this has been in my spirit for awhile. obedience is better than sacrifice, so let me get to it.
the truth is so simple, yet we seem determined to make it difficult.
we must change the way we see things. no one can or will do it for us. it is in our best interest, only, to do the work.
an undisputable truth is that self respecting people respect their ancestors. in all of our "diversity" and feverish attempts to place our black selves in other communities have we not noticed that other groups-the jews, armenians, hispanics, asians etc. not only honor their ancestors; they do not forget the suffering of their ancestors, nor will they allow anyone else to forget the blood equity of their ancestors. in fact, they build monuments, institutions named in honor of ____, and museums so that their children will know the truth of their histories. these courses in history take place well before college for their masses.
as we spend time together, you may hear this often---"mother said..." my mother taught me a lot, influenced me greatly and i will share my mother’s wit with all that has an ear to hear. i have been given much, as such i understand that it is the divine expectation and my responsibility to share my blessings. i have decided that i will not disappoint my divine purpose and destiny. i urge everyone to make that same commitment. it is win/win because when shared the blessing is that much sweeter and you get closer to truth, love, wisdom and greater understanding.
here it is, (i warned you:-) mother said, "fruit doesn't fall too far from the tree". that has always stuck with me. those of us that are blessed to know this truth, when meeting strangers; we seek to learn more about them by asking about and ultimately getting to know their families. families that are proud of their ancestors have their images prominently featured in their homes and will tell you in a heartbeat all about their lives and accomplishments. i speak from experience. we have every bit as much right to be proud-we survived- and equally the responsibility to our ancestors to remember and share their stories.
one would do well to understand that "fruit doesn't fall too far from the tree" applies to our historical and present enemies as well. it is not wise to forget. it is lethal to not know. just as you look and act just like your grandma, they do, too. (ever had an elder tell you that about a relative that passed before you arrived and how you look and act “just like” them?) your enemies’ “fruit” has been filled with "traditions" and will fight hard to protect them. only we are chastised, ridiculed, and shamed into the notion that we should forget our history. reject it! nothing about this country suggests that anyone else has forgotten their history. this country celebrates the past routinely. Douglass was onto something, "power concedes nothing".
sisters, we are descendants of a people that refused to accept defeat. we refused to die. we are the descendants of the original women on this earth. we are the mothers of humanity. in us is the presence of all colors of the human family. black is the presence of all colors-not the absence, even in people. we must learn, know and return to our original selves.
our hair, like non other on the planet, is a testament to our power and resilient spirit. we must teach ourselves-no one else is going to or can- to love, accept, and respect ourselves. starting with our hair...everything else will be a breeze in comparison my sisters. we will have the power to change the world when we do this. sisters, time is of the essence…
...our strength, power, and resilience has been perverted and turned against us. yes, we are adept at standing on our own two feet. yes, in the face of no historical options, we have worn more hats than any one woman should. however, there is no shame in our resilient, warrior spirits...there is only shame in continuing to accept in ignorance the perversion of our truth. we have the power and the divine responsibility to ensure our preservation; it is in fact the first law of nature. we must accept this truth and live freely.
…it is not "God's will" that we should continue to wear and bear all of the responsibility of the black collective ladies. stop repeating the lies that you “don’t need a man”, that you can “do it all by yourself”, that you are “happily overweight”. it is okay to lose weight for your appearance. respectable people care about not only their appearance, but the appearance of their children, their work, their possessions, and their community. save yourself. know and accept the truth and it will indeed make you free. bondage, of any kind, will not even be a viable option once you have tasted divine freedom.
the truth is---our divine Godly crowns are of feminine, glorious, nurturing, powerful womanhood. it is by divine purpose that women and men of all hues were created. black women were never meant to be without our men, their love, their protection, their provision, their partnership in procreation and parenting. it was/is devilish perversion that rendered the violently enforced lack of all of these blessings.
sisters, claim your birthright. now. don't ask permission. you don't need the permission of another human being. in all truth, they lack the authority to grant you permission. you don’t need an operator to talk to God, either. anyone that tells you that you do is a lethargic devil. powerfully rebuke them. boldly claim your blessings. free yourself and then help free others that look like you. when you are ready for a break, i strongly urge you to take it. be afraid and do it anyways. we were never meant to survive this life. this is how i live my life and it works. wisdom cautions and highlights the fact that no one is going to give us a break, if we are to have one we will need to take it. powerfully.
brothers, there was a time when there was no sexist-let's treat her as less because she is a woman-nonsense. historically, our womanhood as african women has been our strength. when our natural state was interrupted, our womanhood was used against us and to further disrespect you. when it is time for white supremacy, racism and maltreatment; no one noticed we were women before and they don't now. lynching references apply to both black women and men. your genitals were mutilated and kept as keepsakes. ours were as well, in addition to being used as a special form of torture a.k.a. rape. you MUST do a better job of honoring our history and us. we are still being tortured---by you for the most part now.
from Yaa Asantewa to Laura Nelson, we have-like our hair-fought resiliently against suppression and oppression- to protect our children; as well as support and encourage our men victoriously forward.
we descendants of Rubin Stacey and Laura Nelson (our ancestors pictured above---may they rest in peace, they were both found to be not guilty after their murders) still have more in common than not. we must get back to focusing on our shared bonds, common interests (the survival and uplift of black people) and our shared history. we must love, accept, respect and work with one another. our very survival depends on it.
do we care...to remember the time... when sexism did not divide us? do we care to return to a healthier way of relating to one another? does it matter that our lives, and those of our children and community are at stake?
why, my brothers are you now so distracted with the ability to exercise your "male privilege" to disrespect, dominate, degrade, and destroy your women and children? can you not see that is no "privilege"? how have you missed the fact that the behavior of the worst of you now disgraces the collective you? feverishly dating and marrying low class, white men reject white women, despite your successes render you... a joke... to... everyone. i am sure the practice shames your ancestors that suffered so much as a direct result of deceptive white women and vicious, brutal, threatened white men. they must weep to see you rush to embody the stereotype.
why not use your melanin and genetic dominance to put a stop to the genetically recessive melanin deficient world-wide rampage? then enjoy your freedom from oppression, dependency, imprisonment, persecution, domination, and control? that would seem a more worthwhile honorable “privilege”. take it if you want it. be afraid and do it anyways, we were never meant to survive this life.
as black women work to free ourselves from mental slavery, black men-you must do the same. we are unwilling and unable to join forces with you until you do what you should be doing. at least, not the quality women that you would want to stand with you; we require respect and honorable, respectful treatment at all times. we refuse to settle for less. call it difficult or whatever you like. in your right mind, you would call it the blessing that it is. higher standards cause those that meet them to…rise.
consider this if you will---where there was compassion and understanding yesteryear, when through physical enslavement and brutality you were not able to protect your women and children; there will be none today. because black men, today, you of your own volition refuse in large numbers to protect your women and children. only you can reinstate the shame among men that has historically accompanied such shameful unmanly behavior.
you won’t see this on the news, however, the truth of the matter is black women are not equipped to teach your sons how to be men. we are women. we will no longer own responsibility that is not ours. your daughters need you, too. how else will they know the authentic love of a man? discern love from disrespect? sort the trickery and lies? have the protection inherent with the powerful presence of a father that doesn't "play"? black women need your assistance and partnership. you must step into your God given roles of enforcers of law and order. self respect mandates this course of action. wayward, criminal, dishonorable men should feel immediate reprisals when they violently and viciously attack your sisters, daughters, mothers and sons.
furthermore, men that have a place at the table of men would not tolerate such disrespect in their communities. not for a moment. those that hope to secure scraps from the table of men will accept pretty much anything they can get. be reminded that your behavior indicates who you are. your words are an indication of who you dream someday to be.
sisters and brothers, do we care to remember when we were queens and kings? when we were free women and men? when we loved, supported and worked with one another? do we care…to remember or return to the time?
SELF LOVE~SELF ACCEPTANCE~SELF RESPECT
7 comments:
Once upon a time we felt that we needed each other. Once upon a time when we felt we were being denied the right to live, work, attend a college of our choice,or vote, so we came together and worked together and lived together and car pooled together to accomplish those mutual goals and desires. Once upon a time we heard phrases like "stand up blackman, because the man can't ride your back unless it is bent." Once upon a time we heard phrases like "up you mighty race and accomplish what you will." Once upon a time we heard phrases like "by any means necessary" Once upon a time we heard the voices of Malcom,Martin,Medger,Huey,Eldridge,Bobby,H.RapBrown,Stokely and we were moved by the message and the call to action. Then along came "Inte" and the white mans ice just seemed colder. "Inte-gration" the worst thing that came along for Black folk. We no longer had to ride at the back of the bus. We could sit down and eat next to white folks. We could move into white folks neighborhoods, attend white folks colleges and universitys, wear white folks designer clothes. And then, and then, and then, the Black mans "Kryptonite" became available to him. The "white woman"!!! Now we could have a "white woman" a house in the suburbs next door to the white man and not worry about being lynched. "HEAVEN" Now we can rap about the Black-B,that nappy headed-Hoe,she can suck my "D" and I can "F" her in her "A" and her mouth too,and I can abandon my children and make rap songs about it and I can can wear my pants down below my "A" and tell the world to kiss my "A" and get paid, because it's all about the "BENJAMINS"!!!!! Yes my sisters we have lost our way. Yehsua/Jesus told Simon/Peter "Satan has asked for you, and he wants to sift you like wheat." Well, we have been sifted! And we will continue to be sifted until we turn back to GOD. It's that simple. We must turn the hearts of the FATHERS to the children, but that won't happen until the FATHERS turn their hearts back to GOD. I Love and Respect you. Shalom/Peace
hi there t.i.c.
welcome back. thank you kindly for sharing your thoughts.
i must say that you clearly get what is wrong with us.
i am a woman of faith and i believe that we can get ourselves together. i am also idealistic, optimistic and stubborn:-)
my message is born of love, acceptance, and respect. i love black people and want us to do, live and love well. in this country and around the world. i believe that we have been spread all over the African Diaspora for a divine reason and purpose.
i accept the call i feel to stand and speak, write, and act according to the truth.
i respect all humanity and accept that all humanity is at risk where there is unchallenged human suffering.
i said in my haitian tears piece that our brothers and sisters around the world seemed to be waiting for us. i had occassion tonight to speak with a young african woman that relayed the information about zimbabwe and the obstacles they face there to their freedom and another one telling of the turn back to apartheid in south africa. she indicated that they needed the help of black americans. this confirmation in our first conversation ever.
we must save ourselves and help others. immediately it is the task for those of us that get it.
blessings to you. i look forward to your next visit.
focusedpurpose
hi t.i.c.-
something just hit me like a ton of bricks...
...look at the voices you listed that black men once heard. what do you notice?
All of their voices have been silenced either through death ( Malcom, Martin, Medger, Huey,) inprisonment ( H.Rap Brown/Jamil Abdullah Al Amin ), Bobby Seale is working with a youth organization so hopefully he'll mentor them in politics and history of Black people.
hi my new friend t.i.c.-
yes. it is as you noticed. these revolutionaries have all been silenced or neutralized. i agree.
my friend, may i ask you to consider this...
...with the exception of Minister Farrakhan, the other prominent black men have demonstrated great cowardice and a sickening willingness to switch sides like obedient little monkeys for peanuts and unlimited access to reject white, hispanic, and asian women.
in the face of this embaressing spectacle, black women have raised their voices to sound the alarm. from politicians to college students. it has been sexism and misogyny that has prevented black men from hearing us. and the absolute refusal to abandon the self-destructive practices.
additionally, if you look at the backgrounds of some of the men that you mentioned you will find the same unnatural love of white and white-like women that you see now. the same willingness to disrespect and humiliate their black women was there. there just was not the unlimited access to white women that is present today. if interracial marriages had been permissible i can say with certainty at least one of these great men would have had one.
for the record, i don't think that eldridge cleaver was a great man. when one practices their raping skills on poor black women so they can rape white women well---he is an enemy. when he reaches a place of consciousness and can only bring himself to apologize to WHITE america, he is not worthy of my forgiveness. mentioning his name in an esteemed fashion greatly offends me as a conscious black woman. he behaved like a black klansman in relation to black women and should be remembered that way.
though i believe firmly in the principles laid out in "black power" by stokely carmichael, i think his asertion of the black woman's place in the struggle pretty much sums up the problem that we see now. when asked about the black woman's place in the struggle, he indicated "on her back". add financial incentives to this sentiment, a strong media campaign to turn black men and women away from one another and you've got the formula for what we see now. a very effective internal destruction of the black community. in addition to the external destructive forces. how's that for black de-population? de-racialization will usher in a whole new twist. it is on the way---fast.
the black man and black woman in unity and harmony provide---balance. there has been no balance for quite the while. i am committed to seeing that change.
i challenge all brothers to DO their part to see it change as well. NO ONE WILL RESPECT THE BLACK MAN UNTIL HE RESPECTS HIMSELF. he cannot profess to repsect himself while consistently disrespecting or quietly allowing his image black woman to be disrespected. nor can he expect for us to continue to sacrifice ourselves in an effort to be loyal in the face of this type of malicious treason. it is really just that simple.
in closing let me say this as well. i am a wife and mother. i speak from an informed place. i have joked with friends that i am convinced that the only one more selfish than a child is a man. the degree of selfishness seems to increase exponentially where there is great melanin. who has more melanin than the black man? no one. as such, when black men collectively struggle for inclusion in the human family, they really are ONLY struggling for themselves. they are not fighting for their women and children. again, there will be no respect until the ones that get it make the others to get it. Rev. Delman Coates gets it. we must go to work where we are.
consider as well that when black women in disgust and refusal to continue to absorb the disrespect and turn away from black men...
...it's coming. we are safer around others at this point. white women can walk through our neighborhoods with greater comfort and ease than we can. if the electricity failed and all the jails flew open; i think black women would be the most afraid. and rightfully so. time is of the essence my friend. we have the power to turn this around. God helps those that help themselves. faith without works is dead.
blessings to you my friend. i love and respect you as well.
focusedpurpose
Thank you for speaking this truth to the black man. Black women for far too long have been silent in our struggle to uphold a race that has been abandoned by those who were supposed to protect and provide for us. The bible says that a man who does not provide for his family is worse than an infidel and has denied the faith.
Many of the ills that we suffer as black people can be traced back to the black male's abandonment of the black family and the black community as a whole in their head long drive to obtain and achieve for themselves. Black men who will complain about having to pay more in child support as their children grow older, but who will gladly and willingly pay hundred of dollars for expensive clothes, car and accessories for those cars. Men who will not defend their own children when they get into trouble for fear of getting into trouble themselves - they don't want the hassle. This is the type of spineless creature we are dealing with. There are some strong, loving black men left out there - the bible says that God always leaves for Himself a remnant. As for the rest, we must abandon and jettison them if we are to survive as a people.
Again, thanks for speaking truth to this problem.
hi Anonymous-
welcome. thanks for stopping by.
my friend, i feel compelled to tell the truth and shame the devil. i do it from a place of love. love of self, love of our community, and love of our potential and return to our God given places among women and men.
we all have the responsibility to tell the truth. it is not popular, but then life is not a popularity contest.
the reality as i see it; is that we are all either a part of the solution or part of the problem. (momma said:-) we must all go to work where we are. time is of the essence.
i hope you come again soon. you are always welcome.
blessings!
focusedpurpose
Post a Comment