In the last few weeks I have focused more of my attention away from Facebook debate groups and more attention on Twitter, a strange place of free willing facade’s and incognito accounts. I have had the pleasure of interacting with a number of African American influencers and found those of the conservative side of the ideological spectrum attain the same type of cultish following that you see with Trumpism so long as the narrative fits.
One of these individuals (a male) for whom I encountered did answer some of the very honest questions I had for him like: “what negative interactions with law enforcement have you had growing up that would give you the ability to relate and console a grieving black mother who lost her only child to police or authoritarian brutality?” He had no answer. I asked him about his activism in the black community…he had no answer. I asked him about dealing with racism as a black man and yet again no true or tangible interactions that would give him knowledge on the topic and yet again no examples or interactions.
He then questioned me and I told him a little history about my self growing up a youth as a white minority in the early 90’s during the Rodney King riots, experience racism towards myself and having to survive by fitting in anyway I could with any group I could, be it the Black, Pinoys, Hispanics and even Samoans. Once my parents had enough money we moved to a neighborhood that was predominantly white and upscale.
Still somehow as a high schooler as a white teen who had moved to a nice neighborhood who was out of control, I experienced favoritism from law enforcement that should have gotten me arrested a number of times for possession, influences driving or speeding yet every time I got off with warnings….sometimes even being allowed to keep what ever illegal substances I may have had on me, “he’s just a kid” was always the answer and off they went while I sat puzzled and confused from the interactions and thought it was normal, it is not.
I also told him about my African American cousin who was gunned down at a pool party in an upscale neighborhood by a white man, my work as a youth pastor and my extremely culturally diverse family……but The real kicker was the admission of attending a very small BLM gathering near my home. Next thing I know every negative political talking point is slung my way about the Black Lives Mater movement as to him they are “marxist doing the bidding of the Democratic Party.”
Wow…I had to put the breaks on and explain to him my “boots on the ground” questioning of him and to him as a young African American black male growing up in this country for which he has pledged allegiance to but has not done the same can’t feel good, and to hold a position that conflicts with the daily narrative of aggressive law enforcement and being a minority isn’t possible is it?
Historically the bloody catalog and resume of this countries treatment of those in his community has not gone well nor been kind since it’s inception some 400 years ago and the ratification of the 14th amendment in the constitution meant little to nothing until the Voting Rights Act/Civil Rights Act of 1963/1964.
Don’t get me wrong he was an intelligent and articulate young black man and he’s free to express himself as he pleases but once I exposed the under belly of his supposed activism and positions it became clear he had little tangible knowledge as to how actual activism leads to change and unfortunately his positions where counter to that of the black communities he felt he could help.
I will state clearly, the black community does not need more Candice Owens and the minute you are identified on social media as being black and pro-Trump you are immediately anointed a golden cow, given a pedestal and a megaphone and are worshiped with unquestioning devotion by the pro-Trump crowds. It’s difficult to imagine this type of unquestioning devotion would not make one drunk from that positive attention from the same crowds that claim “all loves matter” (in name only) and it is this powerfully concocted cancerous elixir that does negativity to the black community and it’s attempts for social justice when those who see no problem point to these Trojan Horses of the black community and say “see! She/he is black and agrees with Trump! Black Lives Matter are thugs who hurt the black community!”
Apparently he/she who is a proponent of Trump and black is both the cow and the horse.
Politics, Political Pugnation and Toilet Paper 