As we are in an upswing of righteous rage, because of our continued systematic mistreatment as BLACK People in Amerikkka… We are all, both the wide awake and the just waking up, searching for ways to sanction this system… Bring about change for the sake of our actual blood and breaths. Some of our people are reformists, some are IDGAF-ists, & some are trying to actually push BLACK Liberation into reality. Everyone has different ideals, different heart sets, different LOVE levels… This makes unity seem like a far away island, in the middle of the ocean; no boat, no way to reach its shores. However, one issue that remains the most heated, as we look for “right now” tactics; pushing the system to feel that we are HERE, and won’t take its bullshit any longer… Boycotting… Do we, should we, can we?
Let it be known, I am for boycotting as a tactic to be used with other tactics. I am more specifically & exclusively for well thought out boycotting; making sure every angle is covered, or else it isn't going to work. So many times a boycott is presented, and the most marginalized people in a community are not considered… Not everyone has the same access, and that MUST be centralized in boycott construction.
Boycotting is a team sport. There is no way it is effective without almost every one of our community members participating… For the ultimate psychological & financial impact of the target… For the right type of laser beam pressure needed. When I think of the food desserts, environmental disparity, and shopping hinderances that a good number of BLACK People face… I get how certain boycotts are a huge sacrifice. People have to eat and take care of themselves, in order to be able to fight another day.
However, we do not have to say boycotts are “wack" like so many believe… We have to be better about strategizing how to effectively boycott in 2016… If we are to do it at all… If we can successfully do it at all. We have other factors going on today that weren’t a thought in the 60’s. We can’t just repeat the past on auto-pilot… We have to take what worked from way back when, and then tailor it to fit our today.
When I think of the Montgomery Bus Boycott & its success, most every person participating was economically disadvantaged. Our people suffering from the extreme economic disparity that jim crow and white supremacy as a whole, reeks upon individuals, families, and the whole BLACK Community… Years upon years of being set back in every effort, every way… Never being given the same access to resources, and yet BLACK Folk have been blessed to be able to achieve something out of nothing in many ways… Have moments of joy in the midst of extreme pain, and dehumanizing existence. Our survival in and of itself is a miracle! The fact that African-American Culture is mimicked & appropriated all over the world, a testament to our collective intelligence, ingenuity, determination… Our magic. Yet and still, not all of us are given those specks of light; allowing vision in such utter darkness… We do not all have access to the same moments, people, resources, chance encounters… Some go through so much more than others in this life… Not everyone is endowed with the same levels of inward strength to overcome obstacles; especially if never being shown love, or knowing what it is like to be believed in… Things many of us who have even the smallest amount of these things; take for granted… Assuming everyone has it like we do, and that simply isn’t reality. This is why community building is important, there should always be various avenues for our people to receive what they need as a human, as a person hated because of the beautiful BLACKNESS they don … All of us connected; therefore all of use need to be made as whole as possible for us to get further along.
BLACK Folk who received education, but were not able to work in their proposed fields because of jim crow… This was not only disheartening, it was handicapping for the entire BLACK Community...So much to consider as we try to glean from the past. Despite financial and economic disparity, BLACK Communities of Amerikkka were much more soul rich back then, by way of unity and cultural pride, than we are today. This is why it was easier for folks to work together, and do for one another during the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Being intertwined because of segregation, this brought the unique blessing of knowing how to help one another, and not think twice about it. In 2016, this heart set isn’t second nature to the BLACK Community in Amerikkka. We’ve been given enough semblance of freedom, to deceive our full perceptions. Some things are better than they were, yet they still find ways of keeping us enslaved… Same song, different tune… This blindness, whether purposeful or blissful ignorance; BLACK Folk just don’t feel a collective sense of urgency as need be… It’s the mirage that keeps on deceiving.
Today, faux comfort, left by the pseudo-equality scraps that white supremacy has allowed to be flung at our people; it’s made many BLACK People complacent & uncaring about the whole…The community… Caring whether we are prospering in a holistic way or not… Many don’t care as long as they can count “their paper”; this reality makes an effective boycott very difficult.
Because of this lack of unity, if we are going to boycott in 2016, it needs extra planning… Especially, when it comes to making sure that anyone participating, will be able to supplement themselves properly… Making sure that anyone with the desire to participate, will be able to do so…This is not to say that boycotting is supposed to not be a sacrifice. It is TOTALLY a sacrifice… Still, that sacrifice needs to ensure that while some are just inconvenienced, others aren’t actually starving. We want our people to be well, to be whole… This means if we do boycott, we have to be creative, thoughtful, tactical.
Boycotting is not impossible, but the conditions & difficulties it intersects; it makes many want to forgo it all together… I get it won’t be easy, but I also say that it is worth doing in a strategic way… Worth the energy to utilize this tactic. It is still a great tactic… It just takes holistic planning.
We have a contingent of our People stating that boycotts shouldn’t be considered, because of the most marginalized. I have already laid out that we must make sure that everyone has what they need… No doubt! So…What about the places that do not aid in our daily sustenance? When we bring up simple boycotts like… Don’t buy Jordans, because he is a BLACK Man who doesn’t give AF about our people, and we are steadily ( as a people) buying up his shit… Those same naysayers get really quiet… Many are not willing to stop buying their favorite shoes. When we discover Chick-fil-A is racist AF, and ask one another to stop eating there…Those same naysayers are silent. Many are not wiling to give up waffle fries and below average chicken. They will disparage boycotts, whilst avoiding doing the most simple ones… Because of greed & lack of self control.
When we ask our people not to shop on Black Friday, so we can affect commerce… Naysayers, the same ones who won’t participate in boycotts that could affect change without affecting their well being… These same ones get in an uproar, and again, begin using the most marginalized as a scapegoat… As a reason why we shouldn’t be so imposing… So imposing to dare tell anyone not to shop on Black Friday. Using the most marginalized in this way, just because you are not ready to give up some of your non-essentials; this is counterproductive, selfish & counter-revolutionary… Exploitive, disingenuous, and obtuse AF.
The “ I hate boycott crowd” say that it isn’t fair to ask the most marginalized to not shop on Black Friday because of the sales; that those with financial lack should be able to have a chance to buy nice stuff too. Now, I am soooo for every person, no matter their situation, being able to enjoy some nice things in life. Being poor does not mean you should not get to have nice things. But seriously, the sales that happen on Black Friday; only a small few are worth the trouble, and honestly, things go on sale many times during the year. We are literally fighting for our blood & breaths, and y’all want to argue about not being able to get a 40 inch TV on Black Friday? Even though I’m not happy that we can’t see the bigger picture… I like to try to be more thorough, and provide solutions for as many angles as I can see.
If you can’t see yourself giving up any non-essentials * rolls eyes* for the sake of a long term goal… BUILD COMMUNITY THEN! Building community is the answer for you who think this way, and for all of us who want more authentic liberation! The more you build with your community, the more you can make ways for nice things to be within reach for more people. I look at the Somali Community in my city… They have such a sense of togetherness, they all work to make sure everyone can prosper in every way… Even in getting nice non-essentials… They take care of their own who are struggling, they help everyone get up higher, they trade between themselves, and they money pool between themselves. Everything is a collective effort worth admiring. They come here, mostly as refugees…That struggle & sense of “we’re all we have” has helped them to build beautifully in my city. We can do the same, if we can again, tap into the “we’re all we have” spirit that our people once possessed in over-abundance.
Many in the “Boycotts are the devil crowd”… Many were/are saying this from a place of greed, and not true care for those most marginalized, as I have previously stated. However, some who are the most marginalized, are understandably against boycotts that are not strategized to include them. This distinction in that “crowd” is important… Those who are marginalized and have legit gripes against boycotts; are not greedy…. THEY WANT TO SURVIVE! This is why they should be the most heard, and strategy should be devised so that they can participate. If boycotting is to be done at all, it must be handled on every level; whilst still realizing everyone will have to give up some level of comfort…. It just shouldn’t be that some are left without ample resources to supplement themselves, during boycotts of any and all sorts.
We’re going to have to get out of our own way, as a people in many ways… Those whose anti-boycott stance is fueled by greed, often LOVE to talk about revolution & dismantling the system as the right solution; yet fail to realize that with revolution comes discomfort, restructuring, destabilization; as we rebuild. We have to be okay with that… If you can’t practice a little discomfort now, how will you practice full blown destabilization that could occur at anytime the way things are going in the world? How y’all gonna want revolution, and be afraid to miss out on one shopping day? How do you lot want revolution, but not willing to not be capitalistic for a day? Let me ask y’all… Have you all ever struggled in life? I have! I know what it is like to have everything, and I know what it is like to have nothing at all. I know what it means to sacrifice because of principle, so I am not speaking empty theory… I’ve been the highest high, and the lowest low… When at the lowest low, I know what it means to have to decide to choose heart over head; soul over body… I say that not to boast but to let you know life is very familiar to me… I’ve practiced this, and I do believe it takes practice… It’s an ongoing journey and my own selfishness has to be checked daily…It’s a choice… It’s absolutely a choice! Find your motivation & practice less self-centeredness, and more community centering. A balance that can be done without sacrificing love for self, for the love of community… And vice versa… A hard balance to find for me sometimes. It’s not fun to always do what you’d rather not, or choose a harder way, but it makes for great character building… It makes us better individuals… Better individuals make better communities! One thing I know in my limited knowing, the hard times I have faced in life have been my greatest teachers; endowing me with things I would have never been able to develop on my own.
I was fortunate enough to be part of a plethora of shut-it down actions in Ferguson/St.Louis, on that Black Friday… Right after the no indictment of darren wilson in 2014. We cost the area 2 billion in sales, by coming into the malls and shopping centers, shouting freedom chants, drumming, and having die-ins. We had been calling for a boycott for weeks prior, folks from all over the country desiring to stand against what was happening to #MikeBrown #TamirRice #JohnCrawford #TanishaAnderson and so many others… So much so, that it was a widespread idea. People argued about it… Relentless discourse on Twitter... A combination of some of the reasons I have already proposed in this blog. Yet and still, as we were out and about that day, we saw many BLACK People shopping. Some, I’m sure didn’t know about the boycott, and some did know, but just didn’t care. However, those of us participating in those shut-it down actions that day; we knew that in order to get BLACK People to observe the Black Friday Boycott, we would have to literally get the stores to close down… This is the sad part. This lack of tie to community and purpose can’t be overlooked; it is a major reason why traditional boycotts aren’t working better… We have to plan around our strengths and our frailties. Are boycotts a failure in and of themselves, or do we make boycotts fail because of lack of unity & planning? I would say it is the latter! But how can we plan around our frailties?
So... Here are a few things that I propose, need to be included in a Boycott framework in 2016… Since society has normalized self-centered modus operandi:
- Research… Hitting the right targets is everything. Be very pointed, and understand the trickle down affect… Is it an affect that will get you what you are looking for? Will the most marginalized end up facing the greatest brunt of your economic withdrawal?
- If you are doing a boycott that will affect peoples daily sustenance shopping, you have to provide alternatives, and also every community must have stations where people can supplement themselves— if the alternatives are not feasible for them.
- Those who have more should give more…Whatever you strengths are, be willing to use them. E.g. If you are blessed with money &/or resources, make sure you are providing for the aforementioned stations, so that everyone can stay afloat during boycotts that are targeted for major retailers; that handle folks food & hygiene.
- Each community should have weekly meetings where any logistics & plans can continue for the boycotts in place… A place where folks can come to be uplifted & reminded about why they are doing what they are doing… A place of empowerment, upliftment and cultural education.
- Getting the word out is crucial! After getting some do-able plans in place, do everything you can to spread the word. Canvass neighborhoods, use social media… Spread the word by any means available.
- Deflate the unbalanced ego. Don’t start fighting about who coined what first. Just do the work and make sure that every willing soul, will have what they need to participate.
- Boycotts need tiered actions and to be in multiples… Make sure there are various ways people can participate in pressuring a target, and make sure that there is more than one target at a time... To intensify the push. Not everyone can do every angle, so be sure folks can do the ones most feasible to them; adding more participation and power.
- Know what your goal is… Don’t just boycott without demands. They need to be clear & formalized in the beginning strategizing... Everything needs to be centered around the demands.
- Understand that boycotting should not only pressure the system to give into the demands, but it should also psychologically devastate the tenants of white supremacy— In as much or greater force as we are psychologically traumatized by it.
Like I said, boycotts are just one tactic… It isn’t “the answer” to our collective torment. It is however, something we should explore using. I think it could be a hydrogen bomb in our fight against systematic oppression, if we plan and unify the right way. Our disunity will make it so much more difficult than it was in the 60’s to achieve, but that doesn’t mean boycotting is trash. It’s not going to get us free in and of itself, just like anything else… Hell, even my dream of dismantling the system is going to take many “to the root of the problem” tactics… Nothing works alone… Let’s not romanticize any tactic, let’s use them effectually! We have to think things through, and be willing to sacrifice… Being sure that the most marginalized have the needed support & resources made available to them, to participate with everyone else… We need a greater percentage of BLACK People willing to participate, in order to accomplish more liberation in realer, more lasting ways. We can't have such a small percentage of us carrying the load for our entire people & Ancestral Energies. Unfortunately, knee-grows are dead set on being an island… So I dunno y’all… But I am willing to try.
COPYRIGHT © ORIT 2016
No comments:
Post a Comment