identifying the common enemy
What a time to be alive.
We are all struggling to fully grasp the turmoil America is in right now. In the midst of a global pandemic, constant bigotry from politicians, and the ongoing war against racism, there is a lot to talk about.
First of all, I am glad and proud to be a part of a generation that refuses to be silenced. That is our greatest asset. Wars do not start because people are silent. No! Wars start because people refuse to be silent.
There is one thing weighing on all of our minds: the ongoing war against racism.
As we move forward in the next coming days, it is crucial to address the common enemy. What is it?
Some may say the police are the common enemy. Some may say white people are the common enemy. Both sides are wrong. This is not a 'black vs. the police' issue, nor is it a 'black vs. white' issue. With so much information circulating, it feels as though we are playing darts with a moving target; we may think we are hitting a bullseye when in reality, we are straying further and further from it. This is where our movement loses effectiveness. How can we fight together if we cannot agree on what we are fighting against?
In a nutshell, the common enemy is racism. Not necessarily the institutions and ideas that stem from it. An easy way to think about this situation is to think of it as a pyramid of cups. You cannot effectively knock down the pyramid by only aiming for the cups at the top. You must aim for the base of the pyramid. The base of our pyramid is racism. The institutions and ideas that stem from it are merely the cups at the top.
There is no debate: our country was built on the racism of its founders. A strong, and possibly controversial statement, but one that holds a significant amount of truth. Racism has manifested itself in many ways over the past few centuries. Our country's history is tainted by almost a century of slavery. It is further tainted by decades of Jim Crow Laws, segregation, white supremacy groups, and so much more. You cannot separate racism from Unites States history. Racism has also manifested itself in more concealed ways. Our entire criminal justice system is built on the idea of continuing to enslave people of color in the name of "justice". If you were to look at the number of people of color that are incarcerated, their average sentences, and their offenses, you would be shocked at the amount of injustice that is masked as justice. Odds have been stacked against people of color since the day of this country's establishment.
When people talk about wars in history, they mention wars like the Revolutionary War, The Civil War, both World Wars, etc. However, when people talk about the fight for civil rights, it is not described the same way these wars are described. The fight for civil rights has been brutal. It has been victorious at some points, and unsuccessful at others. It has taken the lives of some of the most memorable leaders in American history as well as the lives of millions of innocent people. The reason why history books only highlight certain points of this is because it puts America's morals in question. It is uncomfortable for us to admit we are wrong and have been allowing this to happen for centuries. How can we preach equality and justice but blatantly refuse to practice it?
We have made undeniable changes towards true equality, but we are far from it. We are still slaves to a system that allows the severe discrimination of people of color. As a society, we must do better to target the real issue: racism.
We are all struggling to fully grasp the turmoil America is in right now. In the midst of a global pandemic, constant bigotry from politicians, and the ongoing war against racism, there is a lot to talk about.
First of all, I am glad and proud to be a part of a generation that refuses to be silenced. That is our greatest asset. Wars do not start because people are silent. No! Wars start because people refuse to be silent.
There is one thing weighing on all of our minds: the ongoing war against racism.
As we move forward in the next coming days, it is crucial to address the common enemy. What is it?
Some may say the police are the common enemy. Some may say white people are the common enemy. Both sides are wrong. This is not a 'black vs. the police' issue, nor is it a 'black vs. white' issue. With so much information circulating, it feels as though we are playing darts with a moving target; we may think we are hitting a bullseye when in reality, we are straying further and further from it. This is where our movement loses effectiveness. How can we fight together if we cannot agree on what we are fighting against?
In a nutshell, the common enemy is racism. Not necessarily the institutions and ideas that stem from it. An easy way to think about this situation is to think of it as a pyramid of cups. You cannot effectively knock down the pyramid by only aiming for the cups at the top. You must aim for the base of the pyramid. The base of our pyramid is racism. The institutions and ideas that stem from it are merely the cups at the top.
There is no debate: our country was built on the racism of its founders. A strong, and possibly controversial statement, but one that holds a significant amount of truth. Racism has manifested itself in many ways over the past few centuries. Our country's history is tainted by almost a century of slavery. It is further tainted by decades of Jim Crow Laws, segregation, white supremacy groups, and so much more. You cannot separate racism from Unites States history. Racism has also manifested itself in more concealed ways. Our entire criminal justice system is built on the idea of continuing to enslave people of color in the name of "justice". If you were to look at the number of people of color that are incarcerated, their average sentences, and their offenses, you would be shocked at the amount of injustice that is masked as justice. Odds have been stacked against people of color since the day of this country's establishment.
When people talk about wars in history, they mention wars like the Revolutionary War, The Civil War, both World Wars, etc. However, when people talk about the fight for civil rights, it is not described the same way these wars are described. The fight for civil rights has been brutal. It has been victorious at some points, and unsuccessful at others. It has taken the lives of some of the most memorable leaders in American history as well as the lives of millions of innocent people. The reason why history books only highlight certain points of this is because it puts America's morals in question. It is uncomfortable for us to admit we are wrong and have been allowing this to happen for centuries. How can we preach equality and justice but blatantly refuse to practice it?
We have made undeniable changes towards true equality, but we are far from it. We are still slaves to a system that allows the severe discrimination of people of color. As a society, we must do better to target the real issue: racism.
Thank you for posting this. After reading it twice, and reflecting on all of the ideas here, I humbly rededicate myself to respecting my colleagues in learning in the hope that somehow we can heal and reunite this country. Looking forward to your next post!
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