Issues Under Fire: Black Men and the American Nightmare
Actually, if you really think about it, "the Black Man" is America's nightmare. If only because the amount of fear generated at the very sight of one, what else can a Black man be? While observing media coverage of the latest racially charged incidents involving policer officers killing unarmed Black men, it became apparent, these issues are rooted in fear.
As quietly as it's been kept, the Black Man has become the monster in America's nightmares. One could argue, the Black man is America's quintessential boogyman. The unspoken message to many in White America is, if you see one, run. If cops are fearful of Black men, imagine how the average White citizen must feel. Whether White America's fear of the Black man is justified or not, that fear is real to them and it must be acknowledged.
It must be horrible for White America to have Black men walking their streets freely when they pose such a threat. Unpredictable and unable to be trusted, the more physically superior specimens amongst them must be controlled. What if they got angry? Handling an angry Black woman is difficult enough, but a Black man is another story altogether. Many White Americans must wonder if they'll always be burdened by the Black man's presence and what came be done about them. These are questions some in White America must grapple with daily.
In a politically correct society, these issues will never be openly discussed, but they're certainly there simmering under the surface. Was the free labor slavery provided in the past worth this future? Where and when did it all go wrong? Can the clock be turned back to a time before Black men demanded equal rights? When did they get so smart? Who let it happen? Was it that ugly bastard Lincoln? And for God's sake, how did a Black man ever become President of the United States?
Considering White America is experiencing a devil of a time deporting millions of undocumented Brown men, getting Black men off their streets will be damn near impossible. Although, where there's a will, there's a way. Since Black men have been so successfully demonized and vilified, the general public will believe any negative stereotype assigned to them. Black Guy = Bad Guy and law enforcement handles the rest.
When Black males engage in even minor youthful indiscretion, they're dealt with as harshly as possible. Hence, any early brushes with the law will negatively impact him for life. If a young Black man is unfortunate enough to be tagged with a felony, he is, for all intents and purposes, condemned to living outside the mainstream, while his only means of support will come from a career in petty crimes or worse.
Since felons can't vote in many states, are barred from most decent employment opportunities or even serving in the military, the tag loser is also firmly affixed to his life's profile. A Black felon is not exactly an attractive catch for a single woman looking for a mate, so a stable family life is bound to be elusive as well. When the stable family life option is removed, any offspring produced, will likely suffer the same fate. Thus, the perpetual stigma of the most undesirable element in America.
Perhaps that explains why Black men are targeted at birth for a life behind bars if he's lucky or shot dead in the streets if he's not. Considered a prime suspect for just about any crime imaginable, the Black man is carefully monitored in public spaces (especially stores), stopped questioned and searched at random, identified and placed in a data bank to be referenced for future contact. And, until the Black man is locked up for good, there is always future contact.
Bottom line: When Black men find themselves in such dire straits, not only does it fulfill White America's fear filled prophecies, it allows America's legal system to be used to remove them from society. Case closed; next case! It may be as simply as that. Still, if we can figure out how the "Black Guy" became America's favorite "Bad Guy", perhaps we can allay some of White America's fears. This is a mystery, that if allowed to linger, could tear this country apart.
BTW, just below, you'll find another cool episode of Rocky Jordan entitled," The Map to Murder". If you enjoy it, share it. C-Ya Monday
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