It is Friday, 28 November 2014. As I sit here, my mind is focused on the countless Ferguson, Missouries and the continued and never-ending racist injustice heaped on Black folk here in a racist and ‘White’ America. My dear friend and confidant ‘Black’ David Eaton said it first to me and I repeat same here – ‘White’ America went from barbarism to decadence without a period of civilization in between.

In regards to the killing of UNarmed 18-year-old ‘Black’ Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, BlackParentSpeaks is heartened to see the reactionary expressions of anger that are coming from ‘Black’ America. Black people are shot daily by Whites who actually believe that they are entitled to injure and kill Blacks – without repercussions, redress, or outcry. Racism is ugly, dangerous, and deadly. A racist and collective ‘White’ mentality has allowed — and encourages — America to fill its graveyards and its prisons with millions of Black bodies.

Today, BlackParentSpeaks sees an increasing number of Black people who are tired of being terrorized, plantationized, oppressed, and contained by Whites. Think about the irony – oppressive and racist Whites projecting themselves as superior to US.

As a teenager in the 1960s, I was recruited and offered the top secretarial job with the Agency for International Development (AID) in DC. After listening to the wisdom of my ‘Black’ father, I accepted the position offered and left my home in Oregon and traveled to DC — at the expense of the Federal Government.

Upon arrival in DC, I was told that the Comptroller of AID expected me to be ‘White’ and I was DENIED the position I had accepted with AID ‘because they did not allow Blacks to work in the Comptroller’s office….’ Although my pay remained per our agreement, I was assigned to work in the secretarial pool. Needless to say, I was not happy and sought legal help from the DC Neighborhood Legal Services Project (NLSP).

America’s legal system permitted racism and racial discrimination and the NLSP attorney I contacted for help took advantage of my trust (In my words, he ‘purposely(?)’ failed to properly represent me.) Was I angry?

After expressing my anger and confronting the attorney accordingly, that attorney offered me the choice of accepting a top secretarial position with NLSP or ‘running home to Daddy and Momma’. Again, after talking to my father and ‘allowing’ that attorney to likewise talk to my father, I accepted the position offered by NLSP.

Even though I did accept the NLSP position, I remained angry and disappointed and I learned an invaluable lesson about mankind and trust. As I continued in my pursuit of justice, I sought the help of the DC Student Non-Violent (lka National) Coordinating Committee – SNCC.

Upon meeting SNCC Director ‘Black’ Lester McKinney and some of the brothers and sisters who worked with SNCC, I felt immediately drawn to offer my assistance in the fight against racism and oppression. My skills and abilities were beyond impressive and I knew that my help was needed because so much ‘appeared’ to be in disarray at the DC SNCC headquarters. So, instead of me getting help from SNCC, I became a ‘trusted’ volunteer on-the-spot!

In quick order, I began working with ‘Black’ folk like Stokely Carmichael (lka Kwame Ture), Marion Barry, Rev. David Eaton, Calvin Rolark, and others. I never accepted a penny for the work I did in the ‘Movement’ – rather, along with volunteering, I helped in financing the ‘Movement’. As information, South African singer Miriam Makeba also helped financially. Sister Makeba later married Stokely in New York. Before Stokely, Sister Makeba had been married to South African musician Brother Hugh Masekela.

Please excuse BlackParentSpeaks for getting off track in this post. This post is intended to be about what is currently happening in political Black America; therefore, I will now return to my original intent with regards to this BlackAngryWomen post.

BlackParentSpeaks is heartened to witness the reactionary expressions of anger and outrage that come from the souls of ‘Black’ America. Ferguson brings to mind the 1960s and 1970s ‘Movement’ which was similarly often triggered by the racist killing of a Black at the hands of ‘White’ America.

We Black militants worked tirelessly and faithfully in the ‘Movement’. We were unapologetically active revolutionaries who ate and slept the ‘Movement’ as we paid our dues and the dues of others’. And, as we refused to let others turn us around, we were likewise met by ‘White’ orchestrated cries of “they are destroying their own neighborhoods and communities”….

As buildings and structures went up in flames, as cars were overturned and burned, as merchandise was ‘liberated’ from stores, ‘White-thinking folk’ asked foolish questions and made foolish statements UNworthy of our response. WE kept our eyes on the prize and refused to be turned around. As ‘Black’ Brother James Brown once stated, ‘I rather die on my feet than sit in my seat’….

Racism has been — and continues to be — a reality in America. Whites have been out-of-control for over 400 years now. Whites have continuously terrorized Black folk in America and any and all ‘supposed’ lulls were due to ‘Black’ demands and actions. White folk are the oppressors. White folk are the racists! It is White people who think and/or project themselves as superior to US who are Black.

Stop for a minute and think of the ludicrousy of Whites who voice their sentiments of White superiority. Oppressive and racist Whites speak words that both decry and blame the oppressed – words that ‘attempt’ to blame US for our own oppression. Well, the victim is not to blame. Every time I look in the mirror I see a victim of White racism – me.

Just as I did not allow my White oppressors to dictate to me when I was young, I continue to NOT allow Whites to dictate my reaction to my oppression at their hands. To do otherwise would mean that BlackParentSpeaks is either a sell-out or out of her God-blessed ‘Black’ mind…. BlackParentSpeaks is forever indebted to her people, her ancestors; and, BlackParentSpeaks hopes and prays that she has served – and continues to serve — her ancestors well.

My people, my ‘Black’ ancestors, were forcefully and viciously enslaved and brought to this country – dubbed ‘America’ — in chains. My ancestors were maimed and killed. My ancestors were cut open and their limbs were cut off by their White oppressors. My people were castrated and hung from trees while White men, women, and children rejoiced over the sight while picnicking. (‘Black’ Nina Simone sang of the Strange Fruit.)

My people were whipped and raped. My ‘Black’ ancestors were torn from their families and sold to ‘White’ slaveholders who garnered wealth and material riches as a result of their inhumanity to us Blacks. My Black people were tricked and abused and used as ‘sport’ by treacherous and evil White men and White women. My ‘Black’ father, when a child, was saved from death by his Creek mother who hid him from the Whites intent on using him as sport in their weekly ‘White’ game of drag racing….

We who are Black must be vigilant in our pursuit of righteousness — a life free of fear and ‘White’ terror. We must hold White folk accountable. We must keep our eyes on the prize! We must be pro-active and we must make demands. We must keep our eyes on the prize! We must each decide the course of action we will each take in order to help liberate ourselves and each other in a racist America.

It is important to note that Black self-defense is NOT violence! Violence is what is inflicted upon Blacks in a racist America. BlackParentSpeaks emphatically states that Black people have a right to be angry. And, we have an obligation and a responsibility to express our anger in whatever way or fashion WE so choose…. ‘White’-oriented folk do NOT have the right to dictate or judge ‘Black’ reaction or ‘Black’ response to White terrorism. It is both logical and sane that Black folk REBEL and it is important that WE define and choose the words to describe what WE do.

Be Aware! Be Involved!

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Don’t forget our reparations.