It's 2016 Again
The internet is back! Privilege, & Fights
Remember all the think pieces we read, yeah the ones that got us woke and wearing pink pussy hats. Some of these articles I wrote. ( very guilty) You know when we finally had a clear understanding of what privilege was. It seems that although we recycle and regurgitate the same thoughts coming out of the same thinking well we end up forgetting what privilege gives us in this country.
If you’re living in space and didn’t watch the Oscars I envy you. There were many conversations on the World Wide Web surrounding Chris Rock Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith. Some are talking about the infamous smack, protecting Black women/femmes, and toxic masculinity.
Twitter user ‘I just want to join the convo but don’t have the range’ says: “Violence is never the answer. “
This incident between two wealthy celebrities doesn’t really bother me, what bothers me are the conversations we’re having around it, they’re ableists, they’re privileged and they’re hollow and lack perspective.
I believe violence has a different definition for a lot of people, also when we talk about violence, what context are we using it in?
You’re scrolling online you took that break from social media, but you have to get back on and look, what do you see? white people are denouncing violence, yay! This is great news. This sounds good, that’s a good thing right? Well, It is, but are they talking about the violence they enact and participate in?
When we talk about the “violence” amongst the Black community you have to first ask yourself.
Am I Black?
Have I read Audre Lorde outside of social media quotes on pretty backgrounds?
Am I Black?
If you’re honest and answered no then just listen.
I’ve been in a lot of fights, ( I can feel you judging me) people in my neighborhood have been in a lot of fights. I can’t count the number of times I’ve been suspended for fighting. I had to punch a kid after he stole my honeybun just so he wouldn’t try it again. As I knew that was the only food I was gonna eat that day. I’ve had to beat up my brother’s bullies. I’ve had to punch someone at a restaurant at 19 for calling me the N-word. I’ve had to fight my entire life. And I probably will never stop. I most recently was willing to punch a manager for racially profiling my children in a store because I knew my words weren’t sending the message. I am facing violence every day in systems that see me as inferior and less than, in systems that deport my relatives. My known ancestry line is birthed via the slave trade. Black people all over the world not receiving reparations from the countries that kept them enslaved is violence.
What I’m trying to say is, it is a privilege to create a world and a system of violence and be able to live within it without a scratch.
I feel like the font and size aren’t big enough.
It’s easy to see a Black man slap another Black man and say “Woah hold it right there buddy.” I know even for myself I started to say “ No not in front of white company! ” Because I’ve been conditioned to present intact, to code-switch in front of white people so they don’t say the stereotypes are true. “ we’re animals.” “ we’re violent”
My respectability politics were coming up to the surface and I forgot that we have to be exceptional and in line, regardless of our white peers inflicting and participating in violence subconsciously or not, every day. It is not fair the weight Black people have to carry to not look like the violent ones all while experiencing violence in this world every time we step foot out the door.
When I think of the hot takes on the internet I think of the history of slavery, yeah I know it’s that deep!
Quick history: Some conflicts around the institution of Slavery were inevitable because there was an embedded conflict between slavery and the message of America being free these discussions were held in court. Slavery was going to end much earlier than it did, there wasn’t a need for it anymore but slaveholders got nervous as there were more Black people than white people during the time. So a question came up: Will they beat us up? We’re outnumbered so keep them enslaved.
This was a fear white people were coming to terms with. Black people can fight us. So how can we let them know violence is bad. We have to create shame. All while we continue to perpetuate violence.
We get shamed when someone responds to violence with a measly slap because it shows that we could be the next ones cruising for a bruising, it shows that we can’t get away with hurting people without there being a slap waiting for us.
Some have said this is a cultural difference but, I disagree. white culture is violence, this is simply a lack of and a refusal of having a different perspective, a lack of accountability and awareness, this is deflection and white people are using an opportunity where a conflict emerged between Black people to make themselves feel good, to show that they don’t agree with violence that they don’t participate in these antics, to show everyone that this is unacceptable, what I see is anti-blackness.
If you never had to fight for your identity and your name to be respected, if your name isn’t the only thing you’ve inherited, then consider yourself privileged to be able to live in a society that doesn’t take from you. To live in a society where you don’t have to fight back with your fist.
We live in a world where words don’t work for people that aren't listened to.
In regards to Will Smith, I feel sad for Jada, and I honestly don’t have much to weigh in on, we don’t know these people! It’s not our job to decide what we believe is a joke or disrespectful to someone else, we can’t police people, that’s all I can say. I know I’m no fun.
Let’s put this on a scale then shall we? I’m a Libra and chaotic so it’s only right I weigh something.
So on one side, we have
Slapping someone for disrespecting you at an event for a white institution that is very racist; I believe it’s human and forgivable
The other side
Calling the police on Black people, starting wars, deportations, kids in cages, removing the houseless people in New York City, ableism, having friends who are rape apologists, you being a rape apologist, defending racist people. Have your one Black friend write this newsletter and not share it. Only tipping your waiter 10 percent. SLAVERY and a list of other horrors
I don’t know you tell me, which side feels heavier?
Don’t keep my name out of your mouth, share this with everyone!
-Christy
All truth in this newsletter!