GHETTO, NIGGA, HOOD are all words I've struggled to get away from; the properness of my speech, the articulation of my tongue and even the erectness of my stance have served me well in my efforts, yet I am BLACK, still, apart...adjoined by divine order to that which I've attempted to seperate.
I am BLACK, and I love every minute of it. My walk is paced to prove the strength of character etched in my soul by my ancestors...I aim to refute every sterotype, every negative thoughts embedded in the minds of others, but what am I to do about those around me...those working against me...those BLACKS AGAINST BLACK!!!
When their public displays of foolishness amidst the eyes of those "others" whip at my flesh and leave crimson shades of humiliation...what do I do? Fear has tied my tongue as I found myself lacking the courage to speak up and right the wrongs against my people even by my people; Blacks vs Niggas:
"The problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color line."
WEB DuBois
“The problem of the twenty-first century is the problem of the nigga line. Black people must draw that line.”
Butch Slaughter
While riding home on the bus yesterday a bunch of teenage boys were cuttin up BIG TIME. I just couldn't stand the extra loud display of ignorance so I put my headphones on. The bus was super-crowded with ALL sorts of 'others' but those boys didn't seem to care. An older man got on and couldn't believe his ears; he somewhat discretely told them to be quiet...that just made thing worse...they laughed louder and made comments. I'd been turning around from time to time, but never said anything UNTIL I reminded myself of the crap I spilled on you guys in the first paragraph; I overcame the fear of being lashed out at. I allowed W.E.B.D, Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass and any other black Super Power who aligned themselves with the idological truthes of their thoughts...to untie my tongue.
I made eye contact with the apparent leader and spit in his face, not literally of course (LOL, nic that lil joke was for you...gotta do ONE), but guess what...he LISTENED and very attentively...then a chain reaction occured as the other 4 got quiet; I don't know if they heard me, or just wondered what was up, but they changed their behaviors, at lease for the remainder of my bus ride.
I wonder what would happen if our tongues were untied and we spoke to our people about their wrongs and the effect it's having on ALL of us...I wonder (fading into the visual)!
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Tongue Untied!!!
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29 comments:
Sooooooooo many times I'm in this situation and I too turn my music up louder.
I definitely commend you for speaking to them. I'm curious to know what you said...not just because I'm nosey...but because I know pretty soon I'll be the one doing the same damn thing and I could use a guide.
Blacks vs. Niggas...always an interesting topic
get it girl! i would've rolled my eyes and sucked my teeth the whole time.
hmmmmmm...I am listening to you. Excellent post topic. Good deal, son.
op.d: YES, girl...it guess I've just grown tired of being MAD about it...you know. I'd have SURELY layed out everything I said, but I didn't want to put you guys to sleep...LOL. Basically, I just told him...
"As black people, we're always being watched...you should be a possitive example...there is so much negativity associated with us ALREADY, don't add to that. You've got all these people on hearing what you're saying...so say something good...if you're going to put on a show...make it possitive" (that's pretty much what I said)
jameil: LOL... oh, best believe I was doing that too, but I'm SO glad God forced me to speak up, because the reward was how much he seemed to listen and how respectful he was...then for his homies to do the SAME...NOTHING BUT POWER!!
dc: lol...thanks dude.
its great that you acknowledged your assignment and let God use you to be a vessel to those young men. Continue to let your light shine and give God all the glory.
You passed this test, welcome to your new level. Remember: new level, new devil. Stay prayed up.
You are on fire with these posts Ms. Lady!! ;-D
It's great to hear that you took a stand!! I wish more people would find it in themselves to do the same (myself included of course)!!
You GO girl!!!
I like that you said something. Back in the day we use to police each other. If you were caught acting a fool down the street from your mom's house and one of her friends saw you they would cut you up, call your mom and you would get it again when you get home. Now people have lost that sense of it takes a village.
Sometimes you just gotta speak up..you'd be surprised. I'm gonna have to do that more often
I agree 100%. There are times when we must speak up, and let our people know when they are doing wrong. You are definitely on point with this post.
A great book that includes a discussion on how and why black people should police ourselves is Powernomics: The National Plan to Empower Black America. It's a great read, very daring, and details a plan that our people may use in order to save ourselves. The plan, while very well thought out and sound, will never work, of course, 'cause we're far too selfish, but dang, he sure sets it out! The strategy of black people squashing “niggerish” behavior is a major part of the plan. I try to think Powernomically in most of my endeavors nowadays, even.
Good work steppin' up, JMW. There seems to be a lot of this going around lately. I've heard quite a few stories (and been in the center of at least 5 such cases in the past 6 months--mainly 'cause I'm around young black athletes so much). Sometimes it just feels hopeless. In my day (and no cracks about my age, thank you very much), we wouldn’t dream of cursing or getting’ obnoxiously loud around grown folk. These knuckleheads today, on the other hand, have mistaken us as their peers!
Be strong, my sista’, and hit the gym just in case you have to knife-hand one of them lil' bastids in the throat ('scuse me, Lawd).
ok.
I see we gone have to talk. You are definitely on. Keep doing what you do.
smh@Anonymous Nupe...Knife hand??? in the throat???
lol...yeah you need the lawd to excuse you for that one!
Sometimes you gotta step up and step out. Too often, we sit and think "somebody ought to do something about this," never realizing the someone is us.
Dang...did I just call you "Ghetto" this morning?
My bad.
I Love it...Good Job.
You've been tagged girl! Just a couple of pictures ;) Let us see your world!
I'm glad you said something. More of us, myself included, need to "untie our tongues". I find myself in that situation all too often, and worry more about the reaction than I should.
Thats GREAT that you took a stand, because knowing myself, I wouldn't have ANY problem lashing out!! =)
-Let em know!!
THANK YOU FOR STOPPING BY!
O-Diva, yes, knife-hand. 'Cause they will buck! You gotta be prepared for the worse. In my situations, it was the GIRL who gave me static, not any of the guys. When worse comes to worse, my health and safety come first!
I like this...and bc i have rode public transportation, more times than i could count, i have also been privy to the ignorance of our young...many times, no most times i shut myself off, try to ignore, not get involved, but then again there have been times that i had to speak, and loud, so that they could hear me and know...I ain't playing...it was at these times that others joined in and the young listened. I just wish i and others had more times like these than the times we remain quiet. It's time we reclaim our youth, our young, our children from the ignorance of learned ways....it's not easy, but it is necessary. Great post!
Have you noticed...? we're actually in a fight. A real fight.
Butch Slaughter
I applaud you on how you handled the situation...I ask myself "would I take a stand or stay silent" and the answer is ...I truly don't know. But,I do respect you for what you said to those ...uh..*idiots* I think it made them think,for a few minutes at least.:)
sheletha: YES... girl, we've to do what the Lord calls us to do...or we'll spend our lives running scared, like Jonah (see the book of Jonah)
ms.b: LOL... I know girl...and I know these post may have been boring at some point, but I had to get it all out as it happened...LOL. THANK YOU LADY.
miz jj: YES... and that's what I'm talking about...that 'back in the day' stuff...that's what we've got to get back to.
honey: YEAH... and surprised I was.We can't count our young people out if we've not done our part.
anointed: YES... thank you...we've got some SERIOUS work to do.
nupe: THANKS, I'll have to check that book out for sure...and LOL... you are an idiot "scuse me Lawd"...HAHAHA! um, um, um..(no age joke either)
deep: YES GIRL, but we've been saying that ALL week... lol.. we've got to get at it!
op.d: LOL.. girl isn't he too silly.
soj: YES, we've REALLY got to get on the ball, and YES you DID call me ghetto...LOL. um, um, um.
fergie: well I thank you very much.
ingrid: NOOOOOO, lol...girl you done set me up. LOL. OK, OK, I'll do it, but I've got to round up all the pics so I won't post til monday. You're gonna pay for this...lol.
tasha: YES...girl, it's a journey...a lesson and we're learning as we go, but I guess the seed has been planted now, so each time will get harder to ignore.
lil ms: LOL. but you know the biggest problem with things like this is, most adults don't approach the young people respectfully...they come with authority, but belittle them...and that's when they REALLY lash out.
nupe: LOL...YOU'D BETTA STOP IT...
miz: YES...I like that chain reaction too...when the other adults start saying something and sticking together.
butch: FIRST, what an honor to have you not only READ my post, but to make your presense known...THANK YOU! I've used your name so many times you've probably heard me calling...LOL, but you are surely correct...WE ARE IN A FIGHT and we've GOT to win.
malieta: LOL... thank you lady, the children learn by example...and unfortunately most of them have been raised by 'idiots' and the apple don't fall too far from the tree.
It’s very apparent the phrase “Good Parenting” is depleting quickly. Children definitely want structure and guidance but these so called parents (especially fathers) out there are not supplying it. This is why that young man chose to listen to you and the others followed suite. So many young men of this day and age have TV and the streets to consult when it comes to learning respect or the lack of. I guarantee you that young man will remember the word you gave him for a long time to come. He heard something different yet interesting from a disparate perspective.
I put your post up on the Assault. Hope you don't mind.
http://assaultonblacksanity.blogspot.com/2007/06/
image-of-god-in-our-
childrens-eyes.html
Good for you! I was THIS close today to telling a boy to pull up his damn pants...but there were no witnesses around for if something were to go down. These young folk is crazy!
michael: I DON'T MIND AT ALL...I just went to your page...and HEAVEN! Thank you for the visit and the link...and I'll SURELY be doing the same.
s.w.s.: lol... yes, it's a shame...thanks so much for the visit lady.
Cool. And thanks my sister. Keep on your great work
m.f.: when I read your above comment...I really wasn't paying attention...I thought you'd only added me to your blogroll, but I had idea about the post and your wonderful addition to it, so I thank you here as well as there. You keep up your good work as well.
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