Racism never takes a day off

Makes me wanna holler

The struggle is real. I have failed the challenge of weekly blogging. Not my first failure, certainly won’t be my last. Not one for making excuses, I can only apologize to you, my reader, for the lack of consistency and my promise to endeavor to do better. I enjoy doing this and feel privileged to have this opportunity and platform. I don’t take that for granted. To those who have reached out, thank you so much and physically I’m fine, just struggling a bit with my mental health.

The first Black Woman Supreme Court Justice

The Honorable Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson (pictured above) has been nominated by President Joseph Biden to become the first Black woman to sit on the highest court in the nation, an historic first. Earning her BA and JD from Harvard University, this Washington DC native currently sits on the DC federal appellate court and was confirmed by this same congress just 10 months ago with bi-partisan approval. Thus, her confirmation should be a foregone conclusion, shouldn’t it?

The Facts

In this country’s history, there have been 115 Justices to the Supreme Court. 108 have been white men. As a result, only 6% have been people of color, women, or both. Senator Ted Cruz from Texas, criticized the nomination of Justice Jackson, by saying it’s “offensive” and “insulting.” Ted Cruz criticizes Jackson nomination. Many Republican senators and congressmen and women have expressed their displeasure setting up a contentious confirmation process. Standing on the shoulders of Thurgood Marshall, and Sandra Day O’Connor, it is hoped the Senate Judiciary committee will confirm her by mid-April.

The World is in an uproar

The images coming out of the Russian invasion on Ukraine are other worldly. The stories horrifying. I’ve long preached that social media is a tool of the enemy, but, lately, I’ve changed my tune. There are more than 15,000 students from African nations currently studying in Ukraine. Engineering, medicine and technology students. Forced to flee with nothing but the clothes on their backs, in sub zero temperatures and not being allowed to travel on the trains headed to nearby Poland. Some being forcibly removed at gun point and told to walk, as only Ukrainians are allowed to travel. 

Anti-blackness is global

It’s exhausting being black outside of your home. There have been reports of some students dying in the cold trying to make their way to the border. The power of social media has allowed the world to see these things in real time. It’s been incredible to watch private citizens spring into action from all over the world to help. Coordinating buses, sending money and goods with contact numbers of humanitarian groups in nearby Moldova and Romania. The story behind the story is white people are killing their own, but still have time to be racist against the different. 

Why is humanity transactional?

I’ve written about growing up black in southern California, The N Word. I’ve also written about traveling while black, Black in Tokyo. As an actor in the 90s, I always traveled first class. I can remember traveling to a location and watching the flight attendant take everyone’s order in first class, but mine. When meal time came, the flight attendant tried to tell me that they didn’t see me and was sorry that my meal choice was no longer available. When I asked for the name of the supervisor, I was then showered with multiple meals and unlimited alcohol. Exhausting.

The GOP loves Russia. I wonder why?

Eastern Europe has long been resistant to diversity. Russia flat out rejects it. When I constantly heard the term “Make America great again”, by the previous administration, it made me angry. The previous President, still head of the GOP, touts this term to fire up white people who long for the day when blacks were considered only 2/3rds human. They praise Vladimir Putin as a strongman who controls his country. Even the evangelicals love Putin. The white evangelicals I mean. Evangelicals love for Putin. Is it any wonder? Why do they see Russia as an ideal? Hmmm.

History has its eyes on this moment

Geographically challenged

As a tour guide for foreign exchange students studying in America for 15 years, I was astonished how much smarter the foreign kids were compared to the Americans. They would ask the German students if their parents knew Hitler. The Swedish students if they lived in igloos. I could go on and on. It was pathetic. The majority of the foreign students had better grades in their English classes than their American colleagues. Certainly didn’t bring much hope for the future. Education not being highly valued in this country over likes, subscribers and views.  Living in one’s own bubble, insulated from facts and truth. Remember the old saying “The truth hurts”? Never more true than today. 

Conclusion

“Stay in the world and don’t die.” That prophetic saying uttered by my great grandfather, Papa Clabe, was difficult to understand for an 8 year old boy. I get it now. If you think you know something or have seen something. Been through something. Stay in the world and don’t die and you’ll see enough to know that you don’t really know. Does that make sense? I wonder what they’ll say when the historians and scholars write about this period. As little as we pay attention to the Earth, will they even be here to write about it? I still believe in humanity. I have to. I wouldn’t be here otherwise. Love does conquer hate and knowledge is power.  Sounds cliche’ but its true. I’m sure of it. Are you?