For sticking to Martin Luther King's beliefs.
This thread is about race, and how hard it can be to stick to what you believe in, in hard times. There is a lot of text. If you don't feel like reading it, hit the back button. If you're planning to post an idiotic comment, this is not the thread for it. If you got nothing to contribute, don't post.
Today is was my brother's birtday (Yesterday counting now, July 4th). And my family set up a BBQ. Almost all of the family was there, some that hadn't see each other in years. All was good and whatever. I remember from back, it was said in my family that until you're 18+ and paying bills, you comments don't matter. (Kind've like how NG works, whatever). I'm 19 now, meaning that I can say what I want to, and have the words to back them up, rather or not people or listening or not.
My cousin Eric didn't show up. But I pad no mind to it until I heard this statement...
"He's probably with that white whore. Fucking sell out to the family. I'm glad he didn't show up."
"He's no real man."
"Too weak for a real woman. I bet she takes care of him, instead of the other way around."
"Who's the bitch in this relationship?
Those words hit me hard. If you haven't guessed it by now, I am black. And for some reason, it's taboo to have a white woman as your aqaintance, girlfriend, lover, fiance, and wife. While I think this whole concept is bullshit, it's still played out day in and day out now.
So I walk up to my family and pause and ask them...
"What's wrong with having a white woman as your girlfriend"
The second I finished that sentence the looks I got changed within a fucking heartbeat. All these people that had smiles on their faces quickly changed into a warped look of "What the fuck did you say?" So a couple of seconds go by because of the shock that came from my question. The answer I got back was...
"Kid, white women are doing nothing but taking away the good black men, and turning them into shit afterwards"
"Yeah, you may think you know everything, but you don't know shit kid. White people are still holding us down."
"Got that right. They smile at you, praise you, but can so easily stab in you in the fucking back."
"Black men should stay with black women."
I was appauled at these comments. I was overwhelmed to a point where no one here could believe. My thoughts had been different for years, and as I looked around, I saw that no one else, besides my little brother that wasn't able to say anything due that stupid age rule saw what I saw in people, and believed what I believed in. So I asked...
"Why should we have to stay within our own race? Why are you telling me things that anybody can do regardless of skin color?"
Answers I got back
"It's wrong to date outside your own race. Simple as that."
"Regardless of skin color? Nigga please. They're always holding us down. Keeping us back."
I hate the word "nigga". Anyone that knows me, knows very well that I hate that word. And because I'm black, even though I can say it, I don't, simply because I have no use of it. I find the word useless, and uneeded, yet hear it everyday. I came back. My responses were...
"So by denying what Martin Luther King believed in, we are doing the right thing? By constantly fucking up every oppritunity we get to unite all races we are doing the right thing? Does any of this makes sense to any of you? I'm getting tired of that "White people are holding us back" bullshit. It's that same bullshit that's holding our own race back from actually thinking that they can achieve something better than what people see us as from the get go. Is it that damn hard to prove people wrong, or do you all like falling into stereotypes? Is it so hard to acknowledge people for the person they are, and not skin color. Wasn't MLK that said that he had a dream that people of all races could get together without all the bullshit you're telling me?"
It was now there turn to be shocked. They couldn't believe what I had said. But here's the surprise ending...
"Shut the fuck up! You don't know shit! You have no idea how hard it is for a black man in this White man's world!"
"Yeah, you have no pride in your own race!"
"The only reason you've gotten as far as you did was because you simply turned your back on your roots. What? Are you ashamed to be a black man. A real black man?"
"He's not black. He's just trying to be white. He's as much as a sell out a Eric. A dramatic sell out."
"All you are is reformed black man trying to be white. That's pathetic."
Surprise, shock, disbelief, need I say more? Knowing that my words wouldn't get through to them, I left them with just one question...
"So is being a black man...a man that sticks to his own race? Hates all white men and women? Sits back on there ass and believes everyday the white man is out to get them so much that they don't even try? Is being a sell out, a person that sees something differently by not acknowledging a person there skin color, but by their personality? Is being a sell out, a person that works hard everyday to avoid going through hard times. Is being a sell out, a person that sees the good in everybody, and not there own race?"
They couldn't answer. So I walked away. Now I got almost all my family looking at me differently, but it's worth it. I know what I believe in, and that's that, the reality call of this experience is, no side holds no complete saints. That is how I feel on the matter. And while I can't hate my family for what they believe in, I can't help but wonder if this is what MLK truly wanted for my people.