Black Visibility is not Black Power

I thought that I would never see an African American President, or rather, a half African American President- unless I support the notion that one drop of black blood makes and individual black. (I would have to disagree with that old law even though there are many that still believe that way.)  But our culture is connected to more than our race, and even though there are more black people visible in all areas of our lives- politics, entertainment, sports, and the field of academia- the problems of the black community are often swept under the welcome rug and become nothing more than talking points.

Even stories of victories in the African American community are not celebrated like those in other communities. These stories do not get the same attention and still have to battle for the limelight against stories of celebrity divorces and shopping sprees of the rich. 

Did I fall victim to the deception that black visibility is black power? Of course I did. Who could not fall victim to such a theory. Many of us have fell victim to this theory, and it is easy to understand how and why. We have faith in our country; some of us believe in our country more than others. But the individuals that research and investigate the actions and laws of this country understand who has the power.

So, after all of the cheers and happiness that was expressed after the election of the first African American President, the theory of black visibility vs. black power had the opportunity to be readdressed.  Just because there is a black president, does not mean there is an automatic connection between that president and the black community.

When I speak with my friends, we often believe that the issue of racism has only increased. The pride of having an African American President simply vanished for some. I still have pride and hope however, because I understand that the steps needed to fix some of the social injustices and racism that has plagued our country will take another 200 years or so be realized. President Obama’s victory was a small victory in the struggle for all minorities.

The ultimate power has been in the hands of the establishment, not the president. Even though the establishment has many individuals, many of them have succumbed to the idea that their personal interests outweigh those of the people that elected them.   

These individuals include artists, politicians, athletes, and many others. I believe that President Obama has a responsibility to the African American community. His appearance was nothing more than a tool to trick us into supporting him. Just because he can bounce a basketball, and is probably better at it than me, does not mean that he understands the struggle of African Americans.

Let us look at his actions. He is a very smart and wise man, he has passed a few laws that could be seen as keeping us African Americans at bay. For example when he lowered the penalty for those that are guilty of selling crack compared to the penalties of selling cocaine. This is great- and he should be applauded. But let us look at another focus of his energy- where he is choosing to visit.  I have seen him in Silicon Valley, Hollywood, and many other affluent neighborhoods, but I have not seen him in the Bay View, or Compton.

But when I walk through some very economically depressed African American communities, I see the people wearing his t-shirt, or pasting his poster on the wall. But the sadness is still on their faces, and the violence still consumes their community. Why? Because that is what the system needs to keep control of the society and that is what the system wants. They want a society that allows for the rich to remain rich, the middle class to support both the poor and the rich, and the poor to remain a tool for division.

While I hold dear my conservative values, there is no need to continue to be ignorant and believe that one man of color can change a community. Or that one man of color has destroyed the country that I believed in. The responsibility remains in the hands of the people.

We the people, even though my race was only considered ¾ of a man, and did not start off with the same opportunities as the citizens around me. When individuals use the Bible and the Constitution as tools to define them, to develop their political and ethical positions, they are already flawed. They are flawed because those specific documents are flawed.  They are flawed because they were created by men, men that are flawed by nature.

These two pieces of literature are often used to define all reasoning, but they were not built for me, ¾ of a man. Even though now I can live a life that others could only dream about hundreds of years ago, I have a responsibility to inform and educate my generation and those that are willing to accept that a change is needed. No longer can I depend on the black face and the deception of black visibility as change. But nothing more than false hopes that were destroyed by the powers that be, to keep their knee on the throat of those that do not stand a chance.

So before we make a decision on who we want in office, step aside and remember that black visibility is not black power.  It will not erase the suffering.  We have to evaluate the destruction that corporate America has placed on the poor communities both white and black.

Do not let us vote because of what our minsters believe, or what our parents have forced fed us to believe, but rather vote in a way that will allow for opportunity for all- no matter whom they love, or who they want to spend the rest of their lives with. To deny others freedom is simply being a tyrant. One person’s happiness should not be blocked because of a few ignorant individuals. But also, it is important to understand that for the black community, black visibility is not power.  If those in power continue to only support others that share the same rhetoric, there will never be true equality.

Privilege from the Right?

Is voting a right or a privilege?  Well, according to Alice Stewart, a Republican Strategist, it is a privilege. Really Alice, so I guess we are in Wonderland right now sipping on sweet tea plotting to stop citizens from voting.

As many of you know, I lived in Texas for several years and I love the state. But when a gun permit can be used to vote and not a student identification card, we have to scream out institutional racism strikes again. According to the numbers, they say that there are 1.4 million people that may not be able to vote in the upcoming election.

This next election is one that is critical to our country. No matter what your stand or party, this next election will show us several things. The first thing it will show is where we stand on race. Have we really overcome our racial barriers and are we moving forward. To be brutally honest, the president is nothing more than a puppet that is controlled by the corporations, and others that we do not know.

But if Obama loses this election I would have to say that it is a victory for those racist in the south, that still do not think that Obama is an American citizen. While his competitor can develop a health plan that is similar to the one that our current president has developed with the help of the health care industry, to the conservatives this is there guy.

How is voting connected to this election? Well if there are 1.4 million people that are not allowed to vote in Texas, then the popular election will be effected, which is a driving force of the Electoral College.  Then we can really be looking at our first one term African American President, and I am sure that we may never see a minority in this position again in my lifetime. 

Now, who are these 1.4 million people that will not be able to vote? Well l I guess they are the only 1.4 million people in Texas that do not own a gun. Of course we know who they are. They are the voiceless citizens of our country. The citizens that are punished for being poor, old, ignorant, and often the laws that are created do not help their position, but rather reinforce their demise of poverty.

Many people that are in poverty vote for the Republicans and their conservative views even though these laws harm them. Why? Because they are tricked, like many citizens of our country, to believe that the Republican Party is the establishment for white people like the Democratic Party is the establishment for minorities and poor and hippie white folk.  

But the strangest part about what is being played out in Texas is that in Texas an illegal immigrant can obtain a driving license as long as they have proof of insurance. That is correct- an illegal immigrant can obtain a license and then vote? I hope not, because if that is the case then wouldn't that be voter fraud?

Voter fraud is hilarious because shortly after America has experienced their first African American President, the conservatives started looking for any way to stop him from gaining a second term. What happened to the argument that they had to support Bush and his second term? Their classic excuse that in a time of war it would be dangerous to change presidents. Last time I checked we were still in a war.

Voting is not a privilege; it is a “RIGHT”. It is sad that illegals get laws passed that will help them in Texas, but American citizens often get shafted. To deny college identification but accepted gun permits to vote is a joke.

They say they will not turn anyone away from voting if you return with your identification within six days. For some people this is another hassle within itself. These individuals may need to find another ride to fix the problem. After their vote is cast it will simply not count because they will feel frustrated and not return.  

All legal citizens of our country should have the right to vote. It is not a privilege, but a right that was granted to all. Those in power always figure a way to hold down the poor. Even by not allowing a person that has done there time and has a felony to vote is a part of the scam to silent poor white and black people of our society. Voter fraud is the biggest scam that the conservatives can come up with this election cycle to stack the cards in their favor.

How can we live in a country that sends people off to die, only to return in a casket draped with a flag for freedom, but at the same time deny citizens their right to vote?   

The Real War in America

The real war in America is happening right in front of our eyes in Chicago. In just one weekend there were 8 killed and 40-plus wounded. This was here on American soil. While most of the media was covering the return of Zombies supposedly connected to bath-salts, the black community in Chicago was engaged in war.

When the temperatures start to rise, there is an increase in violence in most black communities. It would suggest that someone has spiked the Kool-Aid packages sold in the corner markets. Or that there was some type of government experiment to thin the heard.

The usual excuses always seem to be the ones that are discussed by experts- the same experts that return to their suburban homes and enjoy their fresh squeezed lemonades and glasses of wine on their patios. Then there are the constant chants of “there is nothing to do” and that a larger police presents would somehow decrease the violence.

These excuses hold some truth, but they fail to address the issue. Violence is a natural behavior and once this behavior is accepted by a community and not channeled properly there is only destruction on said community.

The relationship between the black community and police, no matter what race or creed, is one that lacks trust and respect. Neither the police nor the black community seems to respect or understand one another and this division is fatal. The police represent the system. A system that has denied the black community the opportunity to gain liberty and live in happiness, all due to political and social economic barriers.

But the black community brings their own ammunition to this war as well. Shotgun shells are lyrics that blast from the speaker and penetrate the listener. The uniform of pants sagging to the ground showing of their latest underoo purchase, and the need for father-figures often creates youth that do not stand a chance.

This alone should be a case for an increase in Gay Adoptions, to support our own country instead of forcing individuals to depend on adoption agencies overseas. The lack of parental direction, financial opportunities, and failing education, has created a hell-storm that is impossible to escape.

I often equate the action of hunters in the wild killing a deer and placing it above the fireplace as the same activities that are happening in Chicago. Some may say that this is a stretch, but the action of wanting and needing to kill anything has to be connected to the same part of the brain. And for those trapped in the black community the only thing they can kill is each other.  There is no outlet for this human behavior that is reinforced by the music, the loss of an identity, and the need for acceptance.

Many communities have escaped some of these social ills, but the truth is also that not too many cultures have been put under the same strain as the African American community. Many communities still hold on to their cultural beliefs. These beliefs are handing down for generations. And often the only cultural beliefs that African Americans can pass consist of poverty, a white religion, and violence.

Responsibility is and should remain in the hands of the individual. But one must understand that responsibility is a trait that must be learned, and often passed down or taught. As Americans we have a responsibility as well, a responsibility to demand that our educational system in the inner-city gives our youth a proper education that will allow for them to be able to decipher the difference between entertainment and reality which has become so easily blurred.

The individuals in power such as government, education, and entertainment need to take a stand. As these individuals often contribute to the systematic and economic abuse that harms and punishes the black community. This war in Chicago can easily spread to any town in America, and when it does do not say that there were no warnings. Soon there will be nowhere for any of us to escape this war, and we may all be victims taken away from a crime scene as a snippet of the 10’oclock news.