The Will to do Better

I’m no fan of showbiz awards shows. I think they lack integrity and very rarely reward excellence. However, they are highly regarded by people in the industries; and they do like to be recognised and honoured. At this year’s Oscars all Will Smith had to was dress up, get to the venue, smile and wave, sit his ass down, pick up his award, give a speech, smile and wave again, sit his ass down; smile and wave some more and then leave. Instead he sat down in 2022, and then decided to get up in the 1920s and play out the dated “he done wronged my woman” trope and be a knave. So now him deciding to play the fool has us all looking like chumps and debating whether it’s ok to assault another person over an “insult”. 

As a Black man I am part of a larger community that has had to acknowledge and address historical and endemic violence by Black men towards women, children and the community in general. Particularly physical and emotional violence towards women. While tackling violence is a work in progress I had hoped that within the Black community there was acceptance that the pattern of violence that we had been seeing was wrong and needed to stop. Reading a lot the reactions to the ‘Oscars slap’, it is clear the problem of violence by Black men is as big a problem as it has ever been. 

No one should expect celebrities to be role models and they have a right to conduct their lives free from presumption and undue expectations. However, actions have consequences and when a person chooses to slap another on live television in front of millions around the world then you can expect ‘the butterfly effect’ to come into play. I’m sure that it is likely that in the week following ‘the slap’ there will be probably around five homicides or attempted homicides where the perpetrator would have had Will Smith’s action in mind before committing the act. They are going to think that after Will Smith they can’t now be caught slipping; and need to show that they are not punks. It has been unfortunate to see so many people trying to normalise this type of behaviour as being necessary in defence of his wife. One would have hoped that such people would be able to distinguish between protecting and defending a person. 

No one can say exactly what went through Will Smith’s mind in the moments before he stepped on stage to commit that egregious act but we all know what probably shouldn’t have. Over the coming weeks I’m sure he will be presented with many opportunities to give his perspective on what happened. I can only hope that whatever explanation he gives is honest and responsible. 

Fighting Racism Matters

The experience of being discriminated against and abused because of your race in societies that you have been born into and grown up in is unique to people of colour. The longstanding nature of racial discrimination has meant that it has become innate and systemic in most western societies. This doesn’t deny the efforts of some groups to combat and make amends for it. However, it is counterproductive to continue to argue that the existence of systemic racism is not an issue. It means that the history of racial prejudice and discrimination is not taught comprehensively in communities or schools, and it poses a real danger to people of colour and social cohesion. 

As Black people and persons of colour we are not a homogeneous group. This is despite a lot of individuals from majority populations not being able to tell people of colour apart. Whether we are Asian, from the Pacific Islands or African, including by birth or heritage we are all very different people. In fact people from any two different African countries are very likely to be nothing alike and have little in common. However despite all these differences our experience of racism, prejudice and discrimination remains singularly uniiform. If you take a look at America any group of persons of colour may differ in culture, norms or perspectives but will still face the absolute same experience when it comes to discrimination. In fact if a being from outer space landed in America today it is most likely to be more welcomed than a hard working, well spoken and educated person of colour. 

People of colour need to go on a journey of self development that means they are able to support themselves and give back to their communities. We need older people to do more to promote socially aware values that espouse empowerment and self awareness. Young people need to feel inspired to develop themselves and adopt lifestyles that allow them to be independent and enlightened. We cannot wait for reparations before we recognise and repair the rifts in our own communities. Even reparations will not initiate the empowerment and solidarity that people of colour need to uplift their communities in majority White societies. The discussion of reparations might trigger some opportunities to highlight the challenges of striving for racial equality. However, right wing governments and politicians are extremely ready to vigorously deny the space to even have the discussion in a public arena. Any attempt to raise and pursue the issue of historical and systemic racism is seen as a threat rather than an opportunity to work towards a better understanding of the needs and challenges of minority communities. 

The recent racial criticism and abuse of English footballers who participated in the 2021 European Football Championship says a lot for how racial intolerance is very much alive in high society and underbelly of the nation. There might have been any number of players who underperformed during the tournament but it was the Black players who were particularly singled out for abuse. It made no difference that the Black players had represented their country with pride and distinction. The sort of racism they have been subjected to is not isolated or a rare occurrence. It is the sort of prejudice that people of colour experience on the streets, in school, in the workplace and during interactions with public institutions. This speaks to a level of institutionalised racism that needs to be acknowledged in order to be addressed. 

Society versus Black People

© Emanu

At what point would a police officer stopping a Black person not feel threatened? We know it isn’t when the Black person is unarmed. Certainly not when putting hands up and complying with policing orders. Not when the Black person is handcuffed and pinned to the ground. Not when the Black person is running away. Not even when it’s an unthreatening Black senior military officer in uniform. Not when a Black person is in their own home and reacting to an unauthorised entry by a police officer. There is clearly a problem with policing in America.  It’s not just the case of a few bad apples. The police approach policing Black people with the mindset of a farmer stalking a predatory animal on farmlands.

For those saying Daunte Wright wouldn’t have been shot if he wasn’t resisting arrest; even if that had saved him what about the next Black person killed while not resisting arrest? There is always another excuse or reason to use violence rather than de-escalate incidents involving Black people. The fact that the police are killing unarmed suspects is a sign this is about a lot more than just the high incidence of crime in Black neighbourhoods or armed criminals. There is a deeper issue here and it reflects something that is instilled, or at the very least reinforced during police training and induction. It is literally the standard response to a dispatch call involving Black people for the police to violently engage. 

The fact that the police believe that in all cases of deaths from an interaction with a Black person they are unlikely to be convicted, if ever charged has encouraged a ‘shoot first’ mentality. It almost doesn’t matter what the circumstances are there is almost always an assumption of justified killing. And in almost all cases this is backed up by the justice system. So now we have a situation where not only is police behaviour inherently illegal; there is almost no way of holding it to account through the justice system. In too many cases the District Attorney chooses not to prosecute. And where the cases go to court the jury rarely comes forth with a guilty verdict. 

It must be said that this a deeper reflection of the society we live in. One where White people still cross the road or clutch their valuables at the sight of a Black person. Depictions of Black people in the media still echo the stereotype of drug crazed criminal gangbanger from way back. It is no surprise that the percentage of Black people in prison far exceeds that of White people. It says something about why a higher proportion of Black people are subject to compulsory mental health orders. It is undeniable that health inequalities and deprivation are higher in Black neighbourhoods. And not due to a lack hard working individuals. 

It cannot be denied that we live in times where the police see Black people as dangerous threats, the justice system sees us as deserving of punishment, and the White majority see us as ill intentioned intruders. In the workplace employers do not want to promote career advancement for Black people.  In education Black students are routinely told to limit their aspirations. In business Black proprietors often find it difficult to break into mainstream markets. But strangely enough, society is content to see us excelling at singing and dancing; and running and jumping. So I guess things can’t be that bad.

With things being the way they are people will have to get used to Black people marching and agitating to make things better and get a fair shake. As long as we are here, and there have been no lack of effort put towards getting rid of us; there has to be a place for us. And we deserve the opportunity to make the place ours. We want to save the planet and protect endangered species but we also want to see Black Lives Matter.

 

One Small Step for Equality, No Giant Leap for Black People

©Disney

The battle to overturn systemic racism and end police brutality is going to be the fight of all our lives. Just having the world wake up to the real issue of racist oppression and the havoc it has, and is wreaking on Black people is a major win. However, it is not the only battleground we have to show up at, and fight hard to make  gains on. Whatever gains we make in overthrowing the oppressive system cannot be consolidated unless we Black people actually uplift and enlighten ourselves. If we don’t become better as individuals, and a people then it will all be for nothing.

How many Black people have felt stigmatised in their communities for focusing on their education, careers or health? It is typical for Black people dismiss other Black people as squares or wannabes for wanting to get an education. Building a career and getting a regular office job is often considered selling out. Adopting a healthy lifestyle for anything other than aesthetics is seen as just an incomprehensibly lame thing to do.

During this covid-19 pandemic Black people have not always shown the best judgement or awareness of personal or public safety. And this is despite the fact that we have been one of the groups most vulnerable to infection and serious illness. Too often Black people have been some of the first to show up at illegal raves, and some of the last to socially distance or wear a face covering. We need to understand the difference between being a smartass and actually being smart. The reckless behaviour has not been atypical of the behaviour of a lot of Britons; who have preferred to wear their masks on their chins, off their noses, on their necks, over an eye, on their belts, and in their hands. But Black people cant afford to just follow the prevailing wind. They need to know when to be better. 

We need more people in families and the local communities to be role models to the rest of our people. It is fine to admire celebrities and the wealthy but their lives do not reflect the reality most of us have to contend with. We need people to set the right examples in getting the most from education, how to work hard, being responsible, and giving back to the community. People can lose their way or fall foul of the law and become rehabilitated. We want to be able to laud them for their resilience and redemption rather than hold them in thrall as outlaws or rebels. We can’t afford to give up on ourselves. 

Good parenting needs to be restored to it’s rightful place; front and centre of the Black community. Whatever the make up of the family, the upbringing of children must be given the priority it needs. That isn’t to say that it will be easy or without considerable challenges but it is central to how we as Black people make a better future for ourselves. In order to be better parents and role models to young people Black people need to reflect on what their values are; and how they deal with the personal and social challenges facing them. If people cannot show resilience and fortitude then it is unlikely they will inspire the youth to walk a path of integrity and selfless service. 

The hope we have is that we as a people enlighten ourselves and find the strength to stand tall in the face of inequality and oppression. In making better choices we can encourage the youth to become aspirational and personally fulfilled. The danger we face isn’t missing our way but in never having a better path to follow.