It's a shame that Black people in America only unify in prison when it's forced upon us to survive, but on the outside we're often enemies against each other. Nothing can stop us but us. We live in the United States of America under a tentative freedom while people we vote into office to represent our best interest legislate against our interests to represent people who aren't interested in us other than to use us to further their agenda. We still fall for the "okey doke" as long the okey doing the dokey talks that talk and looks good doing it.
Don't talk to me about how being "black" is not monolithic, how "race" is a manufactured concept, or how we're not the same when those against us treat us the same regardless of where we're from. Racism is manufactured too by people who want to be on top and stay on top even if it kills Black or Brown you no matter how non-monolithic you claim to be. I know everyone isn't racist, but that hasn't stopped racism from being legislated or practiced from positions of power. Having good hair won't save your black self either no matter how "mixed" you are.
You can mark whatever ethnicity you choose on a government form but you're still going to be what others see. Like fools we waste energy fighting everyone else's causes but our own. While many of us are trying hard to be identified as anything other than Black, other folks are willing to remind you that you are when they feel angry at your presence or threatened by your advancement and position effecting them. Black folks are the only ethnicity I know who will gladly claim to be a mix of a bunch of other folks who won't claim them.
Likewise, poor folks are the only group I know who will support a bunch of rich folks who don't care for them. The dumbest thing I've ever seen is poor Whites, Hispanics, Asians, Natives, and Blacks fighting each other while being put into the same ditch. We can't live together but are being buried together by the same shovel. However, of all these groups the most demonized are Black people even among themselves. Other ethnic groups have the same issues we have to the same or greater degree, but somehow we've come to believe it's just us.
Our skin is not a sin. We are not inferior to anyone. No matter who else mingled into your ancestral bloodline you can't deny or erase the birthmark of your melanin. It's not a stain but a beautiful badge of distinction. Perhaps if we really believed that then we wouldn't wait to be incarcerated or enslaved to unite but would embrace one another instead of being sold out by sellouts while selling ourselves short? I was born "Black" and hope to die "Human", but until then I will wear this black skin with all the proud dignity GOD made me to be in it.
Little Black girl, I adore you. Little Black boy, I cherish you. Black Woman, I am enraptured to the highest state of passion by you. Black Man, I am inspired by you when you don't even know I'm watching. I love you all more than I love myself and can't see myself without you. We take everybody in even when they reject us. We are the epitome of love through our suffering and betrayal. Now we must also learn to love ourselves even more to stop our suffering from one another and others who have taken our love for granted. ~ Mr. Blaktastic
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