by sagittarius
I am going to stir the funky and murky waters surrounding this Jason Collins debacle. I am going to take it ALL the way there.
GN has been the canary in the coal mine for nearly a year about the attempted usurpation of Black folks Civil Rights legacy – and she’s been absolutely spot on. I would also suggest that the motive is deeper – and more sinister – than has been suggested.
What is the ONE cultural institution – good, bad or indifferent, that black folk turn to in times of affirmation, struggle or gathering? The Black church. And as is cited in a post below about the ex-fiancée of Collins, the one false meme that will not die, because folks can’t let it, is “extreme Black homophobia’ That lie is uttered nearly in the same breath as ‘because of the Black Church’.
The Black Church has been one of the cultural touchstones that has helped us continue and maintain our African traditions. It strengthens us, it uplifts us, it helps us, it moves us, it gathers us and at times, it even outrages us. But it’s there. And it’s been there for centuries. That’s why they’re mad.
The Civil Rights Movement revealed to the world that we have safe, gathering places. We know how to be quiet and talk amongst ourselves in our places of safety. Our cultural institutions — the church, the barber shop, the hair salon, etc. — are our safe places.
We can be proud and unashamedly Black in these places. We can cry about the injustices occurring in our daily lives at work, school, play — and it is understood and coping strategies are discussed and offered. We can be happy, sad, mad – we can be human in our places of safety — which helps us continue to wear the mask in our interactions with folks who mean us harm. That’s why they’re mad.
The Black Church is the cultural institution that provides our moral voice and raises the clarion call to point out the continued injustices that Black folks in America face. November 4, 2008 did not signal post-racial America; it signaled overt, open season on Black folks. The Tea Party, Koch-owned governors and legislatures all point to this. But we can hold on, cause we’ve got this rock that is stronger than Plymouth and bigger than Gibraltar – and that’s why they’re mad.
If these GLAAD-type racists (and yes, I’m going there) and their acolytes had the ability, the Black Church would become as useless as the NAACP, unfortunately. It would becomes toothless, impotent, ineffective, and co-opted. There is no GLAAD church that can summon the numbers and strength of folks to fight on and do what must be done, despite death threats, hardships, financial ruin, devastation — it doesn’t exist. And that may be the number one reason they’re mad.
So these racists stay coming after Black folks and our institutions in order to defeat us and maintain the order that they’ve always known. I’ve always believed that many white gay men are mad about their status in this society as homosexuals – because they are not accepted by other white folks and that takes away what they think is their God-given right to oppress Black folk. That’s another reason for coming after the church – if you take away all the support systems, then people are left foundering.
So, in conclusion, GN is right – they want to claim the Civil Rights legacy and mantle. But let’s be real clear – they also want to destroy the Black church.
Re: Jason Collins – his big ass been in the league for a decade and averages 1 rebound a game? Seriously? And he thinks he’s Jackie Robinson?
Dude, ain’t nobody threatening you, spitting on you, disrespecting you for just existing. You aren’t living in fear for your family’s safety. You aren’t being asked to go along and keep quiet, so that you can kick the door open for other folks. So stop the bullshit. Just. Stop.
Jason, dear, you couldn’t carry Jack Roosevelt Robinson’s gym bag from UCLA – where he lettered in 3 sports – nor his Army uniform, where he won a court martial – nor his number 42, where he endured more than any human being should in order to pursue the profession he loved. He had Hall of Fame numbers and is in Cooperstown because he was a damned fabulous baseball player.
The closest you will get to the Basketball Hall of Fame is on a tour – be sure and go on half-price day.