It hurts ~ its frustrating ~ its down right immoral, inhumane, egregious, barbaric, and heinous. The "it" I am referring to with intentionality is ills of the systems born out of these disunited states of America and her murderous ways. On July 4, 1776 we penned a declaration of independence and from July 5, 1776 until today, these words are just words on paper for we have be denied an inalienable right to LIVE. And yet, this country was in an uproar when the honorable Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright said G-d damn America.
America, who continues to slaughter Black and Brown bodies at will and with our recourse.
America, where race was born out of racism.
America, where "...for every 1 Oprah, a billionaire, you got five million Blacks who are out of work. For every Colin Powell, a millionaire, you got ten million Blacks who cannot read. For every Condoleezza Rice, you got 1 million in prison..." (Excerpt Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright Sermon entitled G-d Damn America, 2003).
America, where the divide and conquer approach has been a mainstay since her inception where we, Africans, were divided from our families, home, and culture only to be dehumanized, desexualized, and deculturalized. America, where the lighter the skin, in other words, the closer you were to white, to more acceptable and tolerable you were.
America is doing what this country was built and designed to do. None of this should surprise us!
We, of the Black diaspora, have been murdered physically, emotionally, economically, educationally, and spiritually. Even the "In G-d We Trust" should have a little "g" because the universal, loving, just G-d I serve doesn't have a dollar sign equated to Her power and presence. Race was born out of racism. Racism is a form of false power and control manifested through classism, colorism, and White/money privilege. We, as the Black diaspora, are even falling for this type of existence: "I'm not African American ~ I'm Bajan." (Please note, I only refer to those of Barbadian descent as an example because this is where some of my people are from.) The divide and conquer ~ the internalized shame ~ the embedded theology of a marginalized culture... we are living the lie this country has taught us and it is literally killing us.
I was indoctrinated into the black race. Forced to identify with the racist color black due to the racism in this country. Because of my dark chocolate skin I was forced to identify as black; not Black as in the Black diaspora, Black power, Black culture (thank G-d for Ed and Rose Davis for teaching me of my powerful, divine and beautiful Blackness)... Speaking of Black Culture, we are good enough for our creative prowess, spiritual acumen, and powerful buying power but only when it is financially advantageous to White privilege. Otherwise, they kill us, villainize us, and continue to live with unalienable rights: the right to seek, kill, and destroy and live in pursuit of LIFE, LIBERTY, AND HAPPINESS! None of this should surprise us!
This has been going on all along. Just ask Frederick Douglas, Marcus Garvey, Fannie Lou Hamer, Sojourner Truth... just to name a few pioneers, ancestors, Black leaders who called out White privilege long ago and not only forewarned but charged the Black diaspora to use our impeccable cultural, spiritual, economic prowess to DO SOMETHING! The killing of our Black lives appears to be heightened because of the global world in which we live. Same act different approach. Systems that were designed to kill us are still doing so and this should not surprise us. We are fighting a system that is doing what it was designed to do.
"Prior to Abraham Lincoln, the government in this country said it was legal to hold Africans in slavery in perpetuity...the government defined Africans as slaves, as property - people with no rights to be respected by any Whites anywhere. The supreme Court of the government...said in its Dred Scott decision in the 1850's: no African anywhere in this country has any rights that any White person has to respect at anyplace, anytime...the military was segregated...Black segregation by the country...legal... prohibited Blacks from voting... it was Apartheid American-style..." (Excerpt Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright Sermon entitled G-d Damn America, 2003) And it still holds true today. So none of this should surprise us!
I look forward to the day where we realize we as the Black diaspora are powerful beyond measure; where we demand an infusion of humanity and morality into new systems as we tear down the current systems designed to kill us, demand a respect contingent upon our humanity, and an create an opportunity at an inalienable right to live! A day were we love ourselves the divine Black diaspora G-d designed us to be: with our love of family, community, culture, music, spirituality, sensuality, and creativity! A day where I am truly my sister's and brother's keeper; a reckoning of Ubuntu where our Humanity is inextricably bound as the Black diaspora (African Proverb and paraphrase from the honorable Archbishop Desmond Tutu). A day were I can look at a Black elitist and a Black gang banger and love with unconditional positive regard. A day where education becomes a part of our rights and we build schools to nurture our divine Black culture and experience. A day where misogynist and egos are checked by spiritual intelligence and empowerment for all. A day of Truth and Authenticity in us, for us, and by us! This should not surprise us!
Finally, tell me to pull myself up from my own bootstraps...leave me (the Black diaspora) the hell alone and we will make the boots and the straps and do just that!
To the family of Tamir Rice, Sandra Bland, Trayvon Martin and all of us killed literally and figuratively at the hands of White privilege and power, I stand in awe and honor of the martyred as I fight to lift up a standard as the enemy comes in like a flood. My heart is grieved. My soul aches. My head hurts. Yet, none of this should surprise us!
And we wonder why the Dallas Cowboys are Americas team...
#payattention
#staywoke
#BlackPower
#Blacklivesmatter
Never hopeless ~ always fighting...
Reverend Tawana Davis
"Hope has two beautiful daughters; their names are Anger and Courage. Anger at the way things are, and Courage to see that they do not remain as they are." St. Augustine of Hippo (a Black Theologian)
