I think many Black Americans would LIKE to think there is only a visible division among Black and White in America. And there IS..But what takes some of us, like ME, longer to admit, there IS still a division within Blacks themselves..When I mentioned this issue to a very good friend of mine(who also happens to be my X love..) his response is @They call it slave mentality baby..They’re doing what the White mas has rewarded them for doing for over 400 years! Alright, I get THAT. But when does it END???
Even knowing about the whole slavery mentality theory; being the victim of it hurts! And it hurts BAD…Because it is ones own subjecting them to adverse feelings ..I am here to tell y’all it IS a phucked up feeling and it is unacceptable. I personally can’t speak for anyone else but ME…But since moving to the South(after living in California for 20 years) I’ve been called a bougies bitch; had people trip REPEATEDLY over the grain of my hair; and had people wig about my skin color to the point of being certain, without a doubt, that I’m Spanish; and professing I sound White because of how I talk..All of this from people who are also BLACK. Bear with me a moment while I grab hold of my bearings>>
Majority of my life I’ve NOT been in a majority Black environment.West Coast living agreed with me to the utmost level..This only came to be once moving to the Dirty South 2.5 years ago..OMFG..I knew sentiment here wasn’t as progressive as the West Coast; BUT I didn’t and couldn’t have imagined it was this far BACKWARDS progressively..Lawd! >>
Now I don’t know IF it is a Southern ‘thang’ or not..After all the South WAS where slavery reined back in the day….But I do know that the POWER Blacks in the South, from my viewpoint so far, feeeeeel they have IS nothing in equalivence to the power Blacks have in the West Coast. I’ve never seen anything more pathetic than broke arse folks clamoring for power , here in the South, like I’ve seen! It is shameful…Back in California I’ve easily mingled with millionaires who were far more down to earth than the want-to-be-bougie here in the South..As IF having money or prestige makes a person have more character and respectful standing…It doesn’t! And fighting for it makes it all the more GHETTO in every aspect. It is a sad thing to see and watch; and I refuse to be a part of it. I simply refuse>>
I could very smoothly run from my people back to White Corporate America..At this point? It represents, believe it or not, alot LESS drama and bullshit! But that would be like trying to run from myself..I’m not into the personality ENVY, nor the crab in a barrel syndrome crap; personally I believe competition is a GOOD thing. Challenge me with greatness! The petty ish of light-skin-good-hair-banging-body stuff has to END..Light or dark skin Black IS Black. Period. We’ve got to get educated and beyond the slavery mentality ish! Our children are watching US..I’m ashamed of some of the behavior I see out here these days.Bottom line? African. Trinidad. Haitian. Dominican. Puerto Rican. Latino. Jamaican. Brazilian…WE are all ONE…Whether we unite or not we’re all identified by our skin color. Trying to ignore it is like a cat chasing their own tail…Never ending. I think about running from it; a lot. It is easier leaving..But I stand! I love MY people and I love being BLACK. Black folks have alot to offer the world and always have…We’ve a legacy to be proud of. And its worth standing together proudly. United we stand or divided we can continue to free fall..
Berna's Vibe~The Way I See IT.... 
Greetings all brothers and sisters,
In the heat of this battle that started long before we were born, let me introduce a new thought. Spin a child a few times around and let him go, and he will continue to spin until he drops. Let us all “stop the spinning.” Over 300 separate and sovereign tribes of people were kidnaped from the continent of Africa over a 300-year period, and many of them were imprisoned here in North America.
Although of the same race, they were not the same people. Colonial racism saw them all as “one people,” because of their mutual Black skin, but they were not! Through the brutality of slavery, this massive group of prisoners were bred and brainwashed into believing (then and now) that they were “one people” because they were all Black. This is a generational fallacy, kept alive by ignorance. There is no such thing as a “Black” people.
Constitutions create a unified people, not some racist Caucasian’s belief, passed-on to institutionalized generations of prisoners. The law unites, creates, protects, allows leadership to be elected, and names the group. How do we, the generations of descendants of African prisoners still living within the prison that held our ancestors, create unity?
The only logical way is by binding our divisive parts into one new, constitutionally-bound people. As White Europeans did when they created “E Pluribus Unum” (out of many parts, one) with the ratification of their American Constitution, that excluded Black-skinned people. Answer this question, please. What makes a “people?” Is it the color of their skin? The color of their eyes? Or is it their Constitution?
There are over 300 recognized Native-American tribes. Although they are the same race, they are different sovereign people. They have Constitutions making themselves sovereign groups, and are still “Americans.” Why can’t we do the same as the rest of the legitimate peoples of the world have done for “unity?” We are the only “people” in the world, who cannot control each other, as we have no laws. Please wake-up. We are of the same blood today, but have no laws to unify or protect us..from each other.
Stop “spinning.” Brothers and Sisters, and think like free people, and not prisoners. Peace and Love, Lucas
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Whoa and WOW..Love that analogy @ Stop spinning..Indeed! Deep thoughts here for sure ..Which I might add is also why I penned this piece..I get frustrated! when I see more of US, folks of color, not helping one another than helping each other..The crab in a barrel crap is beyond OLD..Since moving to the East Coast I’ve met more people from Africa than ever before..From different countries in Africa; AND revealed to me(for the first time in my 50 years) that indeed just being Black doesn’t mean we have alot of commonalities..Even when raised IN Africa..
Being that I was raised by a super proud African-American Daddy; (who taught us from birth of our history…) I was naive & believed ALL Blacks wanted unity. That all Blacks had more in common than folks that weren’t Black..Since then I’ve learned that isn’t always the case.
In response to why can’t we do the same as the rest of the peoples of the world and unite ? As you’ve clearly illustrated the answer is complex. Could WE for a common good? Yes we could and did back in the 60s..But can WE do it again? I see it happening in small increments in my church community and personal circles..Baby steps; but it has to start somewhere..I’ve seen it in my eldest generation..Even he has his own circle of people he’s mentored & pulled UP into the ranks of attaining their doctorates and/or top careers…I’ve seen it with grass roots efforts and small organizations trying to lift Black youth up..Etc etc..But it is a massive effort of getting all these collective ideals together that will need to come about.
As for the law I feel that , at this point, should unify us? The good common sense to realize that irregardless of how we view ourselves(as a unit or NOT) ; that is exactly how we’re perceived and treated in our country.
I thank you for stopping by ! Will check your book out; for sure..You’re welcome to drop a link onto my spot if you like for your book..Matter of fact if you don’t I probably will..Real talk for real! Best Wishes & blessings, Berna(the one & only)
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The divide-and-conquer strategy employed by white slaveowners to break their slaves worked very well. There are a lot of divisions in the black community–colorism being a big one. It’s true that in some cases, black people with lighter skin receive advantages in employment, receive reduced prison sentences than their darker-skinned counterparts, and are more accepted in various social spaces. There is research that bears this out. Of course, we should realize that even though sometimes lighter skin and “better” hair can provide a certain type of privilege, ultimately, racism affects us as a group, and does not make exceptions for folks of lighter hues.
It is really easy to say we should all be one, but more difficult to figure out how to be one without disregarding the varying privileges, cultural differences, and upbringings we all have had. One of the things I think we need to do is to recognize that the people who write history do not look like us–therefore, the depictions of blackness, of Africa, of black people–are myth–designed to maintain the status quo and to further entrench division amongst us.
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Absolutely couldn’t agree more with every single word! Many thanks for reading and chiming in on this topic..I find myself involved in conversations about this often lately; far often than ever before in my 50 year young life..From chats with my parents to chats with my sons to chats with close friends to chats with my church family..It IS very much a hot and current topic
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I was born and raised in Atlanta and it wasn’t always this bad….but it is now….this city is so fake, it is all about money and status now….but the people that really have the power are the good ol boy networks and the so called black leaders are bought out by the good ol boys, then the big churches suck us dry…..The willie lynch syndrome is bad down here….I need to move to Cali LOL
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Ahhhh yes Cali is awesome as it is Liberal..After 20 years there I can’t lie; I miss it from time to time..Mostly the progressiveness and many beloved people I am connected to..However, I have been very blessed to connect with excellent people here also..
As for those you speak of that get bought out by the good old boys? It is a hard long fall when they do fall OR reminded that they’re also BLACK..And what they have to come back to? US..we always take them back into our folds..Remember O’Jay, M.J. and even Professor Gates(dear friend of Pres. Obama) they were reminded they were still BLACK no matter how much they thought they’d bought their way out of it..Can’t run from who you are; and there was a time when more of us knew that..Thanks for the dialogue by bro! I love your work and I try to make sure to pop in when I see it pop up..Mad props !
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It’s sad, like the Jordan Davis murder….mainstream black radio in Atlanta was talking about what black kids need to do to stay safe instead of calling out the racism and white supremacy, I’m like WTF!!! but it makes sense, because its all about going corporate out here, so don’t piss the sponsors or say anything too radical….As far as OJ yep lol (still don’t think he did anything though), MJ…I don’t know, it seemed like he was more pro-black when his skin was white lol, Gates still hasn’t woken up as far as I’m concerned lol….I think a way to fight these institutions is not to hold picket signs and have rallies that our so-called leaders are able to bring down the rage and passion and send people home….but I think black folks should take our gripes to the international stage and let them know on a daily how racist/white supremacist america is….start with the slavery/prison industrial complex and the business of locking up poor blacks/brown people at a much higher rate than whites for non-violent crimes……I think black people need to make youtube videos about how racist this country is on a mass scale so the entire world knows our experiences…..And thankyou:) that means a lot, I’m trying to put out my first book this month…I’ll keep you posted.
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…you’re on point! That is sadder than sad that Atlanta’s black radio stations decided to cop out like that..Self-defeating and for sure classic example of slave mentality..But also IF Blacks owned their own so called black radio stations or whatever; they could speak TRUTH..That is why I dig Spike Lee so much! He refused to sell out or sell his soul to the devil; so from the very onset he could say it like it ’tis..Polar opposite of Tyler Perry; but that is a whole other story for another time. I’d not cater to a so called Black radio station or anything else; that doesn’t keep it all the way REAL..Matter of fact sounds like a diluted pathetic excuse for a black radio station..White-washed..That isn’t cool and it certainly isn’t helping the black community at large..Instead? Why not speak out on Black kids needs frigging parents that parent??? Hows about talking about the real truths at things planted in Black communities(that then spread like wildfire…) like liquor stores and crack backintheday…There is an entire generation of children who then had children(thus lack of parenting skills) caused by purposely placing such ills in black communities..This topic can get quite, quite deep>>
As for OJ..Hmmmm I don’t feel he was totally guilty or innocent. Black or not..OJ had crossed over so successfully prior to his ‘misfortune’; he cared less whether Black folks supported him or not..Until? He was in a very hot seat..Lucky for him we quickly forgive & forget when our own shit on us! As for MJ? I’m a MJ lover till the day I die..Had posters of him with his big juicy full lips & big fro in my bedroom as a young teen..My first teen heart throb, ha! lolll Poor MJ never stood a chance at being even half normal..They pimped him out to work as young as what 4 or 5 yrs old? Anyways moving right along..Check out an outstanding documentary Professor Gates did last year on PBS..It was superb! It was written and presented by him..Called ‘The African Americans.'(From slavery to President Obama) I posted on it when it aired and its a must see for ALL Americans…He’s also written many books on Black culture and history…Including a piece called ‘Life Upon These Shores’ (a look at African American history) Both him and President Obama have learned the hard way, right? That no matter how high up the ladder they get, even the top seat in the country..Still will be considered a _____ by alot of our country..Until that hatred is killed out or dies out..And I agree with you that alot more folks, Black and White, will have to get pro-active in standing UP against it for it to end.
Please do keep me posted on your book..I’ll buy it. And I’ll even post exercepts on my blog. You can do it! And, congrats!
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Nice post =)
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I’m hopeful & prayerful that the sentiment of if you win, I win ignites one day..Got that from a sermon my Pastor gave last year and its a powerful concept. Or so I believe..Stay dry over there C.V.! Virtual high 5^
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