates false sciences and religious sermons that will turn the Creator into the most powerful supporter of the worst sins imaginable past and present. And, it is a sense of pride that ignores and twists their own reality, morality, and common sense.

Those who support racist ideals, give Nazi salutes and possess Nazi paraphernalia, listen or perform white supremacist music, frequent at Stormfront, watch Fox News religiously, and attend Republican conventions have that sick version of white pride. Those who deny their bloody history to target and make up any examples of black inferiority have that sick version of white pride. To use business to further disenfranchise non-whites here and abroad is…well, you get the idea. 

Those who declare to the world they have white pride, but hate virtually anything and anyone else, seem to preach so much about how black people are out to attack them. Why? Take your pick from genetics to revenge. As such, they LOVE to highlight any and all news reports involving black criminals and white victims and use them as testaments of the savage nature of the negro. They LOVE to state how black-on-white crime happens more often than white-on-black, and they LOVE to use statistics, fictional or cited, to back up their point. 

The funny thing about these racists is that they basically WANT black people to attack white folks so that they can prove how violent black people are! If the suspect or perpetrator is black, it calls for a racial orgasm. You almost NEVER hear ANYTHING about white-on-white crimes from the same people, and you almost NEVER get ANY explanations from them why they always overlook those kinds of crimes! They seem to be “concerned about white people if they end up as victims at the hands of black folks! Ain’t that some shit? These fools want white folks to be sacrificed by blacks so they can have a reason to keep going with their hate campaign while doing next to nothing to protect themselves or the white communities they supposedly love! 

That is not love or pride. That is hatred mutated into insanity. That is stupidity covered in legions, and it is pathetic to the x-teenth power.

To be proud of who you are as a white person does not mean you have to hate other people. To love yourself as a white person means that you also love and respect the lives of people of color (POC). You can have it both ways. Most whites are not able or willing to think along those lines. Some believe that to have white pride means to hate other races and non-Christians. On the other hand, there are those who believe the opposite, to love POC you can not have pride in who you are or what you are as white people.

Before I close, I want to silence any trolls that will scream how black pride is the same. It’s not. Black pride is where black people in America and other white dominated nations have a new sense of self-love, self-knowledge, and self-respect. It is being proud of who you are as a descendant of the kingdoms and nations of Africa. It is loving and respecting not only yourself but other black people. Above all, it is not – I repeat, NOT apologizing for having that kind of pride. Being proud of who and what you are has been taken and, in a way, forbidden in this society. It is to reject any and all forms of white supremacy that tells you horrid lies about yourself and your people. It is to love your Afrocentric beauty. It is to be open to your true history. In short black pride is the cure for internalized white supremacy. It is not about hating white people; it is about loving yourself as a black person. 

Now, those who are race realists, white supremacists. white conservatives, and regular whites must examine their “pride” in order to get better. Yet, some would rather remain morally and logically disabled. Those are the ones whose sickness is diagnosed as spiritually, intellectually, and morally terminal. 

Young Love and Sex

Tags

relationships, sex, youth

Two recent events have been the talk of the blogosphere involving two black teens and sexuality. One involves a young boy, 17-years old, who asked a much older woman in her late 30′s to be his girlfriend. The other involved a young girl, 14-years old, who was performing oral sex on a teen boy at school while being recorded by a cam phone. Neither of these stories is easy to talk about openly, but they sure as hell need to be discussed honestly. First, we need to find out what the whole deal was with these kids.

The boy mentioned earlier met, or rather found, an older woman on Facebook. This woman goes by the name ‘The Sagacious Girl’ who has a Youtube page of the same name, and she also brought some wisdom and incite into this story in one of her videos entitled “Are We Raising Our Boys To Be Whores?“ As she reads the message sent by the young man it sounds like an innocent attraction at first, but then, the message got sexual. He goes on to say how he can please, satisfy, and handle her and to give him a chance to prove it.

Some people may see this as normal behavior for young teenage boys to become sexually attracted to women. When I was a teen, I was attracted to teen girls and women, especially if they have curves. However, the case with this young brotha is more troubling. He approached a woman much older than himself online, a woman he doesn’t even know and a woman who doesn’t know him. It seems from the message alone that he wants her so bad that he will do whatever it takes to make her happy. The Sagacious Girl asks the question head-on, are we raising our boys to be whores?

If this was a young girl seeking the love and affection of an older man, all kinds of emotions would spring up from disgust to sympathy. Some people would call the young girl a hoe while those who are more understanding will conclude this as a case of someone who lacks a father figure and is in desperate need of help. With the cougar phenomenon becoming more open and popular, some people will take the issue with the young male teen as something more “expected” if not cute. After all, society expects men to fool around, especially young boys. However, young men have to be on the lookout for older women who seek them out to use them for sex.

There are older women who seek young men for sexual pleasure. They see them as tasty, young morsels who have the youth and vigor to make their bodies scream. Some look for a buffet of young men to have fun with. They will use one boy one night and another the next night. While some young boys see nothing wrong with it, there are some who genuinely love their women, and the thought of her using him is heartbreaking. Either way, those who welcome that lifestyle and those who look for an older kind of love beg us to wonder how society is raising our young boys about love and sex.

What would make a young man, a young developing teenager, to whore himself out like that? Why would young teenage boys who aren’t even old enough to vote look for older women to date or sleep with? Why can’t they find love within their own ages? Furthermore, why is this not among society’s biggest concerns?

The second scenario is just as disturbing, if not more. It involves a young 14-year old girl, oral sex, and a camera. High school student Amber Cole was recorded performing oral sex on her (ex) boyfriend outside of a school building. It was recorded by the young man’s friend who later posted it on the internet. As a result in the age of social media Amber Cole became an internet pariah ostracized by the public at large while very little is said about the boys involved.

According to the news so far, Cole’s father is outrage (and rightfully so), and the young men involved were arrested. Cole (reportedly) twitted her anger towards the boys while expressing how she was bullied and will press charges. Shortly after, in a bizarre turn of events, it was reported that she tweeted how she loves them both and changes her mind about pressing charges. However, this may be according to news reports which is said to have been based from tweets from a fake twitter account. It’s hard to say at this point as this plays out. 

As more and more news about Amber Cole circulate the web, not only does it get more confusing, but it also becomes more infuriating not just because of the act but because of the sensationalism of an exploitative media circit. A young girl’s life has now become open to ridicule thanks to the power of social media outlets where any outrageous act can now be taped by ignorant individuals for the public’s viewing pleasure. This is the case with this young girl and those within her life. It no longer becomes the business of the teens, their families, or their high school. It now becomes the world’s business. What was an example of cyberbullying has become a public spectacle of a problem that destroys the lives of young people daily. 

Amber Cole was likely persuaded in some way that the only way to win back love is by sex. She may not have known that she was being recorded. Why anyone would record such acts and circulate them is beyond comprehension. Thanks to the young men, this girl’s life has been reduced to child pornography.

Cole is a young woman who may have believed that the only way to prove her love to a young man is to sexually satisfy him even if she doesn’t fully agree with the idea. Likewise, the boys involved with this fiasco most likely believed that women are only good for sexual pleasure and, having sex is like a “right of passage” into the cool club.  No matter how you see it, the teens involved have been given fucked-up lessons on how to love and how to be cool and are too young and immature to realize this.

Amber Cole, an unknown who was turned into the talk of the net, desperately needs to learn a new lesson on how to love. She needs help and support, not rejection and condemnation. She must learn about love – true love. If what was reported was true about her not pressing charges, that she loves the boys involved in this whole mess after tweeting how she “(couldn’t) wait to press charges on the three boys tomorrow who were involved in the video,” then it seems she’s looking for attention, any form of male validation will do. Whatever the case may be, the adults involved in this case must do something to help make a positive change, especially for Cole’s sake.

It is more than obvious that the teens involved in both stories need help. The problems they’re facing is not uncommon, and there will be more like them in the future as long as we mishandle their situations. The people in their lives have failed to teach them about love, sex and the perverted world around them that will take advantage of them. What are adults teaching young people about sex and love when they engage in such acts? How can adults teach responsibility to their children when they need a hard lesson in it themselves? 

It comes to no surprise that we live in hyper-sexualized times where intercourse is not only celebrated, but advertised, and teen sex is anything but new. Young people today are getting the wrong impressions about love and sex from their homes, environments, and society as a whole. Young men and women become victims of the sicknesses of society who seems to purposely overlook their own faults. The young man from the first story and Amber Cole are examples of a world where sex sells, where sexuality is never defined by love, but by lust, and where certain people of color are still racialized as sub-humans with nothing but sex on their minds. What will become of these young teens will be determined on whether or not adults will step in and guide them so that when today’s youth have kids of their own, they will pass that knowledge onto them. 

People can not teach the youth that sex is wrong if you’re still an unmarried teen. They can not teach them that sex is the only way to win the love of someone you have your eye on. Sex is a natural occurrence that brings two people together. Sex doesn’t have to be a hobby or a spectator’s sport. It can be a beautiful thing especially when people genuinely love each other unconditionally within their own world away from prying eyes and activated cameras. I hope one day that these young teens – all young teens will find that love.

Open Thread

Tags

open thread

 

This thread is open to the public. Please drop in and speak your mind. However, try to keep it civil. Enjoy. 

Honoring King

Tags

America, black, education, history

Recently, the Dr. Martin Luther King memorial statue was honored at the Nation Mall in Washington D.C. by President Barack Obama. Thousands were in attendance of a celebration that was supposed to have been held in August, but was postponed due to Hurricane Irene. The memorial is a testament to one of the Civil Rights Movement’s most influential leaders who fought against the evils of American society, the same evils that live on to this day due to America’s refusal to correct them. Americans, mostly whites, will even stoop so low as to alter Dr. King’s true existence to justify and excuse their racism.

Last year, I briefly mentioned how most whites quote and misquote Dr. King to defend their arguments in my entry entitled “More Than a Dream“. I usually see how they tend to use that one line from the “I Have a Dream” speech and misinterpret it every single time. It’s the line I like to call the “Color and Content” line. You know the one. Anyway, here’s what I wrote:  

“…Most people, especially white Americans, apparently seem to remember one line from his famous “I Have a Dream Speech” during the 1963 March on Washington. You know the part about “…the content of their character” that comes up in conversations about racism and affirmative action? Yea, that part. To most white Americans that’s a way of saying that King was advocating colorblindness.

The quote, and variations thereof, comes up when those who address the existing problem of racism are met with denial from those who favor the fabled versions of American history, the kind which excluded slavery, Black Codes, Jim Crow, and black revolutionaries. Yet, to bring up those truths are contradictions to King’s “philosophy” according to white people.”

Fellow blogger Transgriot also weighed in on this habit to misquote Dr. King to defend against race consciousness:

“Far too many times people are fixated on or like to quote the pre-August 28, 1963 words of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. People also have this irritating tendency to hurl pre-1963 MLK quotes at POC’s when they get nervous about POC’s venting about their battles with whiteness and white supremacy.”

Most whites and some blacks believe that King wanted everyone to simply get along, to overlook and get past racism without a thorough examination, and to love each other as human beings. Even if that was true, and it sure ain’t, how many Americans honestly and truly practice that? Seriously, how many Americans wholeheartedly are not racist and truly do love their fellow man? Furthermore, how can overlooking a problem, fix a problem? 

Newsflash! Dr. King was way more revolutionary than most Americans believe or want to believe. The brotha did not preach about colorblindness. He did not preach about how we should move on past racism with no effort of revisiting history or the hearts of white people. Dr. King was a soldier. He went after America’s vile practices and policies without hesitation. He knew more than many Americans back then  (and today) knew, and he spoke out with such unabated eloquence and wisdom that would strike fear in the darkest of souls. 

I always ask others who use the Color and Content quote or misquote Dr. King in general as a defense of their own ignorance, “What else did the brotha say?” You can either expect more lies about what Dr. King preached, or you’ll get the “duh” expression on their face in which they stop talking. Here are some other quotes that deserve special attention:

“To save man from the morass of propaganda, in my opinion, is one of the chief aims of education. Education must enable one to sift and weigh evidence, to discern the true from the false, the real from the unreal, and the facts from the fiction.

The function of education, therefore, is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. But education which stops with efficiency may prove the greatest menace to society. The most dangerous criminal may be the man gifted with reason, but with no morals.

When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, militarism and economic exploitation are incapable of being conquered.

A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching
spiritual death.

The limitation of riots, moral questions aside, is that they cannot win and their participants know it. Hence, rioting is not
revolutionary but reactionary because it invites defeat. It involves an emotional catharsis, but it must be followed by a sense of
futility.

The curse of poverty has no justification in our age. It is socially as cruel and blind as the practice of cannibalism at the dawn of
civilization, when men ate each other because they had not yet learned to take food from the soil or to consume the abundant
animal life around them. The time has come for us to civilize ourselves by the total, direct and immediate abolition of poverty.

It is necessary to understand that Black Power is a cry of disappointment. The Black Power slogan did not spring full grown
from the head of some philosophical Zeus. It was born from the wounds of despair and disappointment. It is a cry of daily hurt
and persistent pain.

Discrimination is a hellhound that gnaws at Negroes in every waking moment of their lives to remind them that the lie of their
inferiority is accepted as truth in the society dominating them.

Many of the ugly pages of American history have been obscured and forgotten….America owes a debt of justice which it has
only begun to pay. If it loses the will to finish or slackens in its determination, history will recall its crimes and the country that
would be great will lack the most indispensable element of greatness–justice.”

The memorial may be a tribute to the man who challenged a nation, but in the end it may also be a blanket to, once again, cover this nation’s cruelty, hatred, and greed. America has no right – NO RIGHT AT ALL – to say it truly honors Dr. King’s legacy because not too many Americans know it. America as a whole continues to avoid its own faults, sins, and common sense, and those of us with eyes are seeing what it’s really doing to this country and by our estimates, this country doesn’t have very long to live. It’s like watching a morbidly obese man being told by the doctor to cut back on salts,sweets, and fats or else his condition will get worse, but the man doesn’t listen, keeps eating, and his health worsens. America is that morbidly obese man.

Those who wish to truly honor Dr. King’s memory must learn more than a few lines of his “Dream” speech. They must learn to speak truth to power and fight the power. They must not believe that hiding problems will solve the problems. They must learn about the true evils behind materialism, militarism, and racism. Most of all, they must learn not to succumb to the many cancers of darkness eating away at the heart of society. To do otherwise is not a testament to Dr. Martin Luther King, but an insult. 

The Whiteness Club

Tags

intraracism, white

White supremacy, a faith and system to maintain the power of privileges of American and European whites based on the belief that whites are the ‘superior’ humans, can enter the minds of people of color (POC) leaving them to follow the lead. Some POC have been programmed with a range of lies and cons created by white supremacy so much that it’s enough to support the power structure even at the cost of their fellow brothers and sisters. Hell, don’t be surprised if some are more than willing to throw their own mothers to the lions for an unquestioned, limited membership into the whiteness club.

To get into the club of whiteness you must renounce your entire identity, this includes giving up on your personal, racial, ethnic, national, and even your religious histories. You must reject all truths that may obstruct or disrupt any and all forms of whiteness. You must accept all lies that keep the system going! Most of all, you must not side with your own people. Helping them is prohibited. Speaking for them is forbidden, and listening to them is out of the question. Remember, to be a member of whiteness is be love, save, protect, and even die for whiteness. That’s right. Die!

Now, I call a POC who has such a mindset a limited member because even though they’ve submitted to the cause, they are still not white. I know it sounds juvenile, but it’s true. White skin coupled with European physical characteristics is a guaranteed platinum card. Those members that fit all of white society’s norms are top lifetime members.

POC members will never be top members as long as there are top white members. No matter how much they will try to kiss up, they are never considered equals to their white comrades. Nevertheless, that doesn’t seem to matter. 

Whiteness is made as not only a norm, but the “correct” way of living and thinking. POC who’ve adapted it willing or otherwise use it as a means of achieving success. However, within a white supremacist nation like the United States, they have to become successful under the terms of the very system that oppresses them especially if it means to forsaken their own. 

POC who strive to join the whiteness club are dangerous to themselves and to their own. Some of them have no regrets when they’ve bowed down to their “masters” for glory and fame. They have no remorse when they turn their backs on the people who looked up to them as being the first and(or) only members of certain institutions comprised of whites. Lastly, they believe that the racism that continues to hold down their fellow brothers and sisters is not an important issue let alone the reason why many POC are still trailing behind. These are the POC we need to keep a close eye on. They are not worthy of praise or admiration but are perfect examples of pity and shame as they’ve joined a club that still sees them as less than human.  

The Occupation

Tags

adversity, America, black, crime, politics, privilege

I’ve been checking out the Occupy Wall Street movement and how’s it’s been gaining momentum not only in New York City, but in dozens of cities across the county. For those who are unfamiliar with the movement, basically it’s to fight against high unemployment, economic inequality, and corporate greed, to name a few. In short it’s a war against hypercapitalism. (I made that word up.)

I’ve often wondered about the purpose of this and other occupations around the nation, more specifically about whether this will cause a huge change in the way this nation conducts economics. I’m always skeptical when it comes to certain movements. My biggest concern was how this is entwined the black community. There are some black communities in this nation that have dealt with unemployment and economic depravity years before the great recession of the new millennium, and the situation has gotten incredibly worse. The unemployment rate nationwide is bad enough, but the black community bears the brunt of this crisis. When the nation gets a cold, black people get the flu. 

As expected, there has been a lot of disdain from conservative political pundits and leaders over this occupation. Most of what was said was the usual shit that involves blaming and demonizing the protesters and their supporters. They have shook and pointed their fingers at those who were left out of the fortune pipeline concluding that it was no one else’s fault but their own.  To them if the activists had just worked harder or had a more strong work ethic, they wouldn’t have been in the situation that they’re in. It’s all our fault that the economy is in the toilet. 

Does that sound familiar? It should. Black people have been told that same bullshit for as long as we can remember. We are this nation’s scapegoat for all things wrong including when it comes to failing economics. We are made to think that there’s something wrong with us (and nothing wrong with the economy or the government). We are made to feel low over this nation’s mistakes and other people gladly agree with it. So that’s why we get little or no help for the situation some of us find ourselves in. We are seen as too screwed up to deserve any help.

Now, I’m no expert in economics, but I think it’s troubling that a government would “bail out” incompetent CEOs of banks who’s inept corporate skills and crooked business motives played a major role in the crappy state we’re in today. I think it’s insane that the top 1% doesn’t have to pay taxes or have to pay taxes worth about as much as my paycheck. And don’t even get me started on the failed republican ideal of tax cuts for the rich and wealthy. (We all know how effective that is.) All of this proves how much the government, manipulated by the rich, favors them over the rest of America who is literally working their asses off to obtain the “American Dream” while those who are living it are comfortably sleeping in their million dollar beds. This nation favors wealth no matter how it was obtained. As long as you’re worth millions or billions you got it made, no questions asked. 

However, greed can warp one’s senses of what’s right or wrong not just for themselves but for others. It can put your wants ahead of other people’s needs. It can mold one into a ravenous monster unable to quench their thirst for more, and it can create two worlds where many are not allowed to enter. 

In the faces of adversity due to police violence and political chastisement, the protesters at the Occupy Wall Street movement want to put and end to the disease that contributed to the crisis. It’s a sign that capitalism is a failed concept that was bound to end up in the cemetery along with its cousin communism, and this form of hypercapitalism is killing this nation softly while the suspects remain free. It’s a warning sign that something new must be made, and soon. 

Conversations On Race (Updated)

Tags

racism

I’ve noticed a few things when there are conversations concerning racism when people of different racial backgrounds share their views. I’ll try to list and describe them all. If you want to add a point or two, please do so:

“Racism is dead.” I know it’s more than obvious especially from the point of view of people of color (POC) who are aware of this sad fact. However, there are some people who are still naive, and some who avoid the subject at all cost. People still believe that since we have a black President then we live in a post-racial/colorblind society. BULLSHIT! Racism has become more open since Barack Obama took office. Anyone who disagrees must have something wrong with their brains.

“I’m not a racist because I have black (or other PoC) friends, I am dating a black (or other PoC) person, or I have a relative who is blacks (or a POC)!” (Thanks, Sepultura13) Whites who think they have friends, relatives, or lovers who are POC believe they are given a pass. They think they can not possibly be racist since their friends, significant others, or family members are not white. White people who are more liberal minded tend to use this excuse. The fact is that having POC within your life doesn’t mean that there isn’t a hint of racism within your heart especially for some whites who date certain races based on racist myths. But most of those relationships are fragile whenever the subject of race pops up. Those relationships hold together as long as race and racism are unmentioned.

“Avoiding racism will make it go away.” I never understood why some people believe that if we shut up about race and racism, then the problems will go away. That’s like if one sees a person out in the middle of the street about to get hit by a car, one will believe that by not seeing the car or the person will guarantee that an accident won’t happen. Some people strongly prefer the “ostrich” way of handling issues. We all know that’s not only wrong, but just plain foolish. Whites have tried to avoid racism for as long as humanly possible. Yet, not only did it not disappear, it underwent several transformations that resulted in the same outcome, giving whites incredible wealth, power, and of course, privileges making the world an unequaled playing field.

“The past is irrelevant.” Most white people have a problem when you bring up moments in history that doesn’t show their good side. That’s why they are all for celebrating the 4th of July but feel horrible talking about other events like slavery or the genocide of the first Americans. They love history only when it makes them feel proud. However, history is important when talking about racism because it reveals how whites got on top and stayed there for so long.

“Bootstraps work.” Most people believe that if poor POC would work harder, then they will rise out of their situations. The problem is that working hard doesn’t always a millionaire make. I know, there have been certain POC who’ve succeeded and are living large, but millions of other POC have worked hard all their lives only to end up screwed by an economy run by ravenous misers. This isn’t to say one shouldn’t work hard, but one shouldn’t be so fooled as to not play it safe in case of hard times as there is a web of crookedness in this nation’s economic and political structure. Also, keep in mind that whites here in America and other white dominated nations didn’t earn their privileges with hard work, at least none that didn’t involve death and destruction. Sad, but true.

“Don’t be angry.” Most whites in conversations about racism can not stand it if POC, especially black, get angry when they express their views. If you get angry, they get offended. The problem with that is that anger comes from living in a society where oppression is legalized and excused. So yes, we are angry. We are angry about living in such a world where our humanity is questioned, examined, or discarded, and we are angry that our thoughts, views, and even our emotions are also questioned, examined, or discarded. White people who participate in race conversations must understand that truth. If they take our anger and frustration personally, then it’s evident they are ill prepared.

“You are racist against whites.” I love this one. It means that any statement about whites is automatically racist. Right now many white people in America believe they are victims of racism. For some reason, whites believe they are “deserving” victims of any and all tragedies even tragedies that have little to no effect to their power structure. It’s part of their conditioning. They are also coaxed to believe that they are normal, superior, and just. So, anything said pertaining to white people including history and statistics, true or not, and is not pretty is automatically a racist remark.

Here’s the deal, POC are familiar with racist statements. We hear them all the time. Yet, when we call them out, white people will say or do whatever they can to avoid accountability. But, the main truth most whites don’t want to grasp is that racism begets racism. So, if a white person tells a black person that they are criminal minded thugs, don’t be offended when that same black person returns with a “At least we aren’t the majority in school shootings and serial killings.” As a side note always be on the lookout for the old “race card” ploy.

“Racism is based on facts about races.” This is the nexus of racial realists, Human Biodiversity (HBD) followers, and scientific racists. They believe that race can be scientifically proven mostly by genetics, and that racism against certain people is okay because it’s “proven” that they are not fully human. In other words they were born to be what “nature” tells them to be. Okay. This is just sugarcoating their true feelings, or rather they’re trying to mask their feelings for pseudo-science. Hell, some don’t even call it racism.

The truth is racism is always been based on myths, lies, pseudo-science, and negative emotions. There is absolutely nothing scientific or natural about racism. It’s all about social control for the benefit of one group. The only science used is the science of how to maintain power and oppression as long as possible.

“I’m here to start drama, derail the topic discussed, and make you all draw attention to me, the troll.” Of course, there have never been any trolls that will say it up front, but that’s how they work. Trolls don’t care about serious conversations pertaining to race or racism.  Why they have personalities that rival meth heads is unknown. However, they are absolutely clear that they don’t take anti-racism seriously.

“I’m hurting because you said something to me I didn’t like.” White women are especially guilty of this. When POC tell the truth about racism or accuse a white person of saying something that is racist (no questions asked), they will get angry and(or) weepy. The messed up part is that they, who are guilty, are most likely the ones who get sympathy and comforted.

If your a white person, it is certain you will get support. This presents two problems: One, it’s the POC who really needs a hug given that he or she has likely dealt with racism often. And two, the crying white person is more upset that her(his) feelings are hurt, not because what they did was wrong.

“I’m here to help in order to feel good about myself.” White people fall into this trap often online. Most who participate believe that it’s for them. That is a common fallacy in forums and blogs. Most blogs dedicated in discussing and fighting white racism were never meant for white people. Which means that any white male or female who drops by must not expect to feel warm and fuzzy. Many topics on racism deals with truths and emotions from POC, and neither of those are pretty. So, white people should not be expected to feel righteous or pleasant. If they do, well…you know.

“I’m a POC and I agree with what white people say.” There’s nothing more saddening than a POC with a “slave mind”. Expect certain POC to disagree with your stance on racism. Expect them to say things like “If we wouldn’t do (A), than we wouldn’t be in (B), and we need to stop blaming the white man.” If there’s one thing most white people have a habit of is blaming POC, mostly blacks and Latinos, for national failures, and POC, including some blacks and browns, picked up that same habit.

The thing is there’s a double standard in the blame game. You can never blame whites, but it’s okay to blame other people. Another thing is that how white people think is not always the correct way of thinking. Lastly, POC who use that mentality are obviously suffering from mental oppression, self-hatred, the colonized mind, whatever you want to call it, they are POC with “white” minds. By the way,  National failures, especially recent ones due to banks, were caused by corrupt white male who are the majority of CEOs in this nation.

“There you go, blaming whitey again.” Again, this is a double standard. Blaming whites is a cardinal sin to most whites and some POC. By the way, most of the time, the only people who use the word “whitey” seems to be white people.

“You people commit the most crimes in this country. So, blah, blah, and more blah.” This one is what overtly racist whites love to use especially regarding black people. There are no explanations except that they are black. They assume that since there are millions of blacks in prison, then they are guilty, and those who are free must be guilty of something but hasn’t been caught. To these people blacks are cosmically guilty the minute they are born. Keep in mind that these racists don’t seem to care about (violent) crimes committed by whites in the past AND present and those crimes greatly outnumber crimes committed by blacks in the past or present. This is just another form of derailing the issue. They rarely present any evidence, and will scoff at any counter evidence.  So, just move on. 

“It’s not about race. It’s about class.” Although racism and class do intersect, they also differ. In conversations about race, people will often deviate the topic into the subject of class disparities and make it seem that class-ism is the more important problem as oppose to racism. While it is an important issue, that is not what’s at the forefront when talking about racism. Racism includes economic policies that greatly effect POC. Those policies help widen the gap between the wealth whites and blacks have creating a perpetual underclass within black communities nationwide. This includes the troubling fact that a black person with no criminal record is least likely to get hired as opposed to a white person with a criminal record. In other words race is STILL a major factor. 

“White privilege is about class privilege.” White privilege pertains to societal advantages whites have due to SKIN COLOR not fortune. Some white people often make the mistake that white privilege deals with wealth which explains why you will hear arguments like “I wasn’t born with a silver spoon!” from several whites. White privilege explains that even a poor white person has certain advantages as opposed to a middle-class black person. A poor white person must be a Regular Joe. A middle-class black person must be a drug dealer. See how that works? 

“No matter what you say or how you say it, I will simply not listen.” I find it mind numbing that no matter what a POC says about how racism is hurting them, most whites in the end don’t want to hear it. Some who come to give their two cents imply in some way that they are not interested in your views. But then, why did they come in the first place? Because like I said, they think the discussion is for their well-being.  

“Racism is very simple.” WRONG! Racism is anything but simple. If it was, it would’ve been taken care of a long time ago. Racism has created a complicated world from the structural level to the mental level. It includes much more than hate groups and epithets aimed at POC. Some people think that’s all there is to racism. However, it goes way beyond hooded men in white robes. It goes all the way to government offices to corporate offices. Many people are in extreme denial of this truth and other truths concerning life for POC in a white dominated society. Most POC are more than aware of the complexity of racism. Still, we are more than willing to face what comes. Whites who join in the struggle must learn to do just that, struggle. 

Derailing Dave

Tags

Asian, crime, internet, men, murder, news, racism, white

While hanging around Abagond’s blog, I came across a topic pertaining to a young Chinese American man Vincent Chin who was murdered in 1982 by two white men because, according to the blog, “They were thrown out of work due to the success of Japanese car companies – even though they knew he was Chinese, not Japanese.” My first thought was how some Americans think Chinese and Japanese people are the same, such as the probably the case with the men involved in Chin’s murder, but I digress. The judge fined them $3000 dollars each and gave them three year’s probation. Neither man served any jail time because the judge didn’t think they were the kind of men that should be sent to jail. This murder was a single example of white racism at its worst against a man of color trying to live the “American Dream” like anyone else.

Hate crimes against people of color (POC) outnumber crimes committed by POC against whites. But, there are certain people, most of them white, that believes that POC, usually blacks, are committing crimes against whites in larger numbers than the other way around. A man named ‘Dave’ strongly believes this, and he was determined to undermine the topic because, to him, Abagond’s blog as well as the entry about Chin was geared towards anti-white racism.

First, Dave uploads a corny video with Hitler singing the theme song to The Jeffersons. (Keep in mind this is a blog about the murder of an Asian man.) Then, he pulls the old “blacks kill more whites” routine that’s done all the time, and tries to argue how blaming white people for crimes against blacks is more popular than vice-versa. Dave also implies that the mainstream pays less attention to white victims of violence because of their race. (Yea. we heard that line a million times.) Every comment Dave made has been countered with strong disagreement from people Dave believes “live in a lie”. Next, Dave thinks that what happened in 1982 is just an excuse to justify hatred towards white society. You know, white folks want their past sins to stay in the past whether it’s five centuries ago, 50 years ago, or even five seconds ago. They don’t want to hear about them, but love to hear about their triumphs, fact or fiction.

But you know folks, the topper was Dave’s comment about how he was “mistreated one time with (his) kids when (he) went out to eat. (His) two year old son (now four) was crying, and this was at an all you can eat restaurant, so no offense but there were alot of black people there like most all you can places around, and the table next to me made some pretty hateful remarks.” So, as this was why he went home and looked up “black racism” online and came across Abagond’s blog. 

Ladies and gentlemen, what you’ve just read was all indicators of the a classic case of a racist, derailing, self-serving troll who searches for anti-racism blogs just to divert any serious topics about race because the trolls believe such sites have an anti-white agenda. What’s more disgraceful is that this joker had the nerve to troll around in a blog entry about the death of an innocent Asian man at the hands of two disgruntled white males. But, that doesn’t matter to him or other like-minded trolls because the lives of POC taken by whites is not what’s important. What did matter was that he believed the topic was racist against whites. Instead of showing respect for the dead, he’s more concerned with how it makes whites look. To me that is a troubling sign of moral depravity. 

Racist whites and some mentally oppressed negroes believe in their heart of hearts that black people commit the most hate crimes in this country against whites. Despite FBI stats that show the exact opposite, they will see it as pure BS as it is not what they want to hear. If there was a website created by a 6-year old kid that says that blacks are 1000 times more likely to rape and murder whites, they will eat it up without question.

Anyone who believes in the mainstream media paying more attention to hate crimes against blacks has either been living under a rock or just plain stupid as hell. The mainstream pays special attention to white victims of attacks by blacks especially if the white person was a cop or soldier. If one were to hear or read about a hate crime against a black, most likely it will have limited coverage and circulation. So, if anyone worries about any form of media paying attention to white victims, they need to stop bitching and turn to websites like Stormfront, Chimpout, David Duke, or certain racist blogs like Unamused, GLPiggy, and Half Sigma (to name a few). I’m sure those broadminded gentlemen would welcome you with open arms.

This begs to ask another important question, why come to a blog devoted to anti-racism if you know what to expect? Why make ignorant comments and expect many people to agree with you or back you up only to face backlash from those dedicated to stomping on the mindset you possess? That’s like starting a fight at a club, have your ass thrown out, go back in the club, talk more shit, get your ass beaten, thrown out, and repeat the cycle over and over again. Does this make sense? Hell no, but this is how trolls operate. 

Dave doesn’t care about the lives of POC, particularly blacks, nor does he care to learn. All he will do is troll and derail to satisfy his own wants, and what he wants is for people to basically leave whites alone. To him whites are basically good and are the true “victims” in this nation at the hands of black folk which is funny because people like him don’t even talk about white-on-white crime or violence for reasons unknown. 

So, I know you’re asking why I’m wasting my time writing about this one, insignificant troll. After all, Dave will continue on his meager quest to “purify” the white image.  It’s because people like him are irritatingly pompous, uncaring, and just plain ridiculous to a fault trying to pose as nice, “regular” guys. They ain’t fooling anyone. POC have to deal with this bullshit all the time in real life. Anti-racist whites have to put up with it as well. They are poor excuses for human beings, and they drive you up the wall trying to maintain their insanity. 

So Dave, if you are reading this, I know what kind of person or troll you are. I also know that one can not argue with a willful idiot. That doesn’t mean you’ve won the debate, nor does that mean you’re right. Though, I know some deranged part of you will tell you that along with the whole black-on-white bullshit you love to hear.  Any crime committed by a white person against a POC is reported, and that does not mean it’s part of a campaign against white people. Writing about white hate crimes is not the same as being racist against whites especially if that crime actually occurred and if other forms of crimes are discussed. Furthermore, your final comment about how you and your were called hateful names by black people in a restaurant is as lame as a one-legged dog. If you didn’t come off trying to minimize the importance of the blog post or trying to post a video as a sick joke, maybe you would’ve gotten a crumb of sympathy. But no, you wanted to act like a whiny little bitch and deviate the topic for your own personal desires. Grow some balls, get some help, and move on. Don’t derail an important topic to make you feel better because in the end it just makes you look pathetic especially since (A) your story sounds sketchy with little detail, and (B) you probably pulled it out of thin air. That’s why people came at you the way they did. Do yourself and your family a favor and learn from it.

In closing Dave I suggest you find a hangout at the racist sites and blogs I mentioned earlier. You can do all the whining you want there without anyone having to call you out, but if you choose to troll around in anti-racism blogs making more asinine comments that doesn’t make sense and get an online thrashing because of them, don’t start crying. Remember, you asked for it. That’s right. YOU ASKED FOR IT!