About 'black unity'
'Black Unity' is a failed concept.
This might sound harsh and intolerable for some, but this is a simple, practical and realistic assessment of the situation.
Black unity will remain a failed concept because the critical ingredients to bring it to pass have not been obtained and they remain out of reach. Women running around trying to keep the idea alive and singlehandedly so, will not bring it about. All the fervent and heartfelt desire to see it happen will not do it.
When black women accost me with the black unity question, I ask them to do two things. I first ask them to explain to me what 'black unity' looks like in their minds.
Usually they come up with a picture that is a cross between life in Botswanna (like in the No 1 Ladies detective agency series) and something out of the Civil Rights era in unity of purpose. I then ask them to list all the key ingredients that they feel will be necessary to make this vision of black unity become a reality (and here I ask for a specific list, not the usual and vague 'Black people should do this, and, Black people should do that').
When this process has been completed, I then ask them, how many of the things listed are 'to hand' at present? (and this includes a shared idea of this vision of black unity and a general committment to the idea of building it, if they have left this off the list). The facial responses of these women to the last question is very telling.
The other day, I had reason to ask a woman if she thought black mens's participation was instrumental to achieveing 'black unity.' She said yes. I asked again, if she felt that black men are indeed 'co-pilots' in the endeavour. Another nod(emphatic). I further asked, 'at what point should the co-pilots be onboard, at 'take off' or after we have crossed the atlantic?' Silence.
In order for black unity to be possible (however defined) there needs to be commensurate effort (and effort that is applied all at the same time) from the key participants.
What continues to happen is black women continue to get a 'promise' that black men will be active participants at some point in time. But even black women who try to avoid confronting the sad truth, know that they are essentially carrying black men on their backs, all the way towards 'back unity'.
At the most basic level of committment and interest that these men can be involved, which is caring for and resourcing their families, you cant even get them. This tells you everything you need to know.
About bashing black men
Apparently pointing out the activities of black men which negatively impact black women is the new definition of 'bashing'. Someone switched the definitions while we were not watching, and it appears that black men are to be exempt mention. They must never be brought up in any conversation whatsoever, even if they play the key role in the state of affairs.
Dictionary.com has a definition for bashing which is:
'To engage in harsh, accusatory, threatening criticism.'
Thats just to clarify what bashing is for some of us who run scared anytime we get accused of this when we are simply engaging in the 'mapping' of our situation as black women, including the role played by various parties.
Always check the defintion.
I am unpeturbed about accusations of 'bashing black men', that get thrown about willy nilly. It is simply an attempt to shut down the growing consciousness that black women are experiencing regarding their general situation.
These false accusations are aimed at limiting our analysis of the situation we face, so that we and other black women do not gain insight into the battle that is before us, and locate who and what is the enemy against us. If we cave in to these crafty accusations, the result will clearly be that the solution we seek will be elusive. That is what happens when you dont know what you are facing. You end up not knowing how to address it.
Yes for some of us black women, the accusation of wrong doing even from wrong doers, is enough to make us drop our resolve and committment to liberating black women from the hell many are in. It should not be so. Toughen up!
This is all to say, I dont care if folks think I am bashing black men. I am very sure they will get over it!
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11 comments:
Halima:
Apparently pointing out the activities of black men which negatively impact black women is the new definition of 'bashing' black men. Someone switched the definitions while we were not watching, and it appears that black men are to be exempt mention. They must never be brought up in any conversation whatsoever, even if they play the key role in the state of affairs.
My reply:
But I think this has always been the case, dating back to black women's most recent forays into discussion gender on a broad scale--black feminists of the 1960s and 1970s; nothing new here, except that this is a different manifestation, especially in that more and more women are not willing to keep quiet in the face of the accusation.
The usual, ho-hum, I must say--evil black feminists bashing black men, destroying black unity, ad naseum!
Great post Halima.
My question is how is it justified when bw and children are seiously hurt and often killed by bm, for mouth peices like Al Sharpton, J. Jackson, and others to remain quiet!!! How come the NAACP is NEVER there when something happens to bw? Do you know that during the dumbar village controversy, the NAACP and Sharpton both were scheduled to go out there and fight for the ATTACKERS to have BAIL!!! When there was such a big ruckus(finally by bw) Sharpton backed down and pretended he had nothing to do with it, and apologized. The NAACP never did or gave a damn about bw at all. Yet they have a nerve to ask for support to save black men from being beaten by police and the like! Miss me with that bull....
This is all to say, I dont care if folks think I am bashing black men. I am very sure they will get over it!--Halima
My sentiments exactly! I've said over and over on various blogs (including my own on a thread about MJ) that I care not for the struggles that bm face nor do I care when someone thinks I bash them. I've been accused of all kinds of things (consorting with white racists, being stormfront-like, etc.) I've even received "hate email" from bm who just can't fathom a bw who isn't bending over backwards for them. Who cares?
Personally, I believe that black unity is dead and bw champion it in vain. I was reading a blog post from a bw who is totally against IR while going on and on about how bm need to come back to the black community. I am amazed at how some black women are in a state of complete delusion. What on earth is it going to take to snap them out of it? I think the problem stems from the fact that these bw WANT bm to come back. Until they remove the black male idolatry from their hearts and minds, they will remain in their delusion.
Well, lormarie.
How pathetic is that! For her to be begging these losers to come back! I pray everyday that they never come back! Bw deserve sooooo much better....
It's manipulation plain and simple and it's time for it to be ovah!
Great post Halima and I agree 100% If you point out the simple fact that a Black woman was raped by a Black man or about the genital mutilation of girls and women in Africa, you will be told you are "bashing" black men. It is total ridiculous bull!
Lormarie, I have perused Stormfront on more than one occasion, and they are MUCH harder on BW over there than they are on BM. You will even have people praise conservative BM politicians, or Black male athletes, but NEVER will they do the same for conservative BW politicians or BW athletes.
So even on a racist White supremecy website you have BM getting treated better than us. It is sickening how people jsut want to biased against us simply for the sake of being biased against us.
Freedom for Black females from this oppression NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anonymous said...
Lormarie, I have perused Stormfront on more than one occasion, and they are MUCH harder on BW over there than they are on BM. You will even have people praise conservative BM politicians, or Black male athletes, but NEVER will they do the same for conservative BW politicians or BW athletes.
One can't forget this is the INTERNET and people are not always who they claim to be. For all you know those are damaged BM on Stormfront praising themselves PRETENDING to be WM.
So even on a racist White supremecy website you have BM getting treated better than us. It is sickening how people jsut want to biased against us simply for the sake of being biased against us.
You REALLY shouldn't be on Stormfront to begin with. IT DOESN'T MATTER what racists, white, black, or other are thinking anyway. They are damaged to begin with you must remember.
Anonymous said...
Freedom for Black females from this oppression NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!
Black women can claim their freedom any time they want! They just have to DO it. NOTHING worth while is ever given freely. If BW wish to be free, they're going to have to TAKE that freedom. Regardless of who doesn't like it.
Most BW are AFRAID to be free, because it would upset others.
As long as BW continue to care about these others, their going to continue to be slaves.
The only ones who can free black women are black women themselves.
That anonymous person (who made the comment about black men getting praise on Stormfront) is not a black woman, LOL. It's likely a DBR black male familiar with me. His statements are so ludicrous that it's not even funny. Think about it ladies, why would any sane individual want praise from the lunatics at Stormfront or think that they are more comfortable with black men than black women? It really doesn't matter. Are they seriously using Stormfront as the standard of their worth? These DBR negroes are sick!
About bashing black men
Apparently pointing out the activities of black men which negatively impact black women is the new definition of 'bashing'. Someone switched the definitions while we were not watching, and it appears that black men are to be exempt mention. They must never be brought up in any conversation whatsoever, even if they play the key role in the state of affairs.
Dictionary.com has a definition for bashing which is:
'To engage in harsh, accusatory, threatening criticism.'//
I FREAKIN LOVE YOU!!!
Sorry, let me introduce myself.
I've been reading here for about an hour and NEVER IN MY LIFE (all 23.5 yrs of it) have i EVER experienced a black woman who UNASHAMEDLY says what you are saying TO THE MASSES!
I encounter this type of ignorance DAILY, and from bw and other woc to boot lol. I know, I read your other post about women under 25 and what not, but I feel that me being 23.5 and MARRIED to a white man disqualifies that sentiment. I will always say I'm young and have much to learn!
Anyway, before I even finished reading this, I had to post this and say THANK YOU SISTA!
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