*Disclaimer, I wrote this as one of my college essays WAY back in the day, happened to find it cleaning my house.. still hits home to me, hence the post, Please continue love and let the hate die*
-Wade the Waters
My name is André. Born in Dayton, Ohio in a rough area in the 80’s, 86 to be exact. I have two awesome parents, a mother and a father, who have made sacrifices of their own to get me and my brother to where we are now. Not to mention they are still head over hills in love; how I strive to be one of these days. I have a house, a job, and two degrees. I coach, tutor kids in the inner city in math and reading comprehension, as well as the suburbs where I now reside. I am also 6’5 with dreads and hella tattoos.
Why is it that America only sees me as the previous sentence?
Why is America afraid of me?
Why are they afraid of you?
Why are we labeled as “monsters”?
What have I done to you that should be viewed as monstrous?
Why are they still clutching their bags so tight on the bus?
Why can’t “they” acknowledge me when I just said excuse me as I’m trying to maneuver around?
…Do “they” really know the power we possess? Do you?
Black folks, we are a people that were created from the highest power, building pyramids, studying astrology, teaching astrology, art, food, the culture of the world began with us! Don’t you forget it! “The system” and gentrification has changed the overall landscape of the country, from cities like Nashville, Tennessee, all the way to the Nation’s Capital. When the gentrification process takes place it usual involves a raise in property tax, building a few juice stores, an organic market, building a new major road through a “hood”, and watch the change happen. And it seems like white America (who do majority of the gentrifying) is doing it with no shame, no tact, like karma doesn’t exist still. In DC, gentrification has taken over uptown (Northwest corridor of DC), and now the south side, pushing us to other areas in the Metro DC area. The question is why can’t we get them back? Or Is it too late to get them back? Did we lose DC for good? U street was a popular destination for our folks to live, flourish, entertain and have no worries (Hakuna Matata style). H street, Columbia Heights, and the Shaw neighborhood were areas for us. How do we regain that nostalgic satisfaction in a newer generation? How do we rebuild anew? How do we continue to pick up a pot that keeps breaking? Sole Entrepreneurship is that answer. The government has failed us and honestly will continue to. Why are we fighting for someone, something, or some idea that doesn’t and will NEVER love us? This is similar to a woman I dated that cheated on me, but her ass was phat, so I tried to turn a blind eye and not look at her phone knowing she talking to Jack who resides in Old Town Alexandria. “Maybe it’s because he has all them damn stocks and that boat by the river, ugh”. Knowing he comes from that “long money”, I was the first to graduate college in my family (HBCU at that).
U street and all those areas I just mentioned are in fact probably lost forever in terms of African- American gain. The question is are you going to let history repeat itself for our new areas we live in? I’m sure as hell not! Standing our ground is the true way, turning the cheek is not. We’re tired of turning that cheek. If America comes for our black businesses and neighbors, to destroy it in any way, will you retaliate? There may be another period where your kid’s kids will be forced out. But you can start now to fix that and build that generational wealth up. This is a call for all black folks to get…it…together.
But listen clear and understand what I am saying, we are not to strike first. We need to have a “one and done” notion here. Meaning, if America so much as offer us bribes, threats, even a gift basket, we politely decline; tell them “no” we are black owned and will be black owned FOREVER. Tell them if they come around again after you have declined their offers, matters will be taken into the community’s hands as see fit. In these times, we can not leave any space for wiggle room or error in how we present our requests. Most of all, take pride in telling America that you decline! Your people WILL support you. Spread the word!
Sensitive people will say this is “race war” talk, “you don’t like white people”, “this is not the Christian way”-
- This isn’t a race war. This is an “equality war”. Equality means the state of being equal. Would you say America is equal? The real American history will say no. Harriett Tubman, Marcus Garvey, Sojourner Truth, Fredrick Douglas, Malcolm X and MLK, all strived for equality by many tactics, some agreed with, some disagreed with, majority FAILED. However, these folks showed us it can be down, we can be heard!
- I LOVE white people, I HATE crackas, and only crackas will be offended by this statement.
- As a Christian man, I love all people but will not tolerate disrespect from someone who hates me and doesn’t know me, And their assumptions of me probably stemmed from a generational construct, which it is not my job to tear down… do your research, if your serious.
I ask America simply, Why? Especially for my people of color, but free speech will prevail
My question is what makes you think your black skin is even valuable here? In America? You think the good ‘ol Declaration of Independence was to make YOU feel free? You thought “We the People” included your hue? Let’s not kid ourselves, not 250 years ago we were still 3/5’s a man. I think dogs and cats had more “rights” then. In America, “We the People” meant “We the White People”. So, what value does your skin really have in their eyes?
Look at most of America today. We BUILT this motherfucker. Our ancestor, bled, cried, were raped, separated, castrated, experimented on, and murdered for the landmarks in our country. So Drew Brees can miss me with that bullshit, as if Black Americans don’t know what the flag means, and who REALLY stitched!!! I’m saying “our” because we built it. Places like Washington, DC, Philadelphia, New York City, Chicago, Cleveland, St. Louis, New Orleans; we built those cities. And now who is the new slave? Hispanics! You guys please uncover the wool from your eyes before it’s too late. I respect the Hispanic community though! As a youth moving from Ohio to Virginia, I met the first Hispanic person I ever knew, and they spoke Spanish, it was a culture shock to me. However, the real eye opener was to see how they empowered each other. It was a blessing to see. I pray the whites don’t screw ya’ll like they are doing us. I have a solution for our people.
We need to start positioning ourselves to be the cream of the crop again, especially financial, capital gains are key to American dominance. Too many decades and centuries have passed for us to still be shitted on. Black communities, it’s our time and a time to welcome others; our own. Yes, this approach has been applied before but not at this magnitude, especially with social media. Our time is now. Black owned stores, businesses like skating rinks, restaurants, banks, hospitals, schools, and cops; someone we feel safe to speak to, not to fear. We need to know these people, like they need to know us. We depend of states and the will to provide our kids with an education with books older than them. Washington DC aka Chocolate City used to have this problem in the late 90’s, and this is the capital of the country. And blacks were the ones getting these outdated books.
Why do we keep putting up with this? Then complain when our kids are struggling with math; a universal language, and can’t get into a school they desire, and that’s only if they were made aware of the opportunities of college. It’s our time now people. Of course, this won’t be 100% effective. There will be holes in the plan, which can always be filled. But a time and a place is all we need. The time is now, and the place is America, the place we built. I’m not going back to Africa, I’m from Dayton, Ohio! What to do with the individuals who can’t, won’t or refuse to live for the people in our peaceful black communities? Let the Vikings have them. They will find out how silly their mistake was and a lesson they will never forget, urging to come back to our community. Oh yea, we will patent ALL our music, clothes, style, slang, walk, inventions. We want all of our coins, and rightfully so. This was Americas strong hold on the black race.
“Separate but equal” is what I’m preaching. I still feel we need a connection with the white man but not in a community living type of scenario. We need them in a therapeutic sense. Malls, parks, highways, white folks are everywhere, and they make it known. Analyze them like they have been doing us from the day we got off the Isabella slave ship. See how they operate, see what they do, what they laugh at, who they are laughing at, who are they fighting for, see how they help when someone is in need. Then come “home” to our community and just feel the warmth. It’s our time. We need to claim it. Not all white people are bad, I understand and fully grasp that concept very well. I have my reasons.
I NEED MORE JOHN BROWN’S ON MY TEAM IF YOUR GOING TO BE HERE. THAT’S THE ONLY WAY
Not all of us can be trusted either, hence if rules are broken within our community they can be removed. We were always a loving, caring, nurturing, FORGIVING people and always will be. Americans dark past has been swept under a confederate rug and the rug hasn’t been thrown out yet. It will continue to leave a mark on all its people until we address, but right now we still allow it. I’m fucking tired.
We need to protest and I’m glad to see people are doing it!!!! Keep it up America. The wage gap between blacks and whites is literally night and day (pun intended), were white america’s median income is 10x the amount of blacks and it’s not getting any better. Remember what I said about attaining capital. Capital is key in America. Stop purchasing products from white establishments, Stop buying clothes you can’t afford, Stop using credit cards, those are the devil! Let us live within our means first and them grow as a unit and show America who is really the Kings and Queens. The time is now!
This man showed me what it took to grind, and grind together as a people. The black dollar had some weight.
Wade the Waters
~1~
WADEthewaters 