A Black Female Student Reflects on Some Conditions!
by
Lytasha Blackwell
As a young African American female in today’s society, I am faced with many obstacles. I sit back and watch as my own people degrade themselves and become complacent with the roles given to them by society.
I know many people are in a uproar about the remarks made by Don Imus. I in no way form or fashion agree or condone his conduct; however, how can we be upset at other races making degrading statements when we ourselves do the exact same thing? In every song and on every block you can hear words such a hoes, and bitches being used freely towards females. When are we going to stand up within in our own communities, and say that this will not be tolerated?
The same for the word “nigga”. Whether you spell it with an er or an a, it still has the same meaning and effect. Many people lost their lives in order to stop others from using that word them and their children. I understand that many feel we have taken a negative and turned it into a positive. If that is the case, why don’t we see Latinos calling each other spics or whites saying “What’s up my honky?” The words are derogatory and people will not tolerate them being said. However, you can walk down the street and hear people of all races saying the N-word but at the end of the day the only people who feel the effects are the African American community.
Have you ever noticed how when an African American is dressed properly and speaks correct English too many among us refer to him as acting white? Then when a white person is dressed in baggy clothing, cursing and, quite frankly, just acting a fool, we refer to him as acting black. Whether we would like to admit it or not we are still labeled as ignorant. Look at the rappers running across the stage grabbing their private parts and going out of their way to get the crowd hyped. That can be looked at as a modern day menstrual show.
Why is it that we make it seem as if the only thing African Americans to excel in is entertainment? That is just about all you see from us on television. We complain that the media degrades us, yet we still watch and support what is being played for our entertainment. You can’t say that you don’t agree with sexism and vulgar language, then go and watch music videos all day. How can we support something that we don’t stand for because we like the beat or some of the lyrics? Honestly, that would be like the KKK making a hot record and African Americans going out to buy it because they like the song.
I wonder when will people have posters of Oprah, Barack Obama, and other prominent black figures on their wall versus Jay-Z and 50-cents. When will we wake up and say I want to be a doctor or a lawyer instead of another statistic?
I hear many people say that the “man” will never allow us to truly be equal and one person can’t make a change. I respond to them, “If Harriet, Nat Turner, Martin, Sojourner, and Fredrick Douglas would have said the things you are saying, we would be on a plantation right now!” To some, it may be true that one person can’t make a difference, but one person can spark a movement of people to make a change. Martin, Rosa, and Malcolm won the battle, and it would be a shame for us to lose the war.
That’s just my opinion.
Lytasha Blackwell
A Black female college student at Southern
Connecticut State University
