On a serious note, Im going to make this point about the events in Ferguson, Missouri: Does anyone know when African Americans received the right to vote by law? February 3, 1870 when the 15th Amendment to our Constitution was ratified. Despite this, it would be nearly 100 years before African Americans could vote unobstructed without fear of violence. Does anyone know when the school systems of the United States were desegregated? May 17, 1954 When the Supreme Court under Chief Justice Warren finally concluded that Separate but Equal educational facilities were inherently unequal. Although black people had known this since day one, and despite the fact that the landmark decision was widely held to be a victory, the implementation of desegregation would continue to meet resistance for the better part of the next 20 years. While segregation is before my time, its not before my fathers time, and its definitely not before my grandfathers time. I can attest that to differing degrees, across all three of our generations, we have each had the experience of finding ourselves on the wrong end of the racism stick. I like to refer to it as The Rude Awakening. Sometimes its subtle. Sometimes its not so subtle. Sometimes its downright violent. Despite the fact that it is 2014, there remain plenty of places in America (Shoot: Virgina) where an African American who makes a wrong turn can quickly find themselves back in 1957. The point I make is THIS: Whether your name is Oprah Winfrey or Pootie Jenkins, 99% of African Americans share the experience of the Rude Awakening. What we dont know personally, we have the stories of parents and grandparents to inform our perspectives. So when you hear about the violence and protests and anger in Ferguson... Its not because those black people are paranoid. Its not because those black people subscribe to a victim mentality. Its not because those black people live in denial concerning their lots in life or how to address their challenges, Its not because those black people live to throw the race card... Its because this country has a long history of disrespecting the civil rights of its citizens of color, and because those citizens of color are so very tired of it.
Posted on: Tue, 19 Aug 2014 04:22:37 +0000
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