The first twenty slaves set foot on American soil in Jamestown, Virginia in August of 1619 and black folks in this country have been fightin’ for their freedom and their equal share of the pie ever since. For nearly 400 years we’ve been mistreated, shut out and dismissed by a system that initially only counted us as three-fifths of a man. For 244 years we built this country as free labor, spent the next 100 foolin’ around with Jim Crow and the Civil Rights Movement.
Over the past fifty years we’ve seen change but the more things change the more they remain the same. Over 398 years after the first slaves landed Jerry Jones, the owner of the Dallas Cowboys, tells his players that I really don’t care that you’re concerned about police brutality, racial and social injustice you better stand up for the national anthem. I don’t care that your people are bein’ killed when they’re unarmed while dealin’ with the police. You better do what I say. I’m paraphrasin’ but that’s essentially what he told them in front of the entire nation. And that’s what our President and Vice President are sayin’ as well.
On Friday ESPN’s Jemele Hill was silenced for two weeks with a suspension by the network for tweets that they deemed inappropriate. Ole girl tweeted, “Change happens when advertisers are impacted. If you feel strongly about JJ’s statement, boycott his advertisers.”
Well…let’s keep it real or all the way 100, whichever comes 1st! There are very few people of color with the platform to make a difference and be heard by the mass in the struggle for equality in America. The fact that she was bold enough to actually say the things that most people were thinkin’ anyway deserves respect. Colin Kaepernick stuck his neck out there and lost his opportunity to play football but gained entrance into the Smithsonian. Some of his memorabilia will be put into the Museum of African American History and Culture for his efforts in fightin’ for equality in America.
I salute those that have been bold enough to enter the battle for equality. In a simple tweet Jemele has entered the ring as a champion for the people. Why? Because the response to the tweet by the network has brought even more attention to the tweet than she initially got and what she said was literally the truth. Jerry Jones wouldn’t be bullyin’ his team if he started to lose bread. That’s real talk.
Whether you agree or disagree with what she said is irrelevant. I’m tired of these networks and organizations sayin’ that they want diversity but what they really want is just a look of diversity. They don’t really want diversity bruh. Because by wantin’ diversity they would want the entire human being and the experiences that come with it.
Our experience in this country isn’t same as the person from European decent who ancestors voluntarily came over to America on GP. The red carpet wasn’t rolled out for us. As a matter of fact, we were the reason why the red carpet exists in the first place. Our blood stained it.
When we were freed we didn’t just go get a job at McDonald’s or Walmart somewhere. The prison population was 95 percent white at the time of the emancipation. In less than a year it was 95 percent black because of mass incarceration for simply bein’ black. Blacks could be arrested on sight for just walkin’ down the street or bein’ near railroad tracks in fear of them tryin’ to go north.
For those that weren’t incarcerated they became share croppers that essentially put them back into slavery all over again. No votin’ rights, segregation, systematic racism that allowed for legal housin’ and employment discrimination up to what less than 30 years ago bruh? The Fair Housing Act Amendment Act of 1988 finally prohibited discrimination on the basis of race or color; religion; national origin; familial status or age. That was just 30 years ago!!! So no! Our experience has’t been remotely close to bein’ the same.
Therefore, when someone like Jemele decides to use her platform to evoke change in America you’ve got to respect her because she didn’t have to do it. She could have easily pulled a Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods and acted like as long as everything is good at my house I ain’t trippin’ but she didn’t. I respect her hustle and thanks for thinkin’ enough about me and mine to open your mouth baby girl. Stop me when I start lyin’!
Playas Thesaurus:
1) Dun: noun – the person in question, dude, guy, etc. It’s whoever I’m talkin’ about and its non-gender specific.
2) Put it where the goats can get it: verb phrase – to make it as elementary as possible. To put it at ground level so everyone can understand it.
3) GP: adjective – general purposes or just because
The G is excluded from the endings of all words because the G is near and dear to my heart because I’m from “The G” which is Gary, Indiana. So I only use the G when I’m talkin’ about “The G!”
The caption under the photo is real talk today!