The black race is in the spotlight right now, majorly due to the active #BlackLivesMatter movement which has been going on for a few weeks now around the world. These protests have been going on to bring global attention to the plight of black people and the clogs in the wheel of our progress, as it involves racial discrimination, hate crimes, and abuse by the system. In other words, we are telling the world the problems we are facing as a race.
Aside from these issues, there is a black stereotype which, like it or not, also happens to be one of these major clogs that hinder the progress of the black race. A clan that is toppled by its enemies will rise again, but that is crippled from within remains dead. We are out here in the streets marching and demanding that we are given the same opportunities, treated better than we are presently, and so on, while we are consciously or unconsciously forgetting to address those stereotypes that black people have been tagged with.
In as much as these stereotypes do not apply to the totality of the black race, it is important that they are addressed, as it can lead to major issues that could end up affecting black people anywhere or everywhere. One of them is the issue of black-on-black crime, which happens to be one of the highest numbers of crimes committed within a black setting. This issue occurs not just in the United States of America, but widely in Africa where issues like this arise on almost a daily basis. Inflicting pain or harm on each other is no way of showing our resolve to the world. Do not get me wrong, other races may have similar issues, but this is not about them; this is about the black community. If we happily and without compassion, hurt our brothers and sisters, we are showing the rest of the world that it is OK to treat black people in the same way.
See – Black man in America and Europe Vs Black man everywhere else – The Struggle for Relevance, Dominance
Another issue is the problem of illiteracy. Again, this does not apply to every black person, but since it is one of the stereotypes we have been tagged with, it is important that we do something about it. Most black persons feel the need to make money than go to school, with the excuse that either the school system does not benefit black people or that it is a total waste of their time and resources. Education goes beyond the textbook; it incorporates various life processes, contacts and association that can help build not just your intellectual capability, but your general well being. With mass illiteracy being a problem, a lot people result to crime, terrorism and other vices. Yes, the system may still fail you despite getting an education, but you would not have failed yourself, as you would depend on whatever knowledge you have amassed to scale through.
Violence is another tag we have to resolve. Despite this not being applicable to every black person, we must shun violence. During the series of protests held in the streets of the U.S, some black people have chosen to use this opportunity where we finally have the attention of the world, to engage in looting and destruction of property. Yes, we are angry at the marginalization we have had to bear for a long time, we have to understand that in order to fix our home, we do not need to destroy it. This goes beyond the incidents recorded in the protests, to every member of the black community, we have to ensure that we seek peaceful resolve in all our problems. Violence creates room for more violence.
We must ensure that we are not exhibiting the same stereotypes that we have been tagged with. We must ‘clean out our houses’ and ensure that we get rid of all of them. Nobody is perfect, but nothing is wrong about being perfect in the midst of imperfections. We must ensure that we rid our community of black stereotypes, which is also a clog in the wheel of our progress.
