The sounds for several days of white existential anguish over the victory of Donald J. Trump for United States President is interesting. In the distance one hears cries reminiscent of souls in Purgatory in Dante's Inferno, it is white folk lamenting the end of their so called Democracy. It must be noted that these same people going to get therapy from psychologists / healing places for solace are beyond being consoled. White people now want to know what to do, how to fight someone they perceive as a threat not to America but to a white population that has basically for years enjoyed standing on the sidelines, while people of color fought tooth and nail against racism. Now to be fair some white allies have been fighting with people of color to end racism for years, but in my experience most whites questioned tactics of black leadership, strategy and whether or not to get involved. All of that hesitation and obstructionism ended with the advent of Trump as "the strong man on horse back" to lead the mixed rabble. Now you know how it feels.
The days after Trump's victory were like being on a super fast train ; whites calling me asking for advice, whites rioting in Oregon because Trump won the election. I gave those whites a few lines from Dante's Inferno about how they related to the black struggle "let us not speak of them; but look, and pass on." Yeah you looked white people when the BlackLivesMatter and Moral Monday CT organizations were seeking help. Now you want to ask me for help. In the words of the old rapper from Public Enemy Flava Flav ..."I can't Do Nothing For You Man." It is time for whites to understand that their inaction led to the situation called Trump. Let me be clear. If whites had been willing to unite behind black leadership as one force the outcome of this election might have been different. If whites had not been angry / vindictive about Bernie Sanders not winning the primary for president the outcome of this election might have been different. Whites et al. held back their vote as a protest, some even voting for third party candidates, how many of you crying over Trump now had your underwear in a bunch because events did not go your way? You withheld millions of votes, you looked the other way... and now Trump is lord and master. Your river of tears mean nothing to me whites in existential anguish.
In the vampire movies the one known as Dracula is depicted as a blood thirsty creature. There are many ways to get rid of vampires... holy water, stake in the heart, holding up a cross symbolizing Jesus and Christianity. However the most effective way to thwart a vampire is not to let it in your home... etc. In the movies a vampire must be invited in to your dwelling and this is called a trespass right. The lack of whites voting and reluctance to get behind black leadership to fight for social justice gave Trump a trespass right, now the vampire is in the White House. Dracula or vampires seek blood of victims; Trump et al. will seek blood in the form of cutting benefits for elderly, poor and disadvantaged, placing people on the Supreme Court that will erode hard fought legal victories for Americans, scuttle rights and freedoms Americans have taken for granted. Dracula is in the house and now you cry out for solidarity with blacks that you did not want to follow or support. Whites now take to the streets asking for support to protest with them. Whites frame their arguments saying "we are all in this together" and hurriedly form coalitions making sure that in agendas at least the black cause is mentioned [ third or fourth ] in the platform. March to Washington in December / January for social justice is the white folk cry, there must be solidarity or else perish is the white mantra.Meanwhile back at the ranch, black people are openly saying " man this is a white problem." White folk are jamming telephone conferences with black lead groups wanting advice, their voices raw with emotion, invoking words from Martin Luther King, Gandhi and agents of non violence. However violence in the form of Donald J. Trump and Draconian policies he is planning seems to be the epitome of violence. Whites have been in a Rip Van Winkle slumber as it relates to helping in the black struggle. Now it appears as if whites are fully awake. Well. Black people have been awake to the racism in America for years while other folk embraced their white skin privilege and did nothing thinking "let us not speak of them; but look, and pass on."
In closing the white existential angst over Trump is somewhat amusing to behold. Wait, let me get my popcorn.
The waking have one world in common; Sleepers have each a private world of their own.
--Heraclitus, Fragments
No comments:
Post a Comment