Special Edition: Dear White People

As I sit here and view the movie Dear White people I am struck by something that is bigger plot point for me than the racism of the white people and the racism in the movie.

It's the identity crisis that young black people go through in these modern times. Young black educated people who are trying to find their way in a place that is determined to keep the stereotype of the young uneducated, ghetto hoodrat alive. How do we move pass this feeling of being caught between the past and the future. How do we get to a point where the educated black person is not told they are a sell out. That they are forgetting where they come from. Is it true? Is going to college and working hard forgetting where you are coming from? Wait,did you see what I said? "Going to college and working hard" Like going to college automatically means that you are a hard worker. We all know that is not true. There are people working their asses off right now living paycheck to paycheck living in the bad part of town. Does this make them bad people? No. So why is it that every time someone ventures on to the bad side of town in a movie or television show it involves being met with minorities dressed up in gang wear ready to rob you of your money and tires?

As a child I was called an Oreo. Black on the outside white on the inside. I was made fun of for being different. I was skinny and flat assed and super dark and spoke proper English. Which apparently is something only three types of black people do: angry black people, black people who have sold out and Oreo. I was the Oreo. I was the chick who dressed how ever the hell she wanted, who smiled and was friendly with everyone who wanted to be friends with everyone.

So I answered the questions that people asked me that were strange to me but seemed to boggle the minds of the asker. "Do you wash your hair?" Yes, douche I am a clean person. "How do you know you are dirty?" Oh, I don't know probably the same way you know you are dirty. Then I got to hear "you don't sound like a black person," then when questioned what they meant by that they explained that they didn't mean anything by it because of course I am not like the other black people they are talking about. I'm cool.

Cool. My life goal. Cool.

So yes I grew up. I met people I traveled and unlike what was done to me, I did not assume that all people were the same from the contact I had with a few idiots. I refused to live that way. To live that way was to give in to the racism and the stupidity that is still running through the veins of this country. I married a white man and had two zebra babies and as I sit here in the aftermath of the movie that is Dear White People, I wonder if my own children will have to deal with the same identity crisis that the main character dealt with. That she felt divided. But I felt divided and I am black and blacker. I felt divided trying to find my identity when I was told by the media I should have been something else. Told by my peers I was not living up to what they thought I should be. Refusing to be something else but the person I knew deep down I am today.

A Confident Black American. I am proud of what I am. Oh, and if you are one of those people who wonder why it's ok to be proud to be black. Look up at the next billboard you see. Who is on it? do they have melanin in their skin? no? Look at the line up of your favorite channel...how many people of color are featured on the show? What kind of character is a person of color playing on your favorite show? We have to be taught to take pride in what and who we are because everything that we see in this country makes us feel like we should not be proud.

I was once divided and I am whole. I love myself and I love other people no matter their color. I do not blame the white people in my life for the sins that were committed in the past. I will blame the people who continue to bury their heads in the sand and allow injustice to continue simply because they are Tired of hearing about the plight of people that are not them. I will continue to make sure I teach my sons everything I know about AMERICAN history. This includes black, white, asian, hispanic, native american and everything in between. This country was built on the BACKS of the poor, the weak and the colored. Remember that the next time you want to call someone outside of their name. Remember that we are only 50 years from the civil rights movement when you want to hush someone about the struggles they are experiencing because of their race, religion or sexual preference.

View the movie Dear White People. Pay attention. Because while the movie is satire, satire usually has a thread of truth to it. The truth in this one.

Young Black people are at a cross roads. Do we fight the status quo and the stereotypes and just remain at this standstill or do we stop allowing what the media says about us to be the only thing that we use to define us. Do we stop allowing the media to be the weapon that cuts us down and we "play the game."

I say we step out from the shadow of the past and embrace our very bright future and push forward with every fiber of our being. We show the upcoming generation that they are better and can do more than the previous. We teach them to not lead with hate but to lead with compassion. To not make change using the fears of the past.

I am whole. Are you?

Dear White People.......

I'm not scared.

Star Date....12052014 Listen up

Listen up

I am sitting here feeling frustrated. I am annoyed. I was even hurt (that is a different story).  What could possibly rain on the parade of someone who usually shoots rainbows from her ass?

The current state of our country...and my facebook page.

Yeah my damn facebook page. As I scroll down and look and see people I considered to be friends spew nasty about the cases that have dominated the news. They want us to sit down and shut up. They say things like "it's our fault cops see us the way we do"..."why would you run from the cops?" and other things. They want this to go away. So if you care at all about me you will listen...if you don't then go on and continue to spout off as you want and not listen to the knowledge I am going to give to you free of charge. Well kinda free since you have to pay for internet to even read a blog. Unless you steal it....then whatever.

This movement you are so damn tired of hearing about is not about good cops. Let me say this again bigger. THIS IS NOT ABOUT GOOD COPS. It's about cops who think they are above the law and the justice system that allows them to keep feeling that way. It is about decades of racism that is allowed to continue because people want to pretend that it is not there. How DARE you tell me and other black people that racism is not a big deal, that it is gone. HOW DARE YOU! That is disrespectful and frustrating on so many levels. I know it is there. Personally I deal with it randomly. It is dehumanizing. This way of treating minorities was the standard not even that long ago. Do you think that something that deeply ingrained in our history is going to go away in a few decades? My mother dealt with it her mother and my great grandmother who is still living dealt with it. Do you think it was something that would fade and we would all hold hands and be ok? No.

Because this way of thought is passed down. Children learn it and some break away. But some don't they have the image of the ghetto black person reinforced by the media. We all grow up in the hood we all have guns do drugs we are all lazy, we all like sports, we all sing and dance well. This is what the media shows of the black culture this is what many cops go into the force thinking about black people. God knows what they think about other minorities.

This type of thinking is dangerous. It will cloud good judgement, it will cause a cop to refer to a black man his same size in dehumanizing way. Claim that he feared for his life. You really think after reading his descriptions of Michael Brown that his training couldn't have been better? I do. Letting go of your way of thinking of certain types of people needs to be something that is worked on. As long as we do not address it these killings of unarmed men...not just black men will continue.

You think people are being down on cops? Bullshit the clear thinking of us are not worried about the good cops who want to serve and protect. We are worried about those with the quick trigger fingers. Those willing to use illegal moves when there is no reason or justification.

Admitting there is a problem with the justice system does not make you unamerican.  Saying that you want cops to get better training, counseling less military like equipment, is not saying that you think all cops are bad. We are not at war with the cops we are at war with a justice system that was not built for all the people in this country. Get mad I said that if you want but it's true.

I am tired of scrolling and seeing people call black people animals, say we are using race cards that we need to get over it. You need to get over yourselves. Look outside yourself see that maybe just maybe we feel this way and this is getting worst because we feel like we are visitors in our own country. We want the same justice. Don't say well this happened to this white guy over here where is his protest. This is not just about getting a change for one type of person, although you do need to understand this fight was born from that. It is about making this better for all people. No one deserves to wonder if they will be shot because the cop sees them as a threat before taking in all the facts. Banging on a door for help shouldn't get you shot. shooting someone six times with no weapon? shouldn't even be ok ever no matter what color.

Don't spit on cops. Not all cops are bad. But don't you dare say "them" "they" and call black people animals and think you are not part of the problem. Protesters actual real ones are not burning down their homes. They are marching, organizing, speaking out. Listen to those people. Stop closing yourself off to the message that is being chanted.

We deserve respect. Start respecting us and our feelings.

Live Long and Respect Others.