Just Plain Injustice

Just last week, Tyrone Brown was released from prison. Click here for the full story. Basically, he was seventeen years old when sentenced to LIFE in prison for having marijuana in his system while on parole. His original crime was robbing a man for two dollars. After the story ran on 20/20, people were aware of the case and were outraged at the seemingly race fueled injustice. But the biggest outrage to me, was that he had to stay in prison for seventeen years before the public got wind of his case and did something about it. I followed the story since I first heard about it, and since then, I vowed that any lack of communication would end when things like this reached my ears. Well, this morning I was made aware of another outrageous injustice in-where else- the prison capital of the world: my home state of Texas. The facts of the case are simple: A fourteen year old girl pushes a hall monitor, who is not seriously injured at all, and is sentenced to seven years in prison, down in historically racist Paris, Texas. Both parts of that were equally outrageous. Seven years?! Prison?! Since when do we send fourteen-year-olds to grown folks prison? We don't- unless of course the fourteen year old is a minority. Duke Lacrosse players in college get accused of rape, and all I hear is "these are some good boys", but a fourteen year old black kid wrestling with his six year old sibling accidentally body slams and kills him, and he gets tried as an adult, and sentenced to LIFE in prison. Some people refuse to believe that there are two separate justice systems in America, but then again, some people think racism doesn't exist either, so I'm not surprised. As a black man, how am I supposed to have any faith in a justice system that shows such extreme double standards? Shaquanda Cotton, your cry has been heard. Blacks are 12.8 percent of America's population, but 49 percent of the prisons population. Are blacks genetically predisposed to become criminals, or is it something else? And who holds judges accountable for their decisions? That is, who makes sure justice is being administered properly? When Tyrone Brown was sentenced to life for a joint, and the same judge let Alex Wood plead guilty to murder, then violate his probation four times on much more serious charges without ever spending one day in jail, who will be the one to blow the whistle and say "something is not right here"? "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." You don't have to be black to be in an uproar over this particular injustice(but if you are black, you should be especially outraged), but in the name of Justice, you can not allow this to go unanswered. Free Shaquanda Cotton now.

Image issues

Image issues still plague blacks

When you think of beauty, who comes to mind? Think of five people who you think are considered beautiful by everyone. Got 'em? Now, how many of those people are black?

We have come a long way in recent decades, appreciating the physical attributes associated with our race. However, the "traditional" standard of American beauty, which many minorities feel caters to features known to white people, still is forcing many blacks to second guess themselves when looking in the mirror. Does this all seem familiar? Well it should. White standards of beauty, generational insecurity, self hatred- these terms are not new. By now, black people are well aware of the image oppression faced daily by their peers. With the increase in dreadlocks being worn, and progressive comedians like Monique promoting more curves, I thought we as a people were moving away from the old ways and truly embracing our qualities. Imagine my surprise to read about the increase in minorities getting plastic surgery. The true shocker was the type of surgeries being performed. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the most common operations are nose reshapings, liposuction, and breast reductions. A question for those getting their noses reshaped- exactly what shape nose are you going for? The increase in plastic surgeries and the type of surgeries being done is a clear indication that we still have a long way to go when it comes to loving our bodies. I can plea and plea for my folks to embrace their full lips, wide noses, nappy roots, curvy hips, and big butts, but it may be too late for many who define beauty as a thin nose, light skin, and straight hair. My hope is that these in inherent insecurities die with this generations youth, but that will never happen as long as they get their definition of beauty from watching MTV's Laguna Beach. Image issues? Wake up people! The sixties called- they want their issues back. If you insist on taking notes from page ninteteen sixty in the history books, write this down- Black is Beautiful. Leave the surgeries alone.

Secret shame?

It seems to me that many black people are made to be ashamed of being black- as if they could hide or minimize it. It not a blaring shame, like bleaching skin or any other extremes, but something more subtle. It comes out in slightly altered behaviors or decision changes that take the path of least resistance, as opposed to what would be natural. I see it happen all the time, and it breaks my heart. Have you ever heard a black person show disdain for "black names", like Jamal(which means Beautiful King, by the way), Tyrone, or anything ending in "isha"(Takisha, LaQuisha, TatalaLisha)? It's an old joke now: "I don't want them to know my baby is black until he gets to the interview." Well, I'm not laughing. You can name your baby Amy, Trent, or Sven all you want, but he still will be black for the rest of his life- there's no hiding it. So why deny him a name with roots?
But it's more than just names.
Have you ever altered your behavior to avoid fitting a stereotype? Chosen not to get fried chicken because you didn't want to look a certain way? When's the last time you ate some watermelon? Why should you have to not eat or do certain things? Will they make you appear blacker, or as I have heard said, more "niggerish"?
Ever know you've been witness to racism, but held your tongue because you didn't want to "play the race card"? Well I got news for you: "the race card" isn't something black people are supposed to say. Unless you don't think racism really exist, in which case, please slap yourself.
Even Ray Nagin has to hold his tongue in order to keep from appearing to say things that are pro-black. He IS black, so saying things that seem pro-black should be expected.
That's the reason I started this blog. To give you a daily dose of blackness, in hopes if instilling some pride in those who need it. This blog is about relating stories and sharing perspectives that matter to my people. Welcome to Black on Black.