What does it mean to be black? Should I know all the new dance crazes? Wear snapbacks and have tattoos? Or shout “fu** the police?” Should I not annunciate when I speak and sag my pants? Should I become so pro-black that I become anti- white? As a black man I have experienced just as much discrimination from people outside of my race as well as people within my own race. I’m not dealing with the multi-racial issue of being forced to embrace my black or white side. No I’m a brown skinned man who happens to speak well, listens to Jessie J religiously, and loves Chinese food more than soul food. Does all this not make me black enough? Since I have been in college I have been experiencing a definite separation from this idea of black culture. My melanin clearly showcases my blackness and believe me I love being black, I love hearing stories of African American activist who fought for our rights as black men and women, I grew up in a household where black history month was celebrated daily. My mother taught me about Martin Luther King and how he persevered through adversity and practiced civil disobedience. I learned about Medgar Evers, Sojourner Truth, Rosa Parks, Josephine Baker, Dorothy Dandridge, Malcolm X, Alex Haley, Ruby Bridges, Harriet Tubman and so many more activist and freedom fighters. I watched Roots and Queen by Alex Haley, and I visited the Ebenezer Baptist church in Atlanta on Martin Luther King’s birthday. Have I gained my black card back yet? Or have I lost it because I don’t listen to rap, or speak with slang? Am I not black enough because when I have casual debates with my peers on the Idea of the Black lives matter movement vs. The All lives matter movement I’m indifferent on both sides because on one end the All lives matter movement makes sense in terms of all lives do matter yes! That’s apparent and I do agree, but are you saying all lives matter in a condescending way to discount the fact unarmed black men are being shot and innocent black men and women are being assaulted by more than a few racist cops? Think before you speak that’s all I have to say, I have also had debates on the black lives matter movement in terms with we all agree black lives do matter, innocent black citizens of America should not be racially profiled as a menace to society and do not deserve to be gunned down like an animal in the hands of a trigger happy fearful racist officer of the law and so called protector of the innocent. For the record I am aware not all cops are racist (I’m surprised there is no hash tag for that #NotallcopsRRacist) there I just started a trend. Now back to my point. My question for black live matter supporters is when a black man guns down another black man how come that is not a publicized as a white cop vs a black man? How come when an LGBT black male, woman, or transgendered person is assaulted or killed by another person of any race there isn’t as much as of an uproar? I don’t see black lives matter supporters when that happens. Are they not black enough to be acknowledged? How come as a community of black Americans we scrutinize each other in terms of Light Skinned vs. Dark skin? Heterosexuality vs LGBT? Distinguished graduate vs High school graduate? I was listening to the radio with my mom a couple months ago when Ben Carson the achieving black neurosurgeon who separated conjoined twins in 1987 wanted to run in the presidential race earlier this year he mentioned that president Obama was raised white, on CNN.com

Carson delivers a speech about how he feels if he was elected president of the United States he would be the first African American to obtain that honor due to the fact that he was raised in Detroit Michigan in the ghetto in contrast to Obama’s upbringing with a white mother and being raised in Hawaii.

Carson mentioned “He's an 'African' American. He was, you know, raised white," the retired neurosurgeon said. "So, for him to, you know, claim that, you know, he identifies with the experience of black Americans, I think, is a bit of a stretch."

How is it politically correct to take away one of the most achieving black men’s success in terms of his presidency because he was not raised in the ghetto? So his black card is taken away because he was raised by a white mother and doesn’t know the black struggle? How is it fair that his story, struggles, and his achievements are dimmed down because of his family history? Everyone has a story, everyone has faced a form of discrimination in their lifetime, I know I have by White Americans, Latin Americans, Foreigners, Black Americans, and by people in general because of where I have come from, my views on life, and even my sexuality. How is my blackness not enough? How am I not enough? Stop discriminating against each other and actually encourage one another. If you see a black person male, female, or transgendered and they articulate when they speak they are not talking white they are speaking proper English and there is nothing wrong with that. If a black person prefers country music over rap they are still black and should not be ridiculed by other black people on embracing white culture. If there is a mixed kid that identifies as black but they have a lighter pigmentation and blue eyes, with a blonde afro they are still black. Being Black comes in different shades and different backgrounds nobody has the right to take away anyone’s heritage due to the fact that they don’t fit a certain stereotype to that race and I think it’s time for the discrimination to end. Can we truly all be united?