How do African Americans wrap our minds around the puzzling picture of what is an appropriate fit in our cultural and intellectual scheme of things? We don’t choose to see the bigger picture, that of the cultural collective that requires each of us to bring to the table for discussion those questions that we banter about in private circles and public forums each and every day. Questions like: How do we strengthen the bonds between us? How do we better support family?
How do we grow stronger as individuals in this place, without beating each other down and defaming our race?
How? One person at a time. The struggle goes on without care for those pieces that don’t fit or regard for who put them there.
To grow our community in a special way, and not create puzzles that are insolvable, we have to redirect our energies every day. What puzzles intellectuals like Dr. Cornel West you see, are why aren’t we on the path as we ought to be. While our counterparts appear on Fox TV making infuriating statements about our president, and acting as though he doesn’t have the right to represent. But we read reprint after reprint of the wholesale sins of African American man who were packing when taking a stand and whose fate and futures are now in someone else’s hands. What about our commitment to each other and your brother man?
What divides us my dear brother, you see, is that you are going to be the same brother who attacks me. And yet from the president you really aren’t being heard. Do you how the Willie Lynch doctrine occurred? And even without knowing how vile this thing was, we are teaching our children to follow inanely and do as he does. We put Willie Lynches in political offices and high places, where they remain to this day. They sit as board chairs and act as though they are high and mighty you see, when they are still forming the pack to turn against you and me. So we ask the question, why does a brother attack another brother in this day? And why do time-worn tricks still work on us today? Other folks used to come and find Negroes who were abused, to add to the collective — all standing together and used. And would it just blow Dr. King away to witness brothers using brothers much to his dismay?
Purveyors of conflict and negativity say “yes,” you have a right to speak. They say “oh yes” do it poorly enough and you’ll make the argument weak. What does it matter anyway, when you want to take away the dreams we have? What are you working toward? The other thing the Willie Lynches do know, is that they pull us under in the undertow and drown the possibilities and prospects of getting ahead. Do you still think this race puzzle is just in their heads? They convince us to reason that we shouldn’t support the president.
While men are argue about paying child support and that to often ends in domestic violence, the rest of us shake our heads, muttering “It just doesn’t make any sense.” And the political pundits that would wonder why we are all upset, demonstrate on the regular their lack of acuity. The intellectual capital is so very valuable, but when we see this puzzle we should ask ourselves why are these parts of our lives all askew. This type of neglect and disdain for each other is so out of place, because not being supportive of your own race is a disgrace.
We should support the principles that reflect every man, and move us closer to solving the puzzle on how we can grow our families and our economies in this land. We should not wait for others to tell us what to do. If the puzzle pieces don’t look right, don’t put force them to fit in your life or your personal space — your body is your temple and it’s just not right.
Freedom of expression and even the conversation that comes that way, it does not play well when we can see through it today. We want you to move in a way that is meaningful to you.
We ought to be spending more at Spelman, Howard, FAMU, and teaching our children what we expect they’ll have to do. Solve the puzzle and our community can have such a have a larger slice of the pie, not just bits and pieces of the lie.
It’s hard when a brother is trying to hit you with powerful words in the head, and brings you pieces of the puzzle instead. So try not to hurt someone and be not confused by the words I’m saying.
We need our president for another term. He is here for so many. He is there for our children so they can see the puzzle forms a picture, but they must understand that they have to make it their project to find the pieces that fit. Like their minds to their hearts, and their hands to their dreams. It’s our job to help them climb higher than even you, so let us be careful what we say and what we do. Peace.
–Munson Steed
