No, it’s not scholarly - it’s racist.

My head is reeling from reading an article on the National Review site tweeted by Jeffrey Wright about the importance of proactive policing and the significant positive implications of gentrification. 

“A black New Yorker is 50 times more likely to commit a shooting than a white New Yorker.” Hmm…I’m slacking. https://t.co/Sj8YgxpgJi’

The overarching theme of the article is that gentrification is the reason for the crime drop in New York City and that ‘cop critics’ don’t have any justification for their outcry against police brutality because whatever the cops are doing is directly influencing the decrease in crime rates- this includes stop and frisk and other unsubstantiated practices. The whole article is an insult to anyone with a comprehensive- no with an ounce of understanding of the history of violence perpetrated by police at alarming levels against the black community. Anyone who grasps the history of this country can surmise that the relationship between the black community and police is not a spontaneous manifestation of tension- this article talks about the Black Lives Matter movement in such a cavalier naive way. This sentiment about injustice when it comes to condemning black lives has been incubating for centuries. It’s also known there is a direct correlation between crime and economic hardship. When this country understands that slavery has been and continues to be a blemish on our history and its affect are felt present-day will we ever get passed these putrid allowances of ignorance that everything is so simple (no pun intended) - black and white. 

There were a few passages in this article that really feeds into the rampant racism that the president has encouraged in this country. And that’s another thing. This presidency. It has ripped open wounds and incited crimes of hatred like no other presidency in history. There’s no way that reality can be disregarded at this point. Anyway, I digress. Here are some of the most blatantly racist passages I’ve seen on a national publication:

This demographic transformation has enormous implications for crime. A black New Yorker is 50 times more likely to commit a shooting than a white New Yorker, according to perpetrator identifications provided to the police by witnesses to, and victims of, those shootings.

(This is about the gentrification of Bed-Stuy. Barf.)

——

When the racial balance of a neighborhood changes radically, given those crime disparities, its violent-crime rate will as well. (This racial crime disparity reflects the breakdown of the black family and the high percentage of black males — upwards of 80 percent in some neighborhoods — being raised by single mothers.)

(I mean, I honestly thought she was just going to come out and say the N-word at this point. I’m not even sure what this is supposed to convey to support her argument. It’s just an empty generalization that was thrown in here to infer some nefarious ideas about black families.)

——

It is that gentrification which is now helping fuel the ongoing crime drop. Urban hipsters are flocking to areas that once were the purview of drug dealers and pimps, trailing in their wake legitimate commerce and street life, which further attracts law-abiding activity and residents in a virtuous cycle of increasing public safety. 

(It’s like she’s saying, gentrification is wonderful for crime since it means pushing POC out of neighborhoods so white people can ‘virtuously’ live their lives. I CANNOT.)

This article had my head spinning and I was at a loss at how something so blatantly biased could be published under the guise of journalism and not OPINION because that’s what this sounds like to me. The facts presented are rolled up into a self-righteous, pious assortment of conjecture and perspective. It’s beyond disrespectful/insulting and solidifies what everyone already knows- racism is alive and thriving in America.

I'm Thankful For Being Black

***Annoyingly I did not charge my laptop but luckily these little mobile innovations were created to not only keep me entertained while I wait to board, but give me the ability to update today!

It’s been a pretty heavy year what with the influx of news sources covering police brutality that has been plaguing the black community for years, the rise and growth of the Black Lives Matter movement, this new, open conversation about race that’s been popping up all over the Internet, and the general sense of frustration many have with the way the world is solving problems and how the media is portraying conflict(s). In this mess of frustration and realization I wanted to write about one thing I’m very thankful for and don’t get to say often and certainly don’t hear often enough and that is: I’m thankful I was born in this brown body and I’m happy to tell you why.

I didn’t always think about how great being black was. Due to the one-dimensional, prejudice portrayal of black people, black women in particular I used to be afraid of the way white people would perceive me without even opening my mouth. It used to give me anxiety to enter into a world full of preconceived notions and know I had no way of being seen as an individual or be given the benefit of the doubt. It made me scared to know my word against a white person’s was null and void in some situations. It made me angry that when white people mimic black culture they were seen as edgy while my own people were seen as “hood” or “ghetto.” Then I realized something. It’s something Eleanor Roosevelt said I think. Something along the lines of, the only way other people can put you down is if you let them.

There was a turning point for me in college when I gave up on allowing others to dictate who I was and let people tell me “how to be black.” Instead I embraced myself as I was, a black woman tied to history of violence and unfairness. A black woman whose ancestors fought struggled and persevered in a nation built against them. I found myself feeling proud and less angry with the way society viewed me but began pitying those that were racist or prejudice. It’s truly a mental illness to hate another human being because of the color of their skin. I used to feel like I wasn’t black enough because I was trying to define myself through society’s eyes instead of reality. My people are not afforded the luxury of individualism upon first glance, but that does not mean it doesn’t exist within our beautiful culture that has endured for years.

I’m thankful for being black because of dual consciousness and to represent a history this country is continuously trying to forget. I’m thankful to come from a people who have overcome obstacles beyond comprehension and thrived in perpetual adversity.

I’m thankful for a family that encouraged me to be who I am and accepted me without question. I’m thankful for people in my life that continue to amaze and surprise me with their open minds and hearts. I’m thankful for finding love that makes me smile from ear to ear like an idiot. I’m thankful for the way activists are clinging to causes and fighting for change that needed to happen hundreds of years ago. I’m thankful for the people who have woken up and realized slavery is still alive today in the form of institutional racism and not so subtle rhetoric in the media, but I’m also sorry.

I’m sorry for all of those men and women who were murdered by the very people who were supposed to protect and serve. I’m sorry their families won’t be able to enjoy anymore holidays with their smiling faces. I’m sorry this world has such a long way to go in terms of unity and equality. I’m sorry that this holiday of thanks is steeped in blood and subsequently so is this country’s sordid past. I’m sorry for all of the people who lost their lives due to radical fundamentalist views (IN EVERY RELIGION).

One last thing. I know race is “just a construct,” but until society recognizes this truth, it’s simply not.

Also, sorry for any typos. Not writing on a laptop is rough.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Cool It, It's A Joke

I’m back on Facebook which means I’m exposed to opinions without a filter or warning. On the most part, this is actually why I like Facebook. It’s a thankless, ceaseless exposure to thoughts rumbling around in people’s brains that they share (sometimes carelessly) online. It’s fun to see what strange and passionate things people voice their opinions about. It makes for a great read and an even better catalyst for Tumblr posts. Ha.

This brings me to the video I just saw (above) by the pseudo-news monopoly that is Buzzfeed, which I have found myself tirelessly perusing, because whatever it’s super fun albeit click bait. At least there is a section entirely dedicated to adorable baby animals and other “Cute” things. I can dig that. Who can’t dig that?!

Yeah.

Anyway, what really got me going were the comments below the video that-duh, I had to read, but got severely disappointed that instead of embracing the unavoidable discomfort that sometimes goes along with being a person of color in the workplace and laughing at it hysterically, people took offense. And not like cool offensive, where the opinions were enlightening, opening people’s eyes to different perspectives, but the other kind of offensive that doesn’t really make sense and is annoying. 

A lot of people in the comments found the video “racist towards white people,” which in and of itself is impossible, but let’s not get into that. It’s perfectly fine to have an opinion about the video, that’s why humanity is great. It’s full of a vast amount of diverse ideals that can be shared in moments thanks to the insanity that is the internet. However, it’s rough when people can’t just take a joke. 

I love talking about race because I find it fascinating and it’s because of comments left on harmless videos that touch on race that keeps me intrigued. A lot of people wrote in the comments that they were literally going to “unfriend” or “unfollow” Buzzfeed because they did not approve of this video, which makes me think of something called denial. I’m not saying any of the people who chose to dramatically unfollow this fun site are taking drastic steps to remove themselves from the race conversation but it kinda really sorta looks like it. I know, I know, it’s their prerogative to remove themselves from a threatening situation, but when it comes to racism, everybody is threatened. All I’m saying is, instead of immediately writing this offensiveness off, maybe try to understand why you’re so offended in the first place?

It’s scary to delve into yourself and find something you thought was impossible to ever develop in your mind- prejudice, a strange, impalpable love for Diner Drive-Ins and Dives. It’s nothing to be ashamed of, it’s something to take an effort to work through. I guess I could understand if I didn’t know whether or not I was being prejudice and then seeing that video and being like, “Holy crap, I’ve said that,” I would be super freaked out and unfollow Buzzfeed, too. 

Now I’m rambling. Anyway, all I want to say is that I thought the video was funny and I was surprised so many people took offense to it…. then I wasn’t surprised at all and really hope one day an open dialogue can happen. We’re all people, people. Geebus, why is that such a hard concept?