KJIPUKTUK (Halifax) – It’s nearing the end of 2020, and Black Lives Matter, Black Voices Matter, Black Minds Matter, Black Votes Matter, Black Children Matter, Black Families Matter, Black Ambitions Matter, Black Self Esteem Matters, Black Love Matters, Black Heritage Matters, Black Lineage Matters, Black Businesses Matter, Black Emancipation Matter, Black Traditions Matter, Black Histories Matter, Black Human Rights Matter, Black Reparations Matter, Black Spirituality Matters, Black People Matter, Black Liberation Matters and Justice for Black People Matter and the list goes on.
The truth is since the rape of Africa and the trans-Atlantic slave trade, African peoples world wide have never been given their due respect and systemic racism cost us dearly. Countless numbers of African people have been killed just because they had brown skin and were African.
White supremacist, their supporters and followers — including many in some governments around the world — hold the belief that white people are superior to those of other races, especially Africans, and therefore should dominate them while maintaining and defending their system of wealth, power, and unearned and undeserved privilege.
In Canada, the United States and other countries many institutions and so-called systems of justice do not work for African people, but rather work against African people.
These institutions and systems of injustice continue to treat Black African people as if we are field animals; in most cases they treat their animals better than human beings of Colour.
This illogical and irrational narrative has to change. Many police officers in Canada, the United States and indeed Nova Scotia seem to strongarm the enforcement of white supremacist beliefs while brutalizing persons of African descent, while many government officials turn a blind eye.
I would be remiss, if I did not mention that many police officers are tired of hearing about racism, well stop being racist!
The oppression of African peoples is real and has included prolonged cruel unjust and inhumane treatment over time. The oppression of African peoples also includes persecution, abuse, arbitrary use of power or control, brutality, exploitation, the intentional infliction of pain and suffering, induced planned poverty, mental anguish, and on-and-on.
Some individuals see band-aid changes and misguide themselves into believing that true change has come. They could not be further from the truth. One can colour an apple orange but it is still an apple. Racism, poverty, political, social, and economic inequality is still a fact of life on a daily basis for African peoples.
Laws have been directly created on the backs of African People to keep others in power and privilege. Many governments have been elected by the hate vote to support the continuation of racism (power and control, privilege and profit).
So what can be done to change this corrupt system of Hate that continues to hurt African peoples and others?
I truly believe that a difference could be made if there was open and honest dialogue on racism and if those individuals that claim they are allies would take significant action to honestly stand up against the evils of racism.
After all, African people did not develop racism and did not benefit from it, therefore the creators and beneficiaries of racism are the ones who must disassemble it.
See also: Raymond Sheppard: In praise of African Nova Scotian family values
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Keep up the “Good Trouble” Brother 👍🏾