Listen Black people, there are some distinctions we need to make;
-The US ain’t us. So, Criticizing and Condeming the United States, or critiquing the Policies and Initiatives of Obama and his Administration is not the same as discouraging Black achievement, or supporting the Republicans and their blatant Racism against Obama and his family.
-Criticizing and Condemning Capitalism is not the same as embracing or perpetuating poverty among Black people! In the Capitalist System, Black people are not the Capitalist, we are the Capital! We were Human Resources during Chattel Slavery, and we are still Human Resources today.
-Criticizing and Condemning Feminism is not the same a embracing Sexism and Patriarchy. Feminism is one of the many ideologies and movements constructed to oppose Sexism and Patriarchy; but it’s not the first or only organized movement for women’s Liberation, especially Black women’s liberation. Even the CIA asset Gloria Steinemadmitted this.
-Criticizing and Condemning Oppressive Western Religions is not the same as embracing Satanism! Nor does it mean we hate Black Hebrews, Christians, or Muslims; we may think yall crazy as hell for being down with that shit, but we still know yall our Brothers and Sisters.
-Criticizing and Condemning Patriarchy and Sexism is not the same as shunning masculinity and manhood. Being a victim of Racism does not excuse or justify Black male Sexism. Opposition to Sexism is not a plot to effeminize you (as if that was such a horrible crime), or turn you Gay, if you ain’t Gay.
Like Del Jones said; “we always hacking each other up over other people’s ideologies;” literally and figuratively.
I’m a Vegan, Atheist, XboX gamer, cat person, husband, and father; but Race First. All of that stuff, all them other labels are engaged and filtered through my cultural filter and mission (to liberate myself, my people, and our lands). We keep putting peripheral, or other folks shit central in our lives and wonder why everyone profits more from our efforts than we do.
If you don’t put your adjacent ideas and practices around an African core, but you make them central; then you are not African-Centered, you are, by definition insane. Sorry to inform you. But if you are Black and you are not African Centered, you are insane.
If I put my Veganism, my Atheism, my college degrees, my XboX gaming, etc.; ahead of my Race, then I’m insane. If I fail to reconcile or engage these things in an African context, then I’m insane.
Insane literally means:
In a state of mind that prevents normal perception, behavior, or social interaction. (I literally copied and pasted that definition, word for word; how many Black folks came to mind when you read it?)
So, even though Marcus Garvey said it a century ago, and even his bitter enemy, W.E.B Dubois had to admit he was right a half century later; it’s still true: Race First!
If Race First makes you uncomfortable, then you are insane. I’m not saying, nor did Garvey say Race Only, you can life a full and abundant life while still keeping your people’s history and culture central, while still making positive contributions to the Struggle, while still calling shit for what it is, while holding to Race First orthodoxy and praxis.
So, put all that other shit you into in proper context, through an African filter, and let’s stop banging it out over other people’s shit, let’s unite based on our commonalities despite our minor differences, and tend to our own agendas and vision. If you can’t do dat, at least get out the damn way so the rest of us can.
