What is most important in our sojourn on Earth—racial identity or universal truth? In other words, if a people abide in an oppressed state, and members of their own group are contributing to that state, what’s most important…adherence to truth or to racial bonds?
This question seems to be more relevant every day as we navigate this increasingly topsy-turvy world. We grapple with the reality of our daily lives and are faced with making decisions that are not always in sync with the highest codes of living.
For example, the Black community has suffered greatly from the ravages of community crime, yet many people are in denial of this idea. When people discuss the high rates of crime, others readily point out that white people commit crimes too; that the reason we don’t know about it is because Black crime is highlighted in news reports and white crimes are hidden.
A side consequence of this deflection is that Black residents of crime-addled neighborhoods are reluctant to snitch…the operative phrase is “snitches get stiches!” Because of this, criminals are often able to operate with impunity, knowing that they will not be caught.
Coupled with this dilemma is the fact that white-on-Black crime carries quite a bit more weight than Black-on-Black crime. When the police display excessive force while carrying out their duties, Black people go berserk, yet the community will go out of their way to protect Black wrongdoers.
A lot of this is most likely due to human nature; people tend to be more inclined to take sides with their own group when a historical enemy of the community is involved. This presents a problem, however. It thwarts truth! It foments perpetual bondage to victimhood, both from external enemies and from internal ones.
Exacerbating this situation is the seeming increase in mean-spiritedness that is infecting all human populations. This can be seen in social media, as well as in the lack of regard that people have for each other in public. Possibly due to the anonymity that is the domain of social media, people are able to respond to each other with negativity. People are being mean just to be mean. Black people are participating in this phenomenon.
Basically, we are at a crisis point in the human family, and a lot of people are participating. A definite truth is that we will never be able to experience human progress if we do not admit that what goes around does, indeed, come around. In other words, Black people, and others for that matter, will never EVER experience a better life, as long as we harbor the hatreds and prejudices that are too evident among us.
Lately, one of the most obvious demonstrations of this notion can be seen in the Ye (Kanye West) debacle. Of course, many Black people are reluctant to hold Ye accountable for his multiple faux pas because he is Black, is considered to be a “genius,” and is allegedly telling the “truth,” according to his many apologists.
But let’s just look at a few of the things he is saying or has done that seem to be accepted by many Black people. He has said that slavery is/was a choice; he has cast aspersions on Harriet Tubman; he has expressed admiration for Adolph Hitler.
Additionally, he posted a swastika on Twitter; he embraced former President Trump and expressed that he is a father figure to him; he has spoken opposition to the proceedings of the January 6 Commission; he has openly embraced racists.
Ye wore the confederate flag on his jacket; he made jackets that said, “white lives matter;” he voiced the opinion that white males were the most oppressed people in America; and he has made it a point to generate beef with many, many people. He has burned many bridges.
This list represents just a few of the things Ye has done or said that would make us question his judgment. But the most important fallout is related to his far-reaching influence on popular culture and the blind embracing by his followers of everything he says or does.
Many people are saying “We’re with Ye,” even in cases that are illogical and can further fragment our society. In this regard, in his admiration of Hitler, he has overlooked the fact that the Nazis would consider him to be an inferior human.
The danger of co-signing a person with negative behavior just because they share skin color has the downside of encouraging the oppression of others. As long as we do that, we are incurring Karma; if we act as racists, we will be Karma’s victim because “what goes around, comes around.” Yes, truth matters. A Luta Continua.
