(ThyBlackMan.com) It is very easy to get discouraged in the world we live in. Hate seems to be at an all-time high, and it we are reminded of the history we thought had ended. We do not live in a post-racial society, and there is a high chance we never will. The hand black people have been dealt in this country is less than human. If one reads history it is clear black people were not meant to be anything more than the property of a white person in the United States. If one wishes to challenge that notion it would be best to look at the foundation of this country and its laws. Granted it sounds beautiful on paper…it was not meant for everyone. “We hold these truths self-evident that all men are created equal.” That one sentence is constantly repeated, but we should look at the context because if this government ever thought to strip the humanity of its citizens it was to be destroyed, and created to restore real liberty. Unfortunately, we were never truly considered citizens’ worth protecting.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
— That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”
Though we weren’t seen as human, hence our humanity was not, and is not, recognized we must remember our resilience as a people. Those that came before us faced challenges that truly seemed insurmountable yet they pressed forward. We come from a lineage of resilience, and those that seek to oppress us come from a lineage that was aware of this weapon. At the core of our resilience has been hope. A hope that we could rise above the position of pain and servitude that we were forced to endure by no fault of our own.
The hope that an enslaved person could be free, and seen as equal in a country their backs were broken to build. Evidence of this resilience was seen in places like Tulsa, Ok and it was known as Black Wall street. Burning that progress, and others like it, to the ground was not simply about destroying the present lives. It was a message to anyone that would come after saying there is not use in hoping, because we will destroy your progress…and that of the generations to come.
That message was definitely understood, as it is difficult for us to come together and build in unity. However, we must remember our strength lies in hope, and that is housed in our resilience. We stand on the shoulders and blood of those that choose to push forward regardless of the lynching, beating, segregation, police dogs, incarceration, destruction of property, and many other great injustices. Murder has reminded us we do not live in a post racial society. Yet, we must not lose heart…our resilience is strong…we need only hope, and believe in that strength together. Sometimes we need to remember.
Staff Writer; Christian Starr
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