RACE and my ROOTS BY: KB 2.25.15

Do y’all mind if I preach a bit?.....I've been “on one” for a couple of days and today is no different. My friend Bobbie is telling me that I am bound for a pulpit. I’m a preacher of the gospel and I’m screaming social justice!

Every so often I get my dander up and I have to write about a specific topic…this is more than just a “dander experience” it’s a “I’m as mad as hell”, “all my life I had to fight” anger.

I’m sick of the people who subscribe to the “ignore it and it will go away!”  passivity.  I’m not saying ignore the passive resistance movement but I am saying to call the “sh-tuff” out!

Race and color are issues in this country P-E-R-I-O-D! I don’t exclude myself from the forum…I am not racist about it; I am not bigoted about it….I just know that there are some cultural experiences and things that do not translate and I don’t feel the need to be the spokesperson for the entire African American population so I choose to date and primarily socialize within my race, culture. I do have very dear friends from other nationalities and cultures but they all just celebrate the diversity and experiences of life as collective beings. I’m not always asked to explain. I can have the “difficult” times with my friends. I can share my rage about Trayvon, Oscar and other race atrocities and injustices: I can rant about Ward Connerly and Clarence Thomas and they get my anger………..

I have officially had it with the BS….from within and without. My sister’s comment on “I try to choose my battles”  I get the fact that you can’t fight every fight but I choose my battles is a very safe position to keep what you've got. I respect and appreciate the strategy behind remaining in a position of “power” to effect changes on a certain level. My argument is that the position can also make an individual a token and/or a puppet. My sister is neither but she often stands alone and thus is rendered impotent.

My mother’s self-loathing and “superiority” complex among the huddled Black masses; my mother is the person that embodies the “Julia” complex of the 60’s. We were always the first “Negroes” in our neighborhood. I've heard thing about dark skin, education and classism about other brothers and sisters in the struggle. I heard militant talk and was taught to be a radical yet I witnessed a severe case of “switch tripping” when in the presence of Whites.  The conversation about the academy awards when she referred to Lupita Nyong'o as “the little Black African” helped to show me that she has shifted in her world. My mom didn’t even know or care that the Voter’s Rights laws are systematically being dismantled by a school of oppressive thoughts and oppressive greed!!!

I watched my uncle deny he was Black…telling people he was Polynesian or Puerto Rican….I questioned this because my grandparents were proud Black folks who knew from whence they came! My uncle often told horrible stories about my grandparents saying that they were crazy because he could not deal with the fact that they were Black and somewhat uncultured ( I often call them Hillbillies) but I’m proud of them because they knew enough to want better for their kids and to buy and own property outright. They knew enough to save and to pay cash for things. They knew the importance of family.

To my family – where the hell did we go wrong?!!! I’m making it a point to learn about my family because they are who I am. They make me!!! My mom allowed the history of DV and her own “superiority” to isolate her from the commonality and the common blood…but I’m getting back to the basics….MY ROOTS!!!! Where we were a proud BLACK FAMILY!!!

Now, the things that really sparked my furor….the idiot newscaster that used the term Jigaboo and then offered and apology that was even more offensive than the term… the talking head Giuliana Rancic derogatory comment about an 18 year old child’s dreadlocks, Former Mayor Giuliani’s comments about President Obama…..then the classic disclaimer “IT’S NOT ABOUT RACE”….save the BS for someone who is naive enough to believe your madness. 

I’M NOT THE ONE!!! I WILL CALL THE MADNESS OUT OVER AND GO TOE TO TOE UNTIL I AM NO LONGER!

Now, I have a post script to this piece and it’s for all my good Christian fundamentalist friends….I’m calling you out on your record for Civil Rights….while you’re praying for the country…make sure you include your leader…it’s Biblical! Make sure you include the gays….it’s Biblical! Make sure you include people of color and the oppression and injustice….it’s Biblical!

Sunday’s between 10 – 12 have to stop looking like exclusive country clubs!!!!