The Character of America
The refraction of Black issues to benefit other interest and groups of people.
Progress is often times measured by the amount and type of change we see in the world today, but legislative change can only happen through the hearts and willingness of government. Our elected officials must be diverse culturally and progressive intellects in order to have proper unbiased discernment when human rights and freedoms are threatened. As with many nations, its primary goal is to have the interest of their nation as priority. However, too often people who are Black are left out of the equation, and national interest and legislation become change for other groups of people. The problems that Black communities have endured for hundreds of years are sent through the prism of government only to be refracted into primarily serving and benefiting the interest of others. Our labor, anger, blood, lives, trauma, sweat, time and tears are still being used as the catalyst for change for others. This captures exactly who our government is working for and against.
In the midst of the Black Lives Matter human rights movement and the coronavirus pandemic, according to data acquired from the years 2019 to 2020 by CNN, attacks targeting Black people rose to 2,871 from 1,972, and the number targeting Asians jumped to 279 from 161. The number of anti-Jewish attacks dropped from 963 in 2019 to 683 in 2020. Based on the numbers, it took an increase of 118 Asian hate-crime attacks for Congress to immediately pass legislation while the number of hate crimes against Blacks was 12.25 times greater pre-pandemic in 2019. Black people are and have been the most often victimized by hate crimes. The question the American people and government need to ask themselves is, why did it take hundreds of years, several human rights movements, blood shed and millions of lives lost to pass an anti-hate crime law? If we take a look historically at the hate-crime data from the Civil Rights Movement, Jim Crow and slavery, the data comparison related to hate-crimes juxtaposed to 2019 - 2020, inarguably the “decision making process” by government to enact legislation has been and is still grossly biased, discriminatory and fueled by hatred against people who are Black.
Excerpt from COVID-19 Hate Crime Act.
Although, the COVID–19 Hate Crimes Act was introduced to the Senate March 23, 2020 and signed into law May 20, 2021 with the encouragement of Asian lawmakers after a spike in attacks on Asians, the bill did not include any words or language related to hate crimes specifically against the most victimized group of people, Blacks or “African-Americans”, to be treated as a federal crime for prosecution. In fact, this bill mentions Asian and Pacific Islander 8 times and those with disabilities 5 times. Anti-lynching was also not included in this bill. The Emmett Till Anti-lynching Act was introduced by Rep. Bobby L. Rush, January 4, 2020. It was strongly supported by Vice President Kamala Harris (then California Senator) and New Jersey Senator Corey Booker, but it has not passed the Senate due to opposition by Senator Rand Paul who prevented the bill from being passed by unanimous consent.
These are but a few of the legislative decisions and inactions that paints the portrait and character of America. The war on people who are Black continues.
Tupac Shakur, son of Black Panthers
Tupac Shakur is one of the most beloved and acclaimed rappers of all time. His music was not just typical gangster rap, but also featured revolutionary messaging and deep insight into issues that plagued the Black community. The reason for this was because those who influenced him were revolutionaries themselves: Tupac’s mother and stepfather were both involved with the Black Panther Party. Both inspired him to be creative and revolutionary, which led to the Tupac Shakur that we all knew and loved.
It was obvious how much Tupac’s mother influenced his life. After all, he even went as far to write the song Dear Mama about her, which went on to become one of his biggest hits. It was inspired by his mother’s struggles as a single mother who, in spite of adversity, went on to raise him into the legendary man he became. His mother, Afini Shakur, served as a leader in the Black Panther Party, which she joined when she was only a teenager back in 1968.
She was convinced to join after hearing Black Panther Bobby Seale speak in person, who insisted that the revolution could be led by regular, everyday Black people like herself. From there she quickly rose to become a leader in the movement, including mentoring newer members. One such member was Jamal Joseph, who said she would teach people “how to lead themselves.”
Afini taught Tupac about what it meant to be a revolutionary, and worked hard to steer him in the right direction by allowing him to follow his curiosity. She made sure Tupac was involved with the arts, something that allowed his creative talents to flourish and grow into the grammy winning rap career he would go on to have.
Afini Shakur died in 2016 at 69 years old from cardiac arrest. As a member of the Black Panther Party, she was seen as a threat to the US because of their revolutionary words and actions. They wanted to use socialism to take Black people out of the hands of the “racist, fascist US government.” However, she was a philanthropist who continued to give back even in her later years, teaching various forms of art to children at her arts center.
Another revolutionary that went on to influence Tupac was his stepfather, Dr. Mutulu Shakur, who has been a member of the New Afrikan Independence Movement since he was 16 years old. Mutulu also influenced Tupac to rap about revolutionary topics but is also credited with inspiring some of Tupac’s positivity as well. Mutulu gave back to the community by using acupuncture and drug detoxification to treat ailing drug addicts, becoming nationally and internationally known for his achievements in helping patients to turn their lives around.
However, his work as a revolutionary landed him on the radar of COINTELPRO, a counter surveillance operation by the FBI intent on targeting Black leaders across the nation. Mutulu was involved with the Black Panther Party and RAM (Revolutionary Action Movement), which wanted to start an independent Black state in the Southern US. This, along with charges related to the 1981 Brinks robbery, the escape from prison of Assata Shakur and a RICO conspiracy, led to him ending up on the FBI’s most wanted list, which forced Mutulu underground before being arrested.
Mutulu is still in prison now, even though he first had the opportunity for parole in 2016. After over 30 years in prison, he was denied parole for minor, nonviolent infractions. Mutulu is eligible for parole every two years but so far continues to be denied parole, even though he is currently suffering from bone marrow cancer. His wishes for a compassionate release in light of these circumstances have yet to be respected.
Sources:
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/afeni-shakur-davis-activist-organizer-leader-remembered-n567296
https://www.cnn.com/2016/05/03/entertainment/tupac-mother-afeni-shakur-davis-dead/index.html
https://mutulushakur.com/about/
Emmanuel Acho creates a safe place to have Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man
Emmanuel Acho is a Nigerian-American, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author, Sports Analyst, former NFL linebacker and creator, host and producer of the viral and trending digital series called, Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man. This socially conscious series is what Acho calls “a safe place to have the uncomfortable conversations about race that many people have never been able to have.” Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man has received over 80 million views online.
Acho received his first Emmy Award for “Outstanding Short Form Non-fiction or Reality Series” in 2021. He attended the Emmys wearing a suit that honored Blacks lives lost due to violence, hatred and racial crimes. The names were embedded within the suit as the actual pinstripe design. Some of those names included Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and Philando Castile. Ancho stated on Instagram, “…While I wear their names as stripes on a suit, they exist daily in my mind and my heart. The work is not done.”
You can follow Emmanuel Acho on IG @emmanuelacho
Emmanuel Acho has a master’s degree in Sports Psychology from the University of Texas and has won a Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Sports Personality.
source: uncomfortableconvos.com