(ThyBlackMan.com) The country is divided. This is not something that just happened; the division of this country is as old as the nation itself. The problem is not necessarily a lack of conversation, nor narrative, but the lack of truth in the conversation. We cannot expect to find a way to foster a meaningful conversation regarding race and injustice in the Unites States if we can’t face the truth about the Unites States. The greatest act of patriotism, love of country, we have would be taking actions that make the country better. We don’t need the nation to continue to be better for some, we need the opportunity of better for all citizens.
This is necessary to understand in light of the protesting in the NFL. Motive is everything when one decides to take a stand. I can’t simply accept the NFL owners, and players, now taking a knee because it changes the conversation that needs to be had. 
Furthermore, the “unified” appearance of the Dallas Cowboys before the Sunday Night Football game was, for a lack of better words, FAKE.
We must care about what is causing the conversation of race, because that will determine whether or not change can take place. Jerry Jones made it clear that no one on his team was to take a knee during the national anthem. The players knew that doing so would cost them their job. So, lets clear up a major misconception. The Dallas Cowboys took that knee before the national anthem so it was not in protest. Instead it was said to be an action meant to symbolize unity. I believe we can all agree that unity is desperately needed in this country. However, how we foster this unity is important if it is to last. What was demonstrated Monday night was a false sense of unity, because it doesn’t take a stance against the injustice that is at the root of the lack of unity.
What we have seen this past weekend is the NFL owners clap back at Trump in an attempt to send him a message that they are not children that he can trifle with. Furthermore, players that didn’t kneel with Colin Kaepernick took the knee after the president called them SOBs. Granted that is a matter of dignity, but it was also an action to demonstrate that they would not tolerate the disrespect of their mothers which is understandable though we wish death would have moved them sooner.
With all of this going on the cause for a lack of unity was been drowned out in fussing over the flag, the national anthem, and addressing Trump. How can unity come of that? This country has been embroiled in a “conversation” so to speak regarding race since before the country was founded, technically. Though we have seen spirts of progress at different times we, as a country, can’t seem to maintain peace regarding this matter. The bottom line is simple…America has never been honest about the race problems in America.
Black Americans are very aware of the lack of unity in this country as they have been on the receiving end of its hatred and violence since the beginning. Allowing false demonstrations of “unity” doesn’t help the conversation towards racial equality. The narrative is not Trump, the narrative in inequality, police brutality, parents having to bury their children unjustly, and the blatant, systemic, institutionalized racism in this country.
I grew up being told freedom can’t be had without truth. If that is the case how can we get to real unity if, as a country, we are not willing to face the truth behind the division? I cannot ignore the fake unity that attempts to skew the original narrative so that the necessary conversations are avoided yet again. Healing this country is going to hurt because no one will be comfortable, but standing to end the poison of racism and inequality in America will truly allow us to unite.
Staff Writer; Christian Starr
May connect with this sister over at Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/christian.pierre.9809 and also Twitter; http://twitter.com/MrzZeta.