What does unity look like?
This is a question that I have been asking for a while now, and I’m sure many reading may be asking as well. Our country is in a state of disunity and conflict today in September 2016. WE are at odds when it comes to almost everything today. We disagree politically, spiritually, when it comes to humanity, lifestyles, economics, education, sports, first amendment rights, and so much more. Everyone has an opinion including myself. We all feel that we are right and many of us talk at people not to people. It is like a one sided conversation taking place via social media because people can hide behind their post and remarks without really being held accountable for what is being said. People have become really comfortable with not communicating in person or even on the phone and this makes for the perfect reason why we see so much disunity.
In addition to this we have not really come clean as a country as to why we are in so much disunity. America has a lot of questions it refuses to address about systemic issues that date back hundreds of years now. It has not addressed economic imbalances amongst Africans in this country. It won’t talk about how it has purposely held back funding for the inner cities of this country. It won’t explain how it has allowed itself to dismantle the voters rights act of the 60’s that people died over, and has now resurfaced in North Carolina and many other southern states. It refuses to admit that racial discrimination is alive and well even today in 2016. It refuses to admit that big banks, business, Napa valley, Technology and even Hollywood are still predominately white. It refuses to admit that it has allowed people of other nations and country’s to come to America and fulfill their dream of things like home ownership, independent business ownership while Africans in this country are still trying to be accepted as humans not property that can be mistreated as a whole. So these are just a few things that have divided the country and honestly people are tired of the blank check that America has written for years. One of the biggest misnomers was that the election of a black president would change the world and place America into a post racial society. Wrong! All it did was take us back about 60years because now you see the head of the snake called avoidance rearing its ugly head through hate speech ( Donald Trump), followers of trump (David Duke KKK grand wizard), hateful actions (police brutality), in justice (people dying at the hands of cops and no charges filed nationwide) and much more. Until America is willing to admit that the seeds planted have produced this harvest of hatred and disunity we will never be able to move forward.
It is important to note that all of this continued hatred is learned behavior so until it is no longer learned behavior, it will continue. White privilege is alive and well and even this mindset must be addressed. We can’t keep dancing around issues like this and when someone finally says enough is enough and scrams Black Lives matter the response can’t be oh no all lives matter, but you never address the reason why this started. We are in a great deal of denial and until we are willing to face all this junk we are doomed.
So the original question I asked was how does unity look? I will address this first by saying it looks like diversity all working together. It looks like me accepting you for who you are and vice versa, and what you bring to the table. It looks like America giving credit to all of the countless black folks who has built this nation without choice or excuse. It looks like us being able to agree to dis agree and not leaving pissed off about it. It looks like us all saying to America if the promise is true, and this is the land of the free and home of the brave then we all should have an even crack at this thing called the American dream. It looks like diversity in neighborhoods that exhibit economic growth and empowerment for all nationalities. It looks like people getting along and supporting each other not only because of what they do but because of the celebration of their uniqueness. This is what unity looks like to me.
WAKE ME UP AMERICA… we are a long way away from this, and until we have the bravado, audacity, bravery, spirit, and action to put racism, prejudice, white privilege, entitlement, and denial in a major chokehold and choke it to death we will never get there. I dream of unity and even pray for it regularly but many people question my boldness to keep the major issues at the forefront of my conversation. I understand that people don’t want to face the realities of why we are where we are but continuing to deny our very real history is a major reason why we have not progressed in a healthy and realistic way. The truth hurts but it is a major component towards this country’s healing. When white folks as a whole stop thinking that bringing up the past is an indictment on the people today then this will also help us to move forward. You might be asking as the reader why I would say this and the simple answer is because it comes up all the time when people try to silence me as I bring up systemic issues. It is not the present we are mad at it’s the attitude of the past that continues to show up today that looks exactly like the past behaviors.
So this is what I believe can happen if we really desire unity in this country. I must be very real with you as the reader and say that there are some people who like things just the way that they are and they will continue to fight against this thig called unity. I would remind everyone reading to pay less and less attention to the cynics and focus on the ones who are striving towards forward progress in life. Always remain hopeful and positive in this life because like spirits attract.
As always have a great day!
D