I was Seven or Eight years old when I was called the ‘N’ word for the first time, and on occasion, rocks were thrown at us all throughout the Three or Four years we lived in this particular New England neighborhood and were old enough to walk to school (later in life the ‘word’ was spewed at me occasionally but less frequent), both my sister and I, who was two years older than me. We lived in a mostly white neighborhood, Irish Catholic I believe, and I guess we were considered ‘brown’ kids, we had a darker complexion and dark brown eyes. It was the late Seventies & early Eighties, the white-as-ivory delinquents didn’t know any better, it was what was happening in their environment and what they saw on television or read in newspapers (if they could even read). Back then I thought about it a lot, I knew it was deep-rooted hate but at the time I didn’t know why (and I could only imagine the racial hate that’s been happening to African Americans for decades, especially down South, and it hurt and affected me deeply). They would scrunch up their face and nose and would clearly and slowly pronounce N-I-G-G-E-R with such venomous hate, and I was in disbelief confused horror. Years after I realized it was systemic racism, an instant uncontrollable thought, a fiber of their being and frame of mind & violent ignorance, or that they truly thought white people were superior to black people, I started dating a guy (total tool with no depth or intelligence) in my late teens and one night out of love and elation (a few beers in me as well) I lifted my arms up over my head and said “I love black people”, he broke up with me the next day.
My eyes are welling up as I write this piece, I’m jubilant and just happy with the current times. The BLM movement and racial injustice protests mean more to me than I realized at first, it was probably just stored away pain or I thought real change would not come of this, I didn’t want to get my hopes up. This is our civil rights movement that happened in the Sixties and I am ecstatic and bursting with excitement for the change that will take place. It is so important that we keep up with these protests and continue until real change takes place (we just now have to wear really cool masks). Political change and changes within police departments and the prison justice system can happen very soon but I think it will take a couple of years for deep-rooted systemic racism and true racial equality & racial justice to take place, but hey I could be wrong (they’re just hopeful heartfelt thoughts), It takes longer to get out of a hateful mess than to start one. These are historic, amazing, and important times we’re living in and the civil unjust that has been happening for many, many years after the civil rights movement, well we now have proof, smartphones. We had video proof for years now but I think I and Americans had just reached a point where we can not take it anymore and things must change for our well-being, country, livelihood & state of mind, emotionally and mentally. Enough is enough!
I think we need to have a female VP nominee of color to keep this movement going and stay alive and last for years and years, and to make a strong statement. We all have been waiting for many years for this and there’s no way in hell we can stop now. If I had a ton of money I would start an organization and try to make sure these protests and the BLM movement continue and never dies out until real, significant & visible change has been made. Please, everyone, keep in mind that you do not have to be black or come from a first or second generation of African American descent to start another BLM movement or organization. Fight, fight, fight, peacefully of course.
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