Nappy Headed Black Child

this is by no means exhaustive. just some thoughts

Form what i can see at this juncture, the single biggest issue my community is the one of identity. (realistically for any human identity is major but especially for oppressed groups). The unique historical and social reality of the american black person as left us a people w/o a land except one that clearly considers us outside of definition of human. Part of an oppressed people coming oppressive system is the redefining if not out right destruction the social structures that have propagated. At least that what Fanon says (i happen to agree). This is rebellion in its essence. Rebellion being defined in basic as a rejection and replacement of cultural values of which government its a product.

However w/ my people we have been stripped of the basis of what is needed to rebel. And that is a cultural memory of something better. This erasure was purposeful.

Step One has to be reclaiming who we are. After all these centuries of separation the american black has developed into an ethnicity all its own. We have adopted the philosophical underpinnings and have attempted to use it to make America better. Essentially trying convince the dominant group to include us in what is human into what is american. If you're asking a person to recognize your humanity you're giving the option to say no. That "NO" has resounded greatly as of late.

Now there seems to be this divide b/w continental Africans and diasporic Africans. I had a heated argument based on this same issue a few weeks back. I think it stems from either side not completely understanding what it is they have. I think diasporic Africans in America have to understand the privilege we have economically and socially (which is alot in comparison) to other areas of the world and invest into tracing our heritage and finding our tribes and specific origin. The continental africans and african descended folks from places like the Caribbean who have been ruling themselves for a considerable amount of time is that the is an enormous level of oppression on a psychological and economic level that is often not seen or understood even by the folks living here. An inability for us to understand each other who share the same heritage in the end hurts all of us. B/c this system of government and thought processes in this nation do not see nationality they see non white.