There has been a lot of talk lately about institutions that assist black people such as NAACP, various award shows and channels, etc. I can completely understand the concept of why someone would say that these things further segregate us. However, just because that is what people are saying does not make it true. They do not understand the history behind these types of shows and institutions. Just because main stream media
Black History Month for example is about the preservation of culture and making sure that the accomplishments of Black males and females are not forgotten. Black history is and should be part of American History but it is not. Proof of this is in high school. Children have to take a class like this as an elective. These contributions are not taught as part of the whole. They are taught segregated and I believe that is what leads to animosity, "white guilt", and other social issues. It is not a separate history. No matter what color your skin is, your ethnicity, or religion- this part of history belongs to us all. It is important to remember it is not only because we want to avoid repeating history but also for social context. A lot of what we see today is typical of what we saw in the past to varying degrees. Instead of water and dogs it is stun guns, tasers, and profiling. Instead of hangings, it is mysterious deaths in prison or holding cells. Instead of public murders it is planting evidence to support the officers rationale for the murders. All of these things are not drummed up to cause issues and create animosity, they are really happening. The other sad part of that is that the victims are often blamed: "he should of just...", "she should of just...", "they had a history of crime...". What kind of society do we live in when we systematically"lynch" someone before they have been proven guilty of a crime?
In order to truly heal, we have to start listening and stop talking over one another. Feelings are real and indisputable. No one can tell anyone what they feel is wrong or that they are not feeling it. If we start to listen and look at the context behind what is upsetting people, we can start to put plans into action and make a difference. Some of what needs to be done is within the communities that we live in. If you live in an all black community you should be the main one involved in lifting that community up to make sure that jobs are available, schools are on par with the schools in other areas of the city, affordable housing that meets code, that your communities are safe and those who are trusted to keep it that way are invested in the communities. But it does not stop there... There are a lot of people that think what I just said is pro-Black and anti-White. The former is true but not the latter . Pro Black is not a negative term and it does not mean that we are against anyone. It means that we support and love each other and are dedicated to keeping our traditions and history alive so it is not lost. There is nothing anti anything about it. You do not have to be black to be pro-Black either. Same concept as pro-abortion. You do not have to be a woman to support it. We have to work together that is with each other and with our equity allies. We cannot complain about segregation and then be involved in it ourselves. Diversity and equity are important for any community to thrive and prosper.
Black History Month for example is about the preservation of culture and making sure that the accomplishments of Black males and females are not forgotten. Black history is and should be part of American History but it is not. Proof of this is in high school. Children have to take a class like this as an elective. These contributions are not taught as part of the whole. They are taught segregated and I believe that is what leads to animosity, "white guilt", and other social issues. It is not a separate history. No matter what color your skin is, your ethnicity, or religion- this part of history belongs to us all. It is important to remember it is not only because we want to avoid repeating history but also for social context. A lot of what we see today is typical of what we saw in the past to varying degrees. Instead of water and dogs it is stun guns, tasers, and profiling. Instead of hangings, it is mysterious deaths in prison or holding cells. Instead of public murders it is planting evidence to support the officers rationale for the murders. All of these things are not drummed up to cause issues and create animosity, they are really happening. The other sad part of that is that the victims are often blamed: "he should of just...", "she should of just...", "they had a history of crime...". What kind of society do we live in when we systematically"lynch" someone before they have been proven guilty of a crime?
In order to truly heal, we have to start listening and stop talking over one another. Feelings are real and indisputable. No one can tell anyone what they feel is wrong or that they are not feeling it. If we start to listen and look at the context behind what is upsetting people, we can start to put plans into action and make a difference. Some of what needs to be done is within the communities that we live in. If you live in an all black community you should be the main one involved in lifting that community up to make sure that jobs are available, schools are on par with the schools in other areas of the city, affordable housing that meets code, that your communities are safe and those who are trusted to keep it that way are invested in the communities. But it does not stop there... There are a lot of people that think what I just said is pro-Black and anti-White. The former is true but not the latter . Pro Black is not a negative term and it does not mean that we are against anyone. It means that we support and love each other and are dedicated to keeping our traditions and history alive so it is not lost. There is nothing anti anything about it. You do not have to be black to be pro-Black either. Same concept as pro-abortion. You do not have to be a woman to support it. We have to work together that is with each other and with our equity allies. We cannot complain about segregation and then be involved in it ourselves. Diversity and equity are important for any community to thrive and prosper.
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