Good Enough Justice for a BLACK Man Named “WHITE”?
CAPS denote my own writing style…
It is safe to start by saying that for the most part because “THE WHITE MAN” conquered and dominated America and other parts of the World for a long time, men of other group and particularly BLACK MEN have lived in the shadow of White men who have quite frankly have a love-and-hate relationship with Black men. There is a FEAR linked with Black men particularly as White America has been able to trust and empower Black women (somewhat purposely) to the detriment of Black men… it is a way of FINANCIALLY emasculating Black men since he is so potent in all other ways even after slavery. I hope to shed light on the low expectations that this type of society has placed on Black men, especially at the intellectual level, which I discovered during my graduate school days through reverse-engineering. I wrote two previous articles that may help you understand this phenomenon and they are as follows:
I have provided you with some additional interesting and related articles at the end… have fun!
Anyhow, without further ado, please allow me to start by saying that even though I learned the basics that I needed to succeed as a child from my Parents in Haiti, it is in America that I learned to become a man (and subsequently not just a man who happens to be Black, but a Black man). My father did instill in me an unadulterated love for the Black race as a young boy... I always found his DARK SKIN TONE imposing and strong and 'til today I still find dark skin so pleasant and it is perhaps attributable to him. But, it is here in American that I went through the necessary ups and downs to create my true convictions and character. I have been able to meet amazing people from all races, nations, religions, and walks of life. I refuse to believe that people are inherently evil because of the latter. YES, some of us do have some DNA-and-culture-based propensities, but even those can’t trump the human spirit when it decides to thrive despite all odds especially when it aspires to be "its" brother's/sister’s keeper. I do have an exceptionally strong, unorthodox and research-grounded core philosophy; bountiful self-love and so much love for life, my loved ones. I’m incredibly educated and have amazing business partners, strong convictions, and an unshakable FAITH. I do feel favored, am TOO CONFIDENT but I am also secretly VERY humble… I have done the highest of executive chores and the lowest of low-skill chores too. I find gratification in all that say or do; have far too many gifts from God than I could ever use… Moreover, I am never depressed and thus I am always optimistic. I rarely have headaches if ever and am rarely ill. I recognize that I am blessed… I hope to share some of my optimism with you. I believe it is both from my attitude and genetics… or better yet from the ALMIGHTY… but what matters is that I am a WALKING TESTIMONY!
I find that my story is not as similar as I would like it to be to that of far too Black American men over the years. I have the privilege of being able to relate to ANY OTHER HUMAN-BEINGS due to professional, educational and social exposure, but there are far too many Black men who simply have been and felt so disenfranchised to the mainstream due to their genesis (i.e., upbringing and start in life). Let me, first of all, disclose that my spiritual ministry (or “extra-curricular activity”) has been and is the plight of young Black men in America. While I minister to any human being and have ministered to young Whites and other groups as well, my primary focus is young Black men as I have been one and can relate and truly feel uniquely called to that end. Let me start by saying that White-male-run America has a deep FEAR of Black man. They are afraid that if Black men get to dominate financially they may retaliate or OUT-MAN them because even without as much financial prowess and number, Black male culture and genes are more dominant and imposing… it’s also more fun and has more swag and UMPH. Can you really blame them for preventing Black men from TAKING OVER…? But somehow, it will eventually happen! I must say that I have met some amazing White men in the past ten (10) years or so. Many of which seem to really want to see drastic changes in favor of Black men. And often the people that we expect the least, the ones that pontificate the least about Black plight are often the ones that actually do more. Politically as well, we may think that one side is doing more for Blacks, when in actuality (or in the long run) another side might actually be doing more.
I must say that from my initial experience as a Black Immigrant to my latest experience in America as a new Black American, the majority of people from all races have treated me respectfully, but I was lucky enough to have been raised by practically extraordinary human beings and/or angels of parents (individuals) and was (for the most part) very well-schooled, educated, decent and well-mannered even throughout my teenage years, not to mention my Aunt Marie who completed the job. I was RELENTLESS... When my predominantly Black High School failed to provide the right resources, I worked from 16 on to get my own materials and take the advanced placement exams. But one should not have to be that relentless and well-behaved as a young man to be given a chance that other groups and certainly Whites who are not that well-behaved in their younger years either seem to have seamlessly. It is PATENTLY UNFAIR.
Needless to say, at first, after I was fed with Black American Stereotypes by both Blacks and Caribbeans, it was easy to feel that, modernly, Black Americans were mostly the culprits in their mistreatment by Whites... that they were lazy, unkempt, loud, uninformed, anti-social, rude, savages etc... AND GUESS WHAT, I was attacked, mugged and robbed my first week in the States by Black American males... and the latter for a while simply reinforced what I was told... I had never met decent Black Americans until later on in life as a adult either in Corporate America or in business. Again, most people in other groups from the time I came to the U.S. to now, have been decent and I have even met amazing people from all races and quite a few of my most esteemed loved ones who have treated better than anyone else are White. However, there have been times in which I saw the ugly heads of racism exercised towards me or other Black men. Those experienced had not ONLY made a MAN out of me, but a SUCCESSFUL BLACK MAN out of me as they were “DO or DIE” situations. I have fought against the ugliness of RACISM/HATRED my way fervently and defended classmates from Undergrad to Corporate America and I am still doing it TODAY through this article whether you understand it or not.
Anyhow, without further ado, let’s talk about MR. WHITE.
In Philadelphia, when Mr. Michael WHITE, a Black 22-year-old former Morgan State University student was found NOT guilty in the fatal stabbing of a local White real estate developer in a case that shook the city because of its racial and social-class dynamics. Naturally, it seems as if it was a major achievement since it was rare that a self-defense trial theory actually worked for a young Black like Mr. “WHITE”, who is not so White at all… How IRONIC, huh? It is rather sad that Blacks in America seemed to have been forever associated with a LIST OF FIRSTS… While it represents their resilience and persistence in overcoming overwhelming racism, it also shows the pervasiveness of the hatred that many people in power still harbor for Blacks and other minorities and that includes many other Blacks who for whatever reason don’t identify as “Blacks” or for some reason believe that their ancestors are of African descent. I experienced the same in Haiti, in which many bi-racials or multi-racials felt superior after their inherited their White parents’ properties. I feel that quite often many bi/muti-racials are torn between two Worlds. In Haiti, it was a Biracial man (Boyer) that ordered the killing of our top Black Haitian leader (Dessalines)... and it probably was one that induced the death of the TOP BLACK MIND AND ORATOR that has even lived (Toussaint Louverture, the genius that ended slavery Worldwide)...
...ANYHOW…
First Black President of the United States…
First Black Man/Woman to do this…
First Black Man/Woman to do that…
First Black Man/Woman to do the other…
It makes it appear as if Blacks were so powerless or disabled that they are not given a chance or allowed to fall through the cracks… it’s just weird to me!
And lately there have been many things in which ALL BLACKS are chosen, such as ALL BLACK FEMALE JUDGES in Georgia or All Black pageant winners etc… those also fall under a list of FIRST as it was the FIRST time that such an occurrence came into play. I see it as extremist cases in which Whites feel bad about robbing Blacks of so many deserved opportunities.
To be honest, I HATE HEARING “FIRST”… I want Black achievement to be so normal or pervasive that it isn’t even mentioned anymore… and is RATHER EXPECTED… See this FIRST THING is an EXPECTATION MANAGEMENT ISSUE. See my article on Expectations Management. See, a Black person shouldn’t have to be a GENIUS to succeed in America because even the most RETARDED WHITE PEOPLE in America get jobs via hook-ups or connections. While it’s not racism to do the latter, it is unjust when they are given jobs over better qualified Blacks.
BACK to MR. WHITE’s CASE… Michael WHITE is a Black man, but he is one of the few Black men if not the first Black man whose self-defense argument has worked despite the fact that the victim is White… it seems like even his last name had to be “WHITE” (play on word) in order to achieve such a feat. Like the many other instances in which Black man were disparately treated, even Mr. White’s name symbolizes just how LOW OF AN EXPECTATION America has on its Black men, who are supposed to become the leaders of their communities. When you send a message that what young White men get seamlessly is a monumental achievement for young Black ones, it creates an expectation issue on both sides, which affects self-worth/concept/esteem on the Black side and superiority on the White side. The latter rather starts at an early age. Little Johnny asks the same question that little Jamal asks but is told that he is smart, perceptive, and engaged, rather than wrong, confused and annoying. It is no accident that America still has what I call a Broken Black Boy (BBB) syndrome, and guess who becomes dysfunctional Black men, YUP, you guessed it, these very BBBs.
Black American men are highly scrutinized in America, and since the MEN are the DESIGNED POTENTIAL LEADERS/PROTECTORS of their communities, if you INTELLECTUALLY DECAPITATE THE BLACK MAN, and you do the same to THE BLACK COMMUNITY at large. Thus, many Black women end up finding surrogates in other communities, many become attracted to other women, men of other races and many end up with Black men who are not happy and feel incapable and become passive-aggressive as they watch their women take care of them and their families as they become ZOMBIE-MEN. It seems like only GENIUS BLACK MEN are able to make it out alive and become leaders, and our White-male society knows that MOST PEOPLE from ANY RACE will not be GENIUSES.
In between the Obama and Trump administrations came a period that might as well have been called the REPLACEMENT OF BLACK MALE PLIGHT with the FEMINISM and GAY PLIGHT. Overzealous people have been embarking on a lot of deeds and misdeeds and so have feminists. Many have gone as far as created false accusations about partially culpable men and implicated other groups and tarnished if not eliminated many legacies. MANHOOD has been replaced with FEMINISM and QUEERNESS and if WHITE MEN are being attacked, then BLACK MEN and BLACK MALE PLIGHTS are simply being erased and/or replaced with the plight of feminists and homosexuals especially post-Obama.
I don’t personally hate homosexuals. I believe that we all have the right to pursue happiness however way possible whether it appears to be natural or not. While it is not my lifestyle and orientation, I leave it up to God and our laws to govern how such people are viewed. But just like HETEROSEXUALS should not impose themselves on HOMOSEXUALS, they shouldn’t impose themselves or their values on Homosexuals either.
In most of the cases in which Black males didn’t get justice, there was not a RACIALLY-DIVERSE-ENOUGH JURY impaneled… in most cases, Black men will get an UNFAIR verdict when an ALL-WHITE JURY is impaneled. This is because of the stereotypes that society has created about Black males. It is almost a perfect way for a prosecutor to assure that s/he will get a guilty verdict.
In society, the same holds true, Black men are not given the same opportunities that White men are given. A Black man nearly has to be a genius to become really successful in America. It is no surprise that those of us that really make it really end up “making it BIG” in the end because we had to overcome so many obstacles.
Still some feminists can come along and concoct the perfection story of misdeeds with the goal of asserting her femininity not only over White men, but over MEN AT LARGE…
HYPOCRISY - Identified
While many have Black Lives Matter signs on their doors, they have failed to PROVE that it matters by INNOVATING GOOD-ENOUGH-APPROACHES to effectuate true generational changes for BLACK MEN. They have failed to MOTIVATE BLACK MEN or to tell them that they belong here…
Often I hear Black men tell other foreigners that “YOU GUYS JUST ARRIVE and yet are treating US” like we are the FOREIGNERS…
IMMIGRATION hasn’t necessarily been a great thing for BLACK MEN. Many foreigners came along and do jobs at wages that would be equate FREE LABOR/SLAVERY to Black men and most Americans. They do it out of desperation and often while a dozen people share a small house or apartment, something that is unacceptable to most Americans.
Many Black women secretly abandon the Black man and connect themselves with money sources in which they are sexually used. Some even keep a White man at home, but live a double life. Yet, others stop messing with what they call “Broke Ass Niggas” altogether. YUP, I have been observing it all for the past 30 years. And last but not least, there is a plethora of Black women messing around with White men that remain single and unmarried because their careers are tied with such men.
So, where does that leave the average non-genius Black American man?
Well, as a result of lack of revenue and consequential drug uses to numb their pains, a great number of Black men either have a criminal record of some sort, which prevents them from getting some kind of jobs, or very poor credit which prevent them from gaining access to certain type of capital to run a business or lack of education and awareness about THE LORINS-PRESCRIBED ROAD TO SUCCESS.
Many Brothers (Black men) are doing great things out there, but when compared to men in other races, they are still far few between. A non-hypocritical society would STOP SEEING Black men like ENTERTAINING AGENTS in SPORTS, MUSIC or even TELEVISION, but rather as the FATHER OF HUMANITY AT LARGE.
It is time for WHITE-RUN SOCIETY to LET THE BLACK MEN be… de-stigmatize them by eliminating all those STUPID RULES involving drugs, past-offenses, and other things that are the DIRECT RESULTS of past and continuing AMERICAN RACISM to begin with… I am not saying that Black men don't have to step up to the plate... but I am saying that society MUST give them a reason to... they shouldn't have to be GENIUSES to overcome America's CHOKE HOLD on them.
As a new Black American man, my New Year resolution is to reach incredible heights, but also to remind Black Americans that “There is no Rising up Unless We Rise up Together "… bringing the EQUITY of BLACK MEN/WOMEN higher as to effectuate a change in the perception we and other people have of us.”
It is also important for White Americans to give as much concern to Black violence as they do to mass shootings that happen at predominantly White schools and areas and often by White students. It is NOT ENOUGH TO IDOLIZE BLACK HEROES as part of a LIST OF FIRSTS (e.g., Dr. King, Rosa Parks, Arthur Ashe…) while blatantly neglecting the plight of the Black American man and the Black community at large, hoping it can self-rescue while White-run entities rescue their White counterparts.
The table of brotherhood should offer a meaningful dialogue for us all, but we MUST ALL BE PRESENT at the table, else it’s a ONE-SIDED DIALOGUE being decided by ONE GROUP ONLY – FILTHY RICH WHITE MEN WITH OLD MONEY…
Do Black Men have the right to SELF-DEFEND against FINANCIAL ASSAULT that he has been dealt with just like MR. WHITE did SELF-DEFEND physically… of course… it shouldn’t take LONG-AWAITED verdicts from which lawyers on both sides will benefit like the $1.25 Billion one won by Black farmers to make a point, while the richest Black man in America, probably a genius, is still worth only $4.5 Billion, when the richest White man (probably not a genius) is worth about $140 Billion, nearly 30 times that of the richest Black billionaire.
My point… at times it feels like it’s impossible for Blacks to catch up… WHITES are so far ahead as they have INHERITED so much OLD (SLAVE MONEY), yet we must NOT forget to be INNOVATIVE… we must CONTINUE to work hard with ALL PEOPLE including WHITES to foster reasons to work together… The more we look from afar at each other the more our differences we’ll keep us apart and the less we’ll understand each other’s plight. The grass is not always greener on the other side anyway.
Let’s change that, let's have a PARADIGM SHIFT… let’s create as many reasons to create Black Male Billionaires as we do with White males… Let’s not demonize and expose all the societal ailments or stereotypes through which we perceive Black males while seeing the most VILIFIED RICH WHITE DUDES in the most dignified way. Let's not MAKE ONLY WHITE RIGHT. It’s an assault on not just Black American men, but Black men at large.
Let’s not make “WHITE” a prerequisite to Justice… let’s make it as INCIDENTAL as in the case that this young man named MICHAEL “WHITE” got justice!
Let’s start in 2020… Social and Financial Justice for BLACK MEN… the ONLY TRUE LEADERS that the Black communities can have!
But we must work with all other groups… we must ENCOURAGE healthy relationships with leaders and thinkers of all other races… ONLY LOVE can bring us peace as human beings despite our genetically, environmentally and spiritually induced propensities.
My main side project is to catalyze progress in BLACK MEN while encouraging ALL people to LOVE EACH OTHER… as only LOVE can banish HATE as GOD is LOVE!
POWERFUL AND “OLD MONEY HOLDING” WHITE MEN must STOP BEING HYPOCRITES:
Mr. Paul Butler, a former prosecutor who was himself arrested and learned how to become a Black man in America said it best:
“With the Russia collusion investigation, we see Trump and his associates bemoaning heavy-handed investigations, how much power law enforcement has, how much power prosecutors have, and Trump being very concerned when prosecutors focus on one select group of people. He gets these concerns when they apply to rich white dudes, but he’s all for that police power and prosecutor power when it comes to policing Black men.”
WHITE MEN cannot have it both ways, if you’re FOR EXCESSIVE POWER against BLACKS, then you must be for the SAME against RICH WHITE DUDES too! Anything LESS is unjust and UNCIVILIZED! Even as a Black TRUMP supporter, I can clearly see this non-balanced way of assessing the goverment's abuse of its police powers.
We cannot continue to put a SOCIAL and FINANCIAL “CHOKE HOLD” on Black men and demonize them and use them as ENTERTAINMENT TOOLS via music and sports alone. Whether it is out of HATRED, or FEAR of RETALIATION or CONTROL, It is still UNCONSCIONABLE at best.
This should be the NEW YEAR RESOLUTION of EVERY WEALTHY WHITE MAN… essentially reversing the trend.
YOU WILL FIND THE FOLLOWING INTERESTING AND RELATED ARTICLES RATHER INTERESTING:
SUGGESTED READINGS:
Paul Butler's - CHOKEHOLD -- Policing Black Men…
A renegade prosecutor’s radical thought on how to disrupt the system
Tope Folarin's - "A particular kind of Black Man...A Novel"
In a RUSH, like my PAPA
-- Peter-son (The Son Of Peter/Pierre) Lorins
Dr. Pete Lorins is the Chief Editor of LorinsPOST.com. This article is sponsored by StrategicOnes.com and Appollogie.com