#Takedowntheflag

On June 17th Dylann Roof open fired in an AME church killing 9 people. He stated starkly upon his surrender that he wanted to start a race war. He stood holding the confederate flag as a testament to his disdain for the racial situation in America and his stance was heard resoundingly loud! 
 

 
So loud that there is now a large debate surrounding the state of South Carolina's decision to fly the confederate flag even still today in 2015.

A little history on the confederate flag.
In 1860 South Carolina was the first state to succeed from the union following the election of Abraham Lincoln. The civil war fought between confederate states and union states from 1861-1865 ended with the surrender of Robert E. Lee's army to Ulysses S. Grant.

The current flag that is considered the "confederate flag" is actually the flag of Robert E. Lee's army. Following the war in the atmosphere of intolerant racism and insurmountable violent crimes, the flag became the emblem of notorious white supremacist groups including the infamous Ku Klux Klan. Likewise political groups such as the "Dixiecrats" adopted the flag as a representative symbol in their opposition to civil-rights platforms of the democratic party. Essentially, Gen. Robert E. Lee's army's flag became synonymous with racial inequality, bigotry, and the divide of great country.

Today, many white supremacist groups still utilize the flag as a symbol of their superiority and the inferiority of any and all other races. It is true that some southerners believe the flag to be a sign of southern pride or a symbol of remembrance for their family members who fought in the war.

If the flag that Robert E. Lee flew when he led his troops into battle had been the only symbol of the confederacy then the sentiments regarding cultural relevance and historical homage might make sense to me. However, Robert E. Lee and his army represented Northern Virginia....therefore the memoirs of that flag should be contained to those that fought at its staff. Since, there are several versions and people are so hell bent on remembering one of our nations most tumultuous times it would seem only sensible that the flag associated with the confederate state would be flown. Instead, former confederate states have chosen to fly a flag that has become symbolic with racism, inequality and perpetual hatred of African Americans.

The insistence on flying this symbol provides not only controversy but a contradiction to the mission of the US to be an inclusive country.

The confederacy lost the war, so to me the constant flying of the confederate flag assumes the opposite. Perhaps states that still fly the flag in some way are in denial of the concession of the confederacy to the union.

Aside from the inherent meaning of the confederate flag and its embedded racist history, the laws surrounding it's display are noteworthy in that they allow the flag to fly at full mast regardless of the nations flag or the state flag. Proponents of this practice admonish that lowering the flag would give it sovereignty of which it is not due, while opponents find it's stark stance over the American flag morally defiant and derogatory.

If the confederate flag is a symbol, a war veteran's homage, I would like propose that instead of the racially infamous confederate flag why not build a memorial? States across the nation have war memorials for battle fought. these monuments memorialize soldiers lost as well as triumphs gained. They are not outwardly offensive in nature nor do they represent any other groups in our nation. They are strictly dedicated to the memory of the war. Why would a war vet want to share his memorial symbol with a racist hate group unless he was a part of said group? And why would a state choose to fly the symbol of a racist hate group unless they condone and concede the beliefs and practices of that group? Seems these southern states have some thinking to do.

I can remember another group in history who has a symbol that if flown today would be derogatory as it is discriminatory against a group of people regardless of its representation of an ancestry. You guessed it, the swastika. Surely there are people on this earth in this country who identify strongly with the politics of Adolf Hitler and his crew and would gladly see a swastika painted on every government building in the nation however because we are a nation of inclusivity we do not allow such symbols to be displayed.

And just to really ice the cake on this debate:
Keith Harmon of South Carolina has publicly declared that should the confederate flag be removed from public property and banned from being flown by government authorities, he will petition for the African American Monument to be removed as well.

Keith- If your flag is a tribute to your heritage and not an attempt to reinforce racist ideals, then why would you meet the action with a racist reaction?

Unfortunately for him, he is reinforcing the reasons that the flag must come down. It is disrespectful that even in the nation plight on September 11 2001, or on Veterans Day, or memorial day the confederate flag where flown remains at full mast while the American flag and state flags fly low in reverence for the occasion.

Perhaps states that fly the flag, should be treated if they have yet concede to the union and as such should not be privy to privileges of the states who stand united! United in the idea that ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL!

#AskRachel

It has been nearly a year since I've graced you all with my opinions. Too long I know. So much has happened that I cant even begin to recap...or whatever. I'm going to start here.

Rachel Dolezal is the former NAACP leader who according to her parents has perpetrated being an African American for several years...I'm not CNN so if you want the full story Google it!
I'm here to share my opinion.

There are some serious issues that need to be addressed in this situation. First I want to explore what made her parents wait this long to suddenly expose her? News outlets claim the parents feel "she needs help". But did she not "need help" when she started presenting herself as a Black woman? She did, but it was not until now that her parents decided to publicly humiliate her.

Okay dealt with that initial WTF moment. Lets talk about the rest of these shenanigans.
Rachel, a white woman, spray tanned her peachy white skin and crimp curled her silky blonde hair to imitate another ethnicity. Rachel is not the first person to imitate a race other than her own for social acceptance.

Historically Black people have had imitate other races as a way to avoid social persecution. This is why still today over 50% of African Americans claim some percentage of native American heritage. because though the native Americans were killed and exiled they were still considered better than black.
Likewise, with the rape and impregnation of slaves on plantations striations in shades of brown skin began to appear and became almost expected. As such post slavery many "light skinned" black people would "pass" as white. That way they could live in good neighborhoods, eat good food, use clean restrooms. this "passing" was a way of achieving a better life than typically allowed for people of color.

Passing for another ethnicity did not come without it's issues. Often blacks who passed for white were seen as traitors to the race. Likewise, holding fast to historical native American bloodlines is a way to dilute the race and be less black indicating shame in the color of skin.

What Ms. Rachel has done here is reverse passing perhaps for similar reasons. It is unclear how long her identity crisis (which I have deemed as such) has gone on. However it is speculated that around the time she received a full scholarship to Howard University she began to identify differently. 

An article I read referred to Howard as " the black Harvard". As a black woman who attended a "traditional university" for both undergraduate and graduate studies, I take offense to the idea of a black Harvard. It has something to do with the idea of segregation and comparative educational facilities. Black people go to Harvard and white people go to Howard. Howard's prestige comes from it's own nature and should not be compared to Harvard. No one refers to Harvard as the white Howard! Okay, rant over

Now, should Ms. Dolezal choose to identify with a group which is currently and has been historically disenfranchised and deemed lesser than the majority, I believe that it is her prerogative.

There is also controversy surrounding Ms. Dolezal's prominent leadership roles in the black community. When thinking about this I have two visual cues. The first is an image from the Motion Picture Malcolm X, where the oh so fine Denzel Washington (Malcolm) is approached regarding his crusade for justice and equality by a young and eager white woman. She inquires "What can someone like me ( a white person) do to help further your cause? Cold and dismissive the civil rights leader said "nothing" and walked away. This scene comes to mind because Dolezal obviously felt that she couldn't affect the changes she wanted to as herself. That is in her natural form. She had to take on the persona, a persona that she identifies with strongly now, of a black woman. She had to experience the world in the way that black women experience the world she had to dispose of her innate white privilege to fully embrace, empathize and advocate for the African American Race.

The second visual that comes to mind is the opposite Images of white protesters marching alongside Dr. King, participating in boycotts and freedom rides, sheltering blacks in the south, teaching them to read, write and be all around sufficient. This truth shows that white people can undoubtedly shed their privilege for a cause but not without accepting the consequences for doing so. At this time the efforts to elevate the black community do not allow for the shedding of white privilege. In fact in light of recent movements like Black Lives Matter someone of Rachel's ethnicity would not be received well for aspiring to lead in black organizations. This fact justifies her actions even more.

I am not defending her actions. I'm just pointing out that perhaps she has reasons for wanting to be black and beautiful.

The flip side of all of this is that just as black people have been "passing" for years, and even still idealize lighter skin tones; white people have dawned "black face" as a defamatory and degrading taunt of the black race. Rachel's actions could be seen as a modern day black face performance, where she danced and acted stereotypically to purvey a black persona. This is offensive.

NAACP made a statement concerning the allegations against Ms. Dolezal, quoting the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. "not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character". They stated that her resignation is held in the same esteem as would any chapter's leader's.

Let's tie this in with social media shall we. This controversy has brought about a string of posts with stereotypical anecdotes posed as quizzes to assess the blackness of someone. I mean.....I think I don't even have to say how utterly ridiculous that is. I won't say it...Y'all know.

What do you think about this topic? Is she getting around racial barriers to support a cause, passing for her own benefit, or making a mockery of an entire culture?

Thanks be to Bey

Hey Blogger, it has been a while, I've been making changes!

Today there is something pretty heavy on my mind. The institution of "The National Church of Bey".
From what I have read this is a church erected in the Name of Beyoncé Knowles, she has been recognized as a diety by some of her fans and followers and as such they have erected a temple in her honor. In addition to weekly services where the Diva's songs are sung and then analyzed, the Beyists intend to soon distribute the Beyble to the masses. As I type this I can't help but laugh, it feels so falsified, and unbelievable.

I was looking at the Tumblr page of Beyism, where the religion's leaders post about their beliefs and plead with society to accept and respect them as a legitimate organization just like any other religious group.

I want to approach this from a few angles.

1st: Where is Beyoncé?
I have searched the internet high and low for a response from the singer and I have come up with nothing. I would think that all religion aside Beyoncé would have something to say about people worshiping her. She would have something to say about the Beyble and her newly erected temple. I don't want to get into the religious debate about Beyoncé's practiced, frankly it is none of my business! (Sips tea)

However, as an avid DC3 fan I cannot help but recall the trio's chanson of the gospel medley in which they all thanked the lord, sang hallelujah, and proclaimed the goodness of the Lord over and over again. Which perhaps mislead me to believe that somewhere under all of her "flawlessness" lay a Christ loving heart.
As I have mentioned I could be wrong.
But lets just say I'm not wrong, wouldn't then Beyoncé be compelled top tell her worshipers that Idolatry and graven images are not of Christ and also just as quick to denounce any relation or condolence of their behavior?
I could be wrong though.

2nd: I am now and I have always been an advocate for religious freedom. While I choose to worship Christ another may choose to worship Bey. But we need to ask ourselves as a human race, what is to come next. The way I see it Beyoncé is the first of many. There are certainly Elvis fans who proclaim his deity, and surely MJ and Whitney have followers who would gladly erect a temple in their name. (honestly I think Whitney's music is more holistic and message worthy than Bey's "bow down bitches" but that just me). All I'm saying is trending topics tend to set trends.

3rd: This is personal, as I mentioned before I am driven by Christ in all that I do. My aim is to magnify and glorify his name because he is the only reason I live. he died so that I could live. Beyoncé did not die for my sins, she did not rise from the grave and she will not save me from the hell that is earth. She is a person, born of two people. She is not now nor will she ever be a God. I am not so much offended as I am astounded by the lack of forethought that people put into founding religions. considering the premise of the religion and their practices it seems almost criminal to associate such practices with a word that implies seeking higher power and deeper meaning. Anyone with eyes can see that she's been blessed however we also know that what he gives us he can also take away.

4th: On the Tumblr (linked here) there is a post of three girls talking about their experience with their religion as it related to Beyism. The comment written by the Tumblr author states that the girls are "hypocritical Christians". I really want to dig deep into this because the first post on the page is about people respecting their beliefs and not being accepting of their newly found faith. can a Beyist be a hypocritical Beyist? By backbiting at these young Christians I would certainly say so....unless Beyism is all about throwing shade in which case they are simply following the doctrine. Does Bey have commandments? I digress.

It's weird and somewhat stalkerish to form a religion around another human being, and it is even stranger that this human being in all of her mega star glory does not feel the need to speak out for or against it.

Now I know this blog is supposed to be about activism, and believe me I have every intention to continue change making in the best way I know possible. This is a topic that really just has me all around puzzled.

In other more important news there is mass genocide happening in Israel. but no one is tweeting, booking, spacing, gramming or otherwise talking about that...Thanks be to Bey

#Hashtag

I read a disheartening article this week. A soldier patronizing the hashtag and challenging "the vanity of  hashtag activism". Immediately I thought about how important it is to mobilize our efforts as we are able. I wondered what he hoped to accomplish with his smear campaign against social media activism. And I couldn't help but throw my two cents back at him so here it is!


http://www.ijreview.com/2014/05/139946-time-army-ranger-tweets-perfect-bringbackourgirls-response/

#"Hashtags will not bring our girls back "...but neither will silence. "Speaking Out", whether through social media or a press conference is just that; speaking out. Anti-bullying ads don't stop bullies and Pro-life/choice ads don't stop or encourage abortions. The difference between an Anti-Bullying or Pro-life/choice ad and the bring back our girls hashtag is the fact that these causes, these initiatives are ADVERTISED by big media corporations. They are funded and broadcasted to mass audiences with the hopes of persuading and convincing the masses that this particular cause is worthwhile.

The abduction of "our girls" has not been advertised, there are no bring back our girls commercials, there are no "real men don't buy girls" PSA's or billboards. As such it is not unreasonable for people to not only express themselves publicly, but also to create a community of people who care about a cause. That is what hashtags do.
#"Highly trained Operators will [bring back our girls]" People are not so naïve to believe that a pound sign will find and bring back anyone. Its insulting to insinuate otherwise. What a hashtag can do is serve as motivation, instead of insulting the people who are supporting the cause for which the highly trained operators are risking their lives, why not take time to appreciate that a generational staple i.e. the hashtag is being used as support. No one whines about "support our troops" hashtags even though they are simple words and do not actually provide any physical support for the troops, so why is this any different?

#"Stop lazy internet activism"...Activism is anything but lazy, action is literally the root of activism. The promotion of a cause via social media is not only effective in raising awareness but also essential to winning a social war. If "internet activism is "lazy" then by definition activism itself is lazy, as it does not require the physical accomplishment of a task, more so the support, rallying, and promotion of a cause. So often the hashtag is used to promote the popularity of ignorance and negativity, or even "news" that isn't significant to our well-being as a nation, as a planet, or as a human race; it is refreshing to me, and I am sure I am not alone, to see people actively engaged in conversation about issues that matter.
#"You are not making a difference"....This is a largely presumptuous statement.  Who is he, or anyone else to say that someone's hashtag does not make a difference? I will venture to assume that this "highly trained operator" hasn't completely considered all aspects of the situation. What I mean to say is, if we look at the issue of the abducted Nigerian girls from the perspective of their Nigerian parents, we come to the realization that our disdain for the circumstance as is, is really irrelevant. However, the internet has the ability to accomplish so much! From  overseas and across borders we can reach out to all people, and let them know that we are abhorred by the acts committed against them and their families! Supportive words go a long way! That is a difference!
I am curious to know if this is transferrable to all situations, consider the children that are kidnapped in the US; do police officers feel that hashtags or statuses that promote awareness of child abductions are examples of "lazy internet activism"? Granted none of the people who post or share pictures of missing children will be the actual people endangering their own lives to recue them, however spreading the word via social network has been proven highly effective. Why should anyone be condemned for extending kind words of support towards a population in need.

If anything the "bring back our girls" movement is directly in line with the "warrior" that is going to be working to make it happen. I feel that this soldier's disdain for the hashtag stems from the lack of action behind it, however bringing about social awareness to issues is very important in problem solving.  The statement "the vanity of hashtag activism" assumes that the people promoting awareness have a delusive point of view that their hashtags are actually affecting change, when in fact there is no evidence of such a belief. promoting awareness and affecting change go hand in hand in hand, but they are not the same thing!

Now, I need to clarify something! I am not arguing that "internet activism" is sufficient to make change. In fact I will adamantly argue the opposite. Additionally, I have nothing but the utmost respect for the men and women who place themselves in the line of fire to actually accomplish the dreams of American's including bringing our girls back.

It's all about perspective!

“Dream delivers us to dream, and there is no end to illusion. Life is like a train of moods like
a string of beads, and, as we pass through them, they prove to be many-colored lenses which
paint the world their own hue. . . . ”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson

See the original article here:
http://www.ijreview.com/2014/05/139946-time-army-ranger-tweets-perfect-bringbackourgirls-response/

Social War

This week my Facebook newsfeed has been buzzing with speculation over the Solange and JayZ fight!....this low quality video with no audio has gone "viral", it has hash tags, memes, and even headlines buzzing about what happened.
I know I can't be alone in that I don't care! Why are we so pressed over this crap....there are real issues in our society that need to be addressed.

Someone should make a hash tag about the homeless people in Baltimore, or the budget crisis that still exists, or the education system and its flaws, or the incessant incarceration of African American males, how about the kidnapping and selling of children domestically and internationally, how about underpaid laborers and overpaid CEO's, how about the collapse of the middle class, about classism, racism, sexism, and all of the many other isms that are prevalent.....including separatism, how about religious intolerance...how about the fact that still over half of the country is discriminating against half of the population....I just can't. I can't comprehend how this is the hottest trending topic, and not only that it is trending but that it has continued to be the most talked about news in every possible media facet since Sunday!

This is a call, an all-call if you will. For us...people....to use Social Media as a catalyst for social change, to use Social Capital and grow as a nation, this is an opportunity for all of us to broaden our scopes and stop twiddling our thumbs. the elevator fiasco my friends, is not news! The burning and killing of over 300 people in Gamboru Ngala is news! And yet I see nothing about that on my social media news feed.
 

These are issues that people claim to care about, ask anyone how they feel about the homeless and they are most certain to express that something should be done. Sometimes out of frustration and a desire not to see homeless people and sometimes out of compassion and soft spot for human suffering; either way something should be done! And yet the highlight of the week is that 2 very well-off individuals who happen to stay in the public eye were recorded at a moment in which their behavior was not socially acceptable.

Now don't get me wrong, assault is most certainly not okay, and I am not by any means, condoning the behavior exhibited...I am simply stating a fact, I work day in and day out with women who have come out of homes where they have been trapped barefoot and incessantly impregnated against their wills only to be beat down day after day to such an extent that their only escape is to come to a Shelter! JayZ is returning to his undoubtedly decked out pad with his mega star wife! He might increase his body guards and should he chose to press charges he may, but the situation is not even half as awe-worthy as are the stories of the many men and women who find themselves crippled at the hand of violence!!


If we want to highlight the violence in America I do not believe that Solange and JayZ make a very good "poster child" for the cause!

instead of talking about the important issues, and claiming that they matter to us, and publicizing the ratchet and the ridiculous propaganda that media feeds us...why not publicize the issues that we really care about.....
And as I come into a sense of consciousness I realize that perhaps we are publicizing the issues that we care most about in which case I fear we may be doomed!

I was thinking about my future career as a Social Worker, I am excited to make change in lives of those that have been oppressed and disserved by the systems of society, and yet I find that I have a fire for seeing a larger social change. I see society at war, at war with ourselves over what is pleasing and easy to digest versus the reality of our status. I am a Social Warrior!
#Socialwarrior #Socialchange #Bethechange