I felt as if that this is a topic that needed to be touched on. I hate seeing things like “this will never happen in the African community. It’s upsetting to see the African community othering ourselves away from the black community. In the case of Mike Brown Read the full story here, I really feel that this is one of those situations that all black people, regardless of nationality, should come together. This is one of the MANY situations that black people as whole should come together because police brutality and racism is alive and well in America. The fact that there’s Africans in America who really think when it comes down to it, a killer would ask “are you black-black or African black” is saddening. A situation as this affects everyone who is of the black race. It doesn’t really matter where you’re from. Anyone abusing their power of authority is not checking for that, especially if they’re racist. Africans, the minute you stepped foot on that airport & touched American soil you became black. That is your new identity, like it or not. You can sit on your high horse and act as if Africans are better than black Americans but that’s your free will to bask in your own ignorance. Lets not forget why most of us fleed our home countries, corruption was the number one reason! As intelligent as we make ourselves to be, many Africans refuse to understand and accept that institutional racism is real. Take time, grab a book, read….put two and two together. Once you understand that, you’ll understand that your Africaness will not protect you. Your degrees won’t save you, minding your own business won’t save you, etc. You’re not back home, you’re in America. You’re black! So as an African, anything that affects the black community, affect you also directly. You are a brother, you are a sister…you are Mike Brown. Let’s be honest, if Mike Brown was African, you think the reports would be “an AFRICAN MAN was innocently killed”? no. It’s “A BLACK MAN was killed”. So as an African, love being part of the black community. You need the support, because sure as hell, when it gets real, who else will help!? Your black brother will, your black sister will. All these opportunities Africans take advantage of in America (school, work), it was black Americans who fought for them. Let’s not forget.
Feel free to follow me on twitter, by handle is @vohandas , if you would like to continue this discussion; tumblr doesn’t have an easy platform for that.
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