The first thing you see is my color. But the last thing you will witness is my actions. Black, a color used to describe my physical description. At times it is also used to define who I am. Who I am, or at least who I should be, is often defined by the culture. This culture will judge, ostracize and ridicule you if you do not align your world with their view of “black”. The flaw of the culture is its inability to digest that we are not the same.
We are not the same
There are individuals that only know black people from what they see on television. They have watched HBO’s The Wire and have made a conclusion that all black people must act and behave like the characters on this show. People of color know that this assumption and view is very flawed. However, this does not stop some Black people and the culture from making similar judgements.
Coon, house slave, and sellout are terms used to describe Black people who do not fit the core thought process of the culture. These individuals are characterized as lost, misinformed or uneducated. We fight across the globe to ensure that the opinions of black and brown people matter while attempting to silence those who look like us with different views.
The gun toting conservative wants to protect his second amendment rights. The climate change liberal advocate wants to protect his planet. They share the same physical attributes but have nothing in common outside of how they look. How does the culture define their blackness when it comes to firearms and climate change?
Black card
An imaginary card is revoked by the culture when you speak against the talking points authored by the unknown. Statements like “you are no longer black” or “we don’t recognize your blackness” are perplexing statements. It is as if people can sneak into our homes and administer some sort of technology that reassigns your race based on our thoughts and actions.
This card is temporarily assigned to black people as long as they share the same views in areas like politics, religion and social issues. If you fail to meet the standard or what is popular among the culture, you run the risk of getting your card declined.
A culture that dismisses a person based on their freedom of choice is a culture that has forgotten to celebrate what makes us unique.
Our uniqueness makes us great
The beauty of a person is what they bring to the table. Everyone brings something different. At a cookout, you will have people that will contribute all types of food. All of the different tastes come together to bring our tastes buds satisfaction.
People bring a flavor in the form of perspective which can make them unique. However the culture has a way of rejecting certain perspectives in favor of a particular agenda. This prejudice point of view suggests that black people should be cattle and fall in line with what is popular.
“We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor, it must be demanded by the oppressed.” Martin Luther King
While the quote above by Martin Luther King pertained to the Civil Rights Movement, it also has value from the perspective of how we oppress each other. There are freedom fighters that have paved a way for us to have the rights we have today. They also fought for us to think freely.
What does being black mean
We are the first ones to call out another race when they do not promote oneness. We march to gain the attention of the world with the message that we matter. The core foundation of our anger is rooted in the fact that we want to be heard. Yet, we are as divisive to people of color when it comes to the realization that we are not the same. We do not accept our differences. The culture labels a mind that thinks outside of their box as the enemy. Black may be our color but it does not predefine our behaviors. It does not suggest that we need to agree on everything. It simply outlines the greatness of the person that some will never understand.