What It Means To Be Black In America

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To be black in America is to live a life of constant battle. We must mind our manners and “stick to” whatever “job” we have. Take whatever “massa” says and leave our dignity by the wayside.

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Our only role in life, as prescribed by others, is to entertain the majority. We should be grateful for the opportunity despite having the God-given talent. Serena and Michelle Obama can be ostracized for their natural physique, yet Melania cannot be criticized for her unnecessary nudity because in the name of privilege – oops I mean feminism, we must uplift women.

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To be Black in America is to be in constant rage. We must watch our children be murdered at the hands of those who our taxes pay to protect and serve us. Dare we say something? Our lives are threatened by individuals who care to know nothing of our struggles; but intend to silence us.

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If our thoughts do not fit society’s agenda we are blackballed, for it is better to allow us to die than to correct the problem. We get labels as aggressive and angry, but neglect to mention we are strong and resilient after years of disenfranchisement. When slave couldn’t be used define us, we were criminalized for being thought of as criminals, we could be rationed into modern-day slavery. War on drugs was merely a cop out to target our demographic. We can commit the same crimes yet our sentencing is more severe.

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How is it as victims we are criminalized while our aggressors are painted as martyrs and saints? When we ask for equality, we aren’t speaking of jobs and education specifically. We are speaking of human rights. The right to walk freely into a convenience store without being followed as the thief, the right to age as a child without being viewed as a threat or without innocence. We are seeking the right to mourn our losses without being told the same undermining rhetoric.

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Why is it in the same state of Louisiana , #AltonSterling’s murderer can walk free without condemnation, but Jeremy Mardis’ family saw justice swiftly?

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Our leader finds the terrorists of Charlottesville to be fine people, but refers to peaceful NFL protesters as sons of bitches. We then are force fed the narrative that it’s not about race or anything of that nature. We are told we’re making a big deal about nothing when this “deal” is about the thing that matters most- life.

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Being Black America means we have to be twice as good to receive half the respect and recognition. It means we have to be ok with thriving in unrest.

-Niko Rose