"Hating people because of their skin color is wrong and it doesn’t matter which color does the hating. It’s just plain wrong." – Muhammad Ali.
Are we so focused on ending and calling out racism that we confuse our allies from our enemies?
I had a friend message me the other day and she was so upset. She said ‘sis please come and help me, I am being bullied for being white’. Immediately, I was a little shocked, like what in the world is going on? She said she was in some Facebook comments about a Black Lives Matter protester standing up to Hillary Clinton. And, because she said something, they are bullying her and picking on her because she is “white and should not be in the conversation talking to black people”. I told her to tag me into the conversation; I had to see how this conversation ended up like this and see if I can come to the aid of a friend.
Once she tagged me into the conversation I saw something that boiled my blood so much my skin was on fire. There was a guy in there talking about how we need to fix our black communities because there are some things, some ways of thinking, that need to be addressed and fixed. Man, you would’ve thought he said something reprehensible about Dr. King or something because they were all over this brother. So much so they ignored the fact that he also mentioned that he volunteers and helps to mentor youth in the inner city. They missed it. And my poor friend, she walked right into a trap because she, like most people would, understood what that brother was talking about and publicly agreed with what he said.
Why did she do something as sensible as that? Man, they pounced on her like some vultures on freshly dead meat. My sweet unsuspecting friend had no idea she just walked right into a hornets’ nest.
Before long they were telling her to shut up, this is a conversation she is not welcomed in. Things like, “leave white girl no one asked you”, and “do not address me or my people white girl” were instantly hurled at her. Bless her heart, she tried to stick up for herself and replied, “this is a free country, I can speak anywhere, this is not a private post it is open to the public”. This only incensed them more.
Now when I read all of this I immediately recognized it for the foolishness that it was. I mean social media is a great platform for discussion and enlightenment. However, it is also a tool to spread ignorance and hate at the fastest rate in history. Everything about this comment section stank of ignorance and stupidity. Nonetheless, she is a friend, a friend that I have known for decades so when she asked for help I obliged.
I went right for the most aggressive, ignorant person there. I told her simply, “you are so caught up in the color of her skin that you missed the fact that she is in support of you, your community, and some of the same things that you stand for and our community needs. How can you ostracize someone who is fighting for you and the end of racism against your people when she actually does not have to care? Racism is for the benefit of her, yet she cares, she fights, she wants to see change and equality for all. How is it that you are filled with so much hatred you cannot see the difference between an ally and an enemy in this war”?
Her response, she called me a coon. Now for those who do not know what a coon is, that is a black person who helps to keep white supremacy racism existing and thriving. Think Samuel L. Jackson in Django. It was funny; I have lived a long time but to be called a coon, wow…. It was actually laughable, I think I literally laughed.
The truth is I’ve been an advocate for fighting racism and helping to build up my community all my life. It is my passion, always has been. However, I will never sit on a Facebook comment section and attempt to go toe to toe with clapback after clapback with some ignorant fool. Not my thing. The Bible says never cast your pearls before swine. In other words, don’t cast your wisdom on a fool. Even Jay-z said “a wise man once told me don’t argue with fools because people from a distance can’t tell who is who”. So I said my peace and stepped away because making sense was not something that was going to go over well in that comment section.
What did trouble me was the blatant hate and ignorance. You can’t win a war or fight a fight when you’re in a blind rage, and that’s where they were. They just hate white people, all white people. The scary thing is they were young and old. I was so confused, who taught them to be this way? Yes, there were white slave owners, but there were also white people risking everything to help with the Underground Railroad. Yes, there were white KKK members with high-powered positions during the Jim Crow south era, but there were also white people marching hand in hand during the civil rights movement who gave their lives to help us reach equality. Today, there is a sickness still around called racism - we’ve seen it a lot during Obama’s tenure, however, there are also white people who are participating in Black Lives Matter campaigns, and do sit-ins and sleep in and they’re are out there in full force.
You can never judge an entire race, religion, gender, etc on the actions of a small few. You also cannot be blinded by the actions of the small few that you write off everyone, especially those who want to and try to help. It’s 2016, we have to be smarter and work harder, not against each other. As I watched Muhammad Ali’s final farewell service, I cried looking at all those different people who stood up and spoke about how much he changed and affected their lives. There were Buddhist monks, Rabbis, Christian preachers, Muslim teachers, all races….it was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. Everyone together spreading love and peace in this world. It is something we all should aspire to do, I know I will.
