Today11/2/07 is being presented as a day for African Americans to refrain from spending money in America. This is a protest against the treatment of the Jena 6 and the proliferation of statement nooses that are appearing in greater numbers throughout America(kkka). I'm always down with collective mass action against the powers that be. Attending The million Man March was one of the highlights of my life. Although I'm no fan of Farrakhan I was on that from the very first moment that I heard of it. When I was informed of the " wear black for solidarity with the Jena " day last month, I did it however with a divided soul. On one hand , I completely loved the visual idea of Black Folks showing a united front to the rest of the nation. On the other hand , it just felt like empty symbolism. My daily hustle requires me to be in many places throughout N.Y.C. I looked around at all of the folks wearing black. Of course I tried to figure out who had intentional Black on. Unlike the "What's up Brotha? " greetings all day at the million man march, even people wearing the color seemed to be in their own worlds. There seemed to be a bit of the absence of the knowing head nods, the conspiratol glances , or the proud and defiant statements in the air. Statements like "I wish that one of these(fill in the blanks) would mess with me and my Black people today!"
I know that on some levels, that my disappointment lies in my slightly naive Utopian ideas of a unified Black nation within this nation. I know that the definitions as to whom is even a African American vary a lot from the one drop of Black blood makes you a part of us whether you want it to or not. I know that one point of view limits you as a human being. I know that we all should get along. I don't believe that some mystical Africa exists that we need to get back to so that we can be happy. I don't believe that every loc headed person is conscious. I don't believe that every permed, pressed, or weaved person is a self hater or race traitor.
The one thing that I do know is that this nation is far from color blind. The nooses are happening. Imus will be back on the air soon. The prisons are still full of Black men. Black women are receiving H.I.V at ridiculous rates. Many of our youth are not making it through the school systems. The list goes on and on.
Here is a list of some more things that I feel that we should wear Black for:
1 : A Nigger, Nigga, Niggaz , free day. Lets wear Black and refuse to say it for 24 hours. Maybe we can loosen it's grip some.
2: A Million White Men march on Washington to atone for their sins against People of Color.
3: Turn off our televisions and read a book day. I know that people tried to do it for a week last year, but the drug was too strong.
4 : A truce in the Sistah/Brotha battle. On this day we would restrain from making statements like" You know what's wrong with these Black women( substitute the word woman)? You know what's wrong with Black men( substitute the word men)?
5 No unsafe sex today.
6 . You fill in the rest. What would you wear Black for?
