“For Colored Girls Who’re Considering Giving Up, When Black People Don’t Give a Fuck!”

I have no preconceived ideals about what I am going to write this week. I was searching my heart, my SPIRIT on what I should bring forth…I’m hella late even beginning this blog entry, according to my personal timetable. Nonetheless, I am here. I am here because the title that you just read that reeled you in; it has also reeled me in when it silently screamed in my inward counsel: ”PICK ME!” So reluctantly, yes not too thrillingly, I began this intention of language as if to answer back: “Ok, ok, you have been chosen!”

I have been obedient to this nudging, and so much is coming into my heart and head as I write these very words. I am realizing I need to write honestly, though I always do… But right this very moment, I am sensing there is resistance in me today, that doesn’t want to reveal everything that needs to be revealed. I am kind of forcing myself to flow right now… The flow is easy, and so is putting a plug on that flow, when I don’t feel like emptying out. In any case, I must be forthright in this post as much as for me, as for any person, no matter how you may identify—There is importance in this space, in these words, and the words that will continue to come forth…Every single character and line that will hit this screen; purpose.

I think I am what one might a call, an optimistic melachonist… A realistic dreamer… A long-suffering agitator… A beautiful warrioress not stopped by fear… A prophetic omen who is too sensitive… A short-tempered unflappable… I’m proud (sometimes unbalanced), full of love, annoyed easily & not with the shit, whilst remarkably strategic; reluctantly patient… I am all of these things and more…Complex and full of revolutionary love. I am sure that many of you are just as colorful in your own distinct ways… Only you can properly describe your truth.

My truth right now is that I am so sick of my own people. I love y’all, all of y’all in ways that causes action… RELENTLESSLY -UNCONDITIONALLY-ENDURINGLY. But let’s be honest, some of our people don’t want to be better (character wise), than the foulest shit in the tank; this is exhausting AF! I and a host in this realm and the other realms… Many have risked a lot for our collective good. Truth is, I am confused on how to continue to proceed, and this makes me feel guilty, ashamed, sad, worthless… I don’t know how to help us anymore—Besides artistic expression… Maybe that is all I can do? I’ve already risked my very life a few times, and had I transitioned on; it wouldn’t have helped the struggle. We just aren’t in the place we need to be for sustaining tangible victories. This is sad, especially for every genuine soul who has been on this battlefield, some longer than I have been on this earth.

I am willing to do more, as I have always previously done. However, we are not really ready for more, nor are we really ready for revolution… Let’s keep it real! So…How do I, or anyone else who feels like me… How do we maintain, watch over, and participate in the righteous radical tradition passed down to us, when there is very little air, and very little space in which to move? We can’t go backwards, and become a willingly soul-blinded, “go along to get a long” type of participant  in this corrupt and racist system. At the same time, lack of unity is preventing us from truly actualizing what we could if we were one in spirit—Maybe it’s my job, and the job of others,  to be a place holder and preserver of truth, for those who will be able to actualize liberation in real and lasting ways in the future? I dunno, I really don’t.

As the movie about one of my favorite Ancestors( Nat Turner) has finally been made available, the unapologetically rapey history of the writers of the screenplay, and the concern that the movie has more historical inaccuracies, than realities about Nat Turner’s actual life…Those of us who bring up these facts (Visit: NAT TURNER PROJECT to read original and authenticated documents) have been the subject of ridicule from many of our people, who question how dare we “diminish” this movie and be “saboteurs” *cue scary music* of it… ‘Cause apparently, only BLACK movies matter to so many of our people, right? SMDH! Too many insensitive people in our community, have decided to turn off their hearts in knowing that rape victims and sympathizer’s feel some sort of way about all of this… Understandably conflicted. So many of our own people have not been willing, on any level, to understand how the revelations about these two men could create angst, and how much seeing a slave rebellion on screen (in historical context); how that could have meant even more to a BLACK Person affected by rape, if the writers hadn’t gotten off for participation in rape acts. And no, ignorance would NOT have been bliss…Only dishonest, uncouth, ignorant ass people think like that… All this was revealed for a reason…I will get more into that later in this blog.

So many of our people have shirked the responsibility of thoughtfully engaging the subject of rape culture within the BLACK Community, an ongoing up-mountain battle… Maybe this is why it was easier for so many to choose defending a movie, over choosing to understand our sisters and brothers who have experienced soul death in the form of rape. Folks acting like they don’t understand why people could boycott this film, when we attempt (because most won’t participate) boycott’s all the time against anything that is racist. Instead, many have chosen ways to canonize Nate Parker, and blame the victim who killed her self a few years after “that night.” It wasn’t/isn’t a problem, to me at least,  that you went to see the movie. The problem is so many of you have decided to show that we don’t understand our duty to one another… That willful ignorance is the chosen form of pseudo black liberation for way too many in our community.

 By the way, in case you are fuzzy about the facts: These two men who wrote Birth of a Nation ( Nate Parker & Jean McGianni Celestin) admitted to having forced sex with an unconscious girl, and the fact that they put a rape scene in the movie… A scene that doesn’t line up with Cherry’s (Nat Turner’s wife) actual life—Setting the intention for the rebellion on Nat wanting to avenge her, when that wasn’t his motivation because it didn’t happen like that… That… All of that; it was just a fantasy of Nate Parker. 

Lawd, if we can’t be meticulous enough to at least make sure Nat Turner’s motivations are truthfully depicted… Then WTF are we doing here? Depicting a slave REBELLION is hella important work… Seeing our people fight back instead of being degraded and mauled…. This radical BLACK Womban wanted to see it too! But check this out, just because it is important work and long overdue, that does not mean it should be done haphazardly, or that other issues  blown up in the winds should be disregarded. Dr. Alexander who is an expert on African American History & Movie Accuracy wrote on all of this in great detail here… Please check it out.

The problem is we know that white people lie, misappropriate, erase, and diminish our stories all  of the time; mostly as a form of psychological warfare and control. Not only do we have this white erasure occurring, we also have BLACK People who do not have integrity in telling our stories, when we know how dire it is for our people. Look at that horrible Nina Simone Biopic that came out this past Spring. We all agreed that we weren’t with the shit, and though there was a white director, it was the Nigerian-Brit who Played Dr. King in Selma who was the executive producer… Yes, a BLACK man who should’ve known and wanted to do better…Ugh! Why he would decide to allow Nina to be done like trash is such a deep subject, one that will need its own blog entry! He gave zero cares, fucks, or fly-by’s; refusing to hold sacred space and integrity in maintaining our very revered and precious to us, Nina Simone. 

Movies are often the 1st impression many will have with a subject matter, if they aren’t readers… And let’s be honest, most people don’t read, or can’t read for a myriad of legit reasons. Yes, movies are important. They are great ways to bring forth truth, help connect the dots between the imagination and reality…They can be beacons of light or darkness… It all depends on the storyteller and their integrity level— And BLACK People, we should know this more than anybody, and this is why we are without excuse when we don’t take care with our own history…Why put out misinformation about the pillars of our struggle and existence, when white people are already doing it perpetually? How does that empower? How does that educate? Seeing BLACK People on the screen is important, and likewise, never should our narratives be sacrificed, especially not by us.

Yes, it is WONDERFUL that our Ancestor’s name, the great Nat Turner is ringing throughout the land. He deserves to be fully known, and for us not to place anything on him that isn’t true, or that misleads the very fabric of his part in our his & her story… His life’s work is too important to our self-determination and peoplehood, even in present times. We understand that no movie is 100% accurate, but it is not asking too much, and should be understood, that movies must be mostly accurate when telling historical stories, or they miseducate… Do you want folks to be miseducated about BLACK History when the oppressor works hard to do that daily? I don’t!  Regardless, a positive is that some will still be intrigued enough by the movie to go study the subject matter more in depth, unfortunately most won’t. We praise the CREATOR for Nat Turner, so why should he be reduced to fiction when his reality is breathtaking and soul stirring? Why? And why are so many of y’all ok with it?

So… I bring up this issue( the movie & Nate & Nat) because it is fresh and still evolving… It isn’t, in and of itself… It isn’t why I feel ”confused” about how to proceed with us( BLACK People) and our fight toward more BLACK Liberation, or how all of this makes me feel just plain ole’ sad. The turmoil of trying to stay afloat and not succumb to the quicksand-like cognitive dissonance all about us, whilst trying to keep everyone around me from sinking too… It’s a lot to handle. I think what is bothering me at the core is that my people and I aren’t free, because we won’t unite, and because we avoid the pruning needed for our collective development.

See, what is really getting to me is that we continue to allow every opportunity we are given, to hold dialogue and spring forth ways we can help eradicate rape/molestation culture in our community, better preserve and protect our stories, our narratives, and so many other issues… Every damn time it seems we group-sabotage the process with avoidance culture. I am not sure if avoidance culture is a term coined by anyone in particular, but this is how I am describing what I see in our community at this moment. It is much like other sub-cultures within our community, that have a negative and growth stunting effect on us as a people. It intersects bad character, respecter of persons aka “celeb/notable person getting free passes to be destructive”, rape/molestation, mutual intergenerational disrespect, misogynoir, etc…All of these issues are really so complex that they are sub-cultures within our community with lives of their own; preventing us from getting further along.

All of this is particularly  disheartening to me… Why, some of y’all may ask? Well, it’s disheartening because it has been like this for so many years, and we will stay stuck like this, traveling in the wilderness perpetually in circles, until it matters to the majority of us… Right now, it simply doesn’t. We are in desperate need to unite in order to fight the Amerikkkan Terrorism that is suffocating us as a people—Sadly, we aren’t even getting in the ring in this fight… Not really like we could if we changed our hearts and way of thinking. The possibilities are endless with renewed and culturally educated minds, realigned and high-vibing hearts and spirits. This is really the key that would open all doors for us… Would and could, but… We are… Here.

And what’s worse… Those genuine efforts amongst us are drowned out by the majority in our community, who’d rather not do the tough inward work we must ALL do…Collectively and individually, in order to attain the greatness we once had, and then surpass even that.

In a previous blog a few months back, I wrote about the Nate Parker situation at length… Check it out by clicking the word “blog” in the first sentence of this paragraph. I can’t speak for anyone else, but let me help you better understand what is irking the hell out of me, like I promised I would. It isn’t that people are going to see the movie per se… Maybe that is only 10% of my angst at most, honestly speaking… Understandably people had to make this complex decision on their own…. These were at least my sentiments before finding out the movie wasn’t really telling Nat’s story, that brought on a whole other set of issues as I have already elaborated on… 

My problem is that Mr Belafonte, Jesse WIlliams, and a host of BLACK men and women who may not be well known, but matter just as much…They made seeing this film and promoting it an obligation of BLACKNESS, and actually have pushed for us to avoid discussing  the rape… Throwing it to the infamous hush culture so prevalent in our community. BLACK People know exactly what I am taking about when I say hush culture… Ask a question that surrounded something you didn’t know was a secret in your family, and it was hush…Question wrongdoing by prominent people, the community as a whole wanted you to hush… Hush hush hush—Well damn it, I will not hush!

Men, women… It doesn’t matter. So many continue this sickness in our community… Aways sacrificing the most vulnerable, the victims, and the most affected to the winds… In order to maintain an image to whom though? I say, if you do participate in these harmful subcultures, I declare you are not doing it to protect our people, but rather you are doing this to maintain an image for white people. I get the tactic of not airing all of our business before the enemy, and still, we have to rightly fix issues, even if others get front row seats because we let it go on too long… It is what it is… We’ll be all the better for properly healing our own community.

I’m not gonna mince words, because I never do… I don’t care how militant and pro-BLACK you say you are—Why are too many of y’all always throwing some of us away like bath water that’s been used by 5 people, just to maintain the facade of one amongst us, who is in the spotlight? Why? Answer me, damn it! This is pure and utter trash can! This is called community destroying, and for every step we take forward, this avoidance culture and every subculture it intersects; it’s killing us. I get that we as BLACK people have had to work so hard to achieve everything… I get why people want to protect achievements. I am here to say that achievements are not more important than the holistic health of the people in our community, and how we deal with one another.

And oh, let’s talk about this real quick… I am “Fannie Lou Hamer-ed” to the bones… Sick and tired of being sick and tired of those in our midst, who want to explain away the wrong doing of Nate Parker, Bill Cosby, R-Kelly, and so many others—Doing so by invoking the name of a white person(s) who does/is doing the same crimes… Boy o’ boy, If y’all don’t get! I am so tired of y’all talking all this BLACK Liberation theory, when it's proven to be devoid in your soul, when all you do, all the live long day, is compare our people to white people, and what they are getting away with. There is no community building without integrity and standard… Our standards have to far surpass that of the oppressor, or we won’t ever be shit! Why have people actually defended Nate by saying, “Well Bill Clinton is a rapist and got away with it…” Ok, what the fuck does that have to do with our people, and building ourselves up? Oh, so you want BLACK Men to be able to rape and get away with it, because Bill Clinton did… Is that what you’re saying? Is that the freedom you are fighting for? ‘Cause real talk, that’s really what you are saying when such filth comes from your mouth…WHITE 👏🏿PEOPLE👏🏿 DO👏🏿NOT👏🏿SET👏🏿OUR👏🏿STANDARDS👏🏿—————So stop this, now! 

Timing or no timing, had Nate and the co-writer of the screenplay not forced themselves on an unconscious girl; there would be no case to surface. What they did to this girl is not at all comparable to the many BLACK men who have truly been falsely accused of rape or other crimes. Both Nate and Jean admitted to what happened, claiming they didn’t know it was wrong? o_0  Jean was found guilty, and Nate only got off because he could prove he had sex with her before, when she was conscious and willing…Ain’t that some shit?

It would have been oh so clutch to not feel like, for the umpteenth time, that only prestige &/or money matters to the people in our community…That prestige &/or money can be used as tools to silence victims and those facing oppression from the people in our community. I believe this  whole Nate Parker/ Birth of a Nation situation was a test, and an attention grabber by our Ancestors; chiefly Nat Turner himself—We have failed this test AGAIN, and we have had the opportunity to take it over and over throughout the years. BLACK women and girls, victims of all sorts and kinds… Of every gender and orientation… We all gotta matter in the BLACK community, or none of us will be here; we’ll be too divided to protect one another. And BLACK men, I love you. Please understand that this bro culture shit is like a bullet being shot through the fabric of our collective quilt… You have a powerful say in putting your wayward bro’s in check… BE silent, no more!

And like I said previous, so many of us are reading the tea leaves wrong… My Ancestor Nat Turner was a righteous man… Making a film about him is an invocation. Oh… I get it. Many ain’t think he was gonna show up, seeing his children not getting his heart set quite right, something that would seem to be very important to our Ancestor. Do you really think Ancestor Nat Turner  wants us to continue to not deal with the rape, hush and avoidance cultures that continue to plague our community? Do you think our Ancestor Nat was gonna let his son Nate Parker get away with some bullshit, and not deal with his inner demons and “so what-isms” concerning his actions? Especially by Nate portraying him… Come on now! You must gotta know better, and if not, I respectfully say you may have the Ancestors all the way fucked up then! Pftttttt!

Ancestral energy has been strong concerning all of this, baby cakes— This energy has been misinterpreted in my humble estimation! I totally believe everything resurfaced about what Nate & Jean did; it all came up for many reasons, and he( Nat Turner) wanted things set right. But alas, silly us…We haven’t enough spiritual desire for deeper insight on most days… To know when we are being attacked, or when we are being chastised… To know when we are being harassed, or  when we being asked to get ourselves together… Ancestors don’t just bless, they correct us too! They love us… All of us… Nate Parker too!

So… This realization, using this current situation with Nate Parker and all things concerning the Nat Turner Movie as an example of the mindset of our people… All of this just exemplifies that I just don't know what to do or say anymore. I mean, I will continue to speak truth, and create art that lifts and teaches my people wherever the destination height or depth…I am afraid even with doing that, if we do not hear the alarm being sounded, and do more to fix our heart set; we’ll be doomed. I feel like with all the truth that any one of us can provide to our people; what will it do if it isn’t able to penetrate the walls of stone… Walls that prevent us from truly loving and caring and protecting one another…Walls that prevent us from seeing each other as an extension of ourselves, therefore not willing anyone or anything to hurt or destroy who we are… I dunno y’all… It just makes me wonder…

^{In Unashamed Négritude & Revolutionary Love,}

^ORIT

COPYRIGHT ©  ORIT 2016

All Rights Reserved

www.oritvibes.com

Visible Parasites

Being visible… Having a platform that can shift the paradigm of social issues, trends… What’s received, considered relevant, energy worthy… No matter how big or small the circumference of such influence… It matters, and should be handled with integrity and responsibility. I also am not naive, I understand that being highly visible has its pros and cons, but let’s be real… Life is full of this dichotomy, and we all will experience it perpetually throughout our journey here on earth.

For me, being highly visible hasn’t been a pressing desire since I was about 19 years old. At that time, I was achieving things in Modeling and the Performing Arts, and then, a spiritual shift (for the good) started to transform the way I saw myself, my gifts, my purpose—What was really important became visible. Since this shift has had its way in me, I can honestly say that being well known has not been the driving force for anything I have done or will do… Recognizing that if it were to ever happen(being highly visible)— It would happen because it was my fate, my journey… Organically forming without stepping on other people rising, and without me living a life of compromise and emptiness to attain something, that in and of itself, doesn’t matter.

I would say that the only exception for wanting… Not necessarily more “visibility” but rather the ability, to get important information to the masses… Without having my voice watered down and edited, to take away “the me” that is in my words. Sometimes I wish my voice, my words, could be amplified more when I am discussing important issues, that the masses by and large, are getting absolutely wrong. This error is mostly due to the lack of experience and exposure most have had with said subject, and my total immersion and lived experience in that subject. Narratives are important, especially for the various BLACK Peoples throughout the globe… Survival is in the power of the narrative, and apparently, solidarity is as well. This is why I know that I must speak out about the things I am most acquainted, no matter how much people want me to hush for their comfort.

For example, as I have discussed throughly in the previous blog, people, even BLACK People, have totally erased BLACK Struggle within the Palestinian Struggle, and within the greater context of Israel's overall tyranny on various BLACK Peoples there… White supremacy is global and always has been global. We know that the GOV of Israel acts tyrannously toward Palestinians, and we need to also realize that anti-Blackness is huge in the Palestinian Community—Solidarity can’t truly happen without that being properly acknowledged and worked out first.

I said all of this to say, that for me… I don’t want to be anyone else but who I was created to be… I don’t covet what’s yours or hers or his, when I have so much that belongs to me, and so much that I am responsible for maintaining. I, like many of you, have beautiful gifts that will flourish, and have been flourishing as they must in this life. As long as I stay true to the path and the directions I must go, and do right by people as I sojourn; this is the utmost of success. The potential of being a household name is a non-factor in what I choose to do, or what I choose not to do. I realize that being well known has its own set of problems that I truly don’t envy. I like being “lower key” when I want to be, and I truly feel for those who don’t get that opportunity. However, I do not feel sorry for anyone who hurts others, and stole from others; just to become seen or garner certain accomplishments… Something that happens so very much in our society today. In these instances, I think anything ill-gotten is deserving of the discomfort; karmic response is fitting.

The things that I create, out of what I was given by the CREATOR and the Ancestors; those things shouldn’t be ripped from me as somebody else’s, same goes for that which you create from the ORIGINAL inside of you. On the other hand, those insights or things that the CREATOR blesses me or you to share for the sake of our people, and for our becoming more self-determined; this becomes information that is community and collective in nature. But don’t get it twisted, the ethics around how people handle these insights are important… Communal information, or not. 

I have always had this mindset, and have specifically stayed out of the spotlight many times, when I could have centered myself. For example, when I have been on the ground for freedom work in places that I do not live 24-7, I have always pointed MSM to those on the ground, and refused interviews out of respect for the people, who have to deal with the tyranny after I leave. After all, they know what’s going on in their community better than I do… Plus, as many of y’all who follow me know, I rarely engage MSM because they lie lie lie!

I have many times allowed folks to take my ideas that are brought forth through me, and speak them as if they are their own… Feeling that this was a reasonable sacrifice for liberation, figuring it didn’t matter in the long run. I realize I was wrong, because not allowing people to be responsible for their lack of respect and low-vibing character; this does not build anything for them, for me, for you… For anyone in our community.

I have, many times, allowed people to use less than the utmost integrity in how they deal with me and what I give, for the sake of “BLACK Liberation Triage” or so I thought—Just wanting us to get free, and being willing to be disrespected for the sake of “the cause”… This was not the right way. If you have been following my writing at all, you know I have grown from that place… I am not a movement doormat anymore, and I refuse to allow folks not operating at the same love frequency as me, to drain everything within me; this my newest addition to my modus operandi. 

Not being self-centered in demanding I be centralized in freedom work, is imperative to the work… It is imperative for you too… For all of us who dare say we fight for freedom and BLACK Liberation. What was I trying to do before? I was attempting to keep my ego balanced, and instead of doing that, I was actually decreasing my ego to an unhealthy level. Unbalanced ego, whether too much or too little, is unhealthy… And, most of all, it doesn’t teach people how to become better individuals, or how to treat each other in revolutionary love. I too, I am the revolution…I  am not the enemy… I am your sister… I have more than earned the respect, that I often do not get.

In fostering immaturity and the lack of integrity in others, by how I allowed them to treat me and disrespect my personage; this was a grave mistake. Humility is everything, a very attractive trait I love to encounter in others and myself. At the same time, people don’t need to erase me or anyone else from our ideals either… Especially, when they have a track record of this sort of behavior, and are highly visible. The lack of respect is what is the most troubling… The fact that others would rather take from another’s genius, instead of developing and searching out what is for them to bring forth in the earth…This is not okay. Yes, it’s important to get the ideas, the strategy, the vision for our people out to as many of our people as possible… The most important thing is to share the info we have for the collective. At the same time, unethical people will not have the capacity to carry out a thing to it’s fully intentioned purpose… If they steal the essence of an ideal, without having the heart capacity to see it through rightly—This is more damaging to the people, than it is to the individual who was segregated from the ideal they brought forth. I’m realizing we have to hold folks accountable, not for the sake of ego, but for the sake of building… We can’t build anything when our own people are replicating every form of the masters tools, amongst one another.

I will continue to be me, no matter where I am, or who I am around… I will continue to reject opportunities that I have been offered that are contrary to integrity( Oh, and I have had the chance)… And yes, I will continue to unabashedly call out the practice of those who have the power of a platform with high visibility, yet who choose to be parasitic towards those who are invisible, less visible, or inaudible in order to maintain their status of “popularity” or “the go to” personality—Doing all of this simply because they can, because they know that even if their dishonesty goes viral; they are interconnected enough with the right shady and powerful people to land on top… It isn’t right.

I always use Twitter as an example in much of what I write on this blog, because it has shown me, and it has re-confirmed to me; human nature. Twitter is literally a microcosm of the world we live in offline… Folks are petty, jealous, inconsiderate, and yes… Folks steal one another’s ideas. I’m sure many of us have experienced people, whether online or offline, who didn’t like us for whatever reason, but would do what they could to take from us… To put their name on things that came from our heart and brain, so that they could be seen as “brilliant.”— These sorts seem to prosper for a long time before they are made to answer to karma, but trust me…You and I …We never want to adopt this way of being. It simply is not worth it! 

This sort of re-branding has happened to me so much when it comes to my personal creative and intellectual property, which is why I am so much more careful about what I share before it’s published/completed nowadays… Also, I stay mum about what I’m working on in other artistic avenues, up until the moment it is released… ‘Cause real talk, some of y’all, yes some of y’all are some straight up haters and thieves, and that’s a hot mess!😂😂😂— But one of the saving grace’s that I have is that I have a very unique way of writing, and an equally unique way of seeing the world… It gives me a distinct voice, so the even when folks appropriate my shit, they can’t quite bottle me and spread it on themselves. Folks may not realize they are smelling a dupe, until they smell the original scent… Thing is, sometimes people don’t know that an original exists, because the person who does the taking is so highly accessible on their platform, with die-hard followers; many of whom could care less about the ethical behavior of their fave.

Beyonce is an example of a music artist with these type of die-hard fans. They often overlook, joke about, or dismiss the wrong that she or her team may do to other artists… Artists that are invisible in the cloud of her extreme stardom. There has been several instances where less known artists have proven that B has taken from them in some way… Choreography, concept, lyrics, beats (e.g Formation)—No one(in her beehive) cares though, and that affects the direct livelihood and message of those said artists. Beyonce is a great performer, but she shouldn’t be given a pass for this sort of appropriation… Neither should any of your other faves whomever they may be… From music superstars to shady well known activists to dick-dangling jiggalo money hungry mega preachers who call Trump “the anointed”🙄🤔😳 *selah*—Taking intellectual and/or creative property from people, as if it originated in you; this is not a way to build, to be a leader, to set an example, to create… This will not bring back a positive karmic return into your life… It will catch up with you one day. And yes, responsibility for ethics do fall on the individual first and foremost, and still, we must admit that they don’t do better, because the public doesn’t require it.

On Twitter, I have seen people who don’t want to retweet me or others, for whatever reasons; take what we said, re-word it just a bit, and release it as their own. I have witnessed some highly visible people do this to many, including myself, on this platform… It has never bothered me as much as it has others. I admit, my inability to feel very moved/annoyed about the tweet thieves I encountered; it made me lazy in understanding those who were feeling major angst from this… For this I apologize, because I now see that stealing tweets is often the symptom/clue, that the individual doing it, does it all the time in various areas of life… It’s second nature to them, and that’s not good at all. Twitter has become a world of its own; it can be very powerful. It allows quick and direct global communication and record keeping, and it also can be used to hurt people in every way you can imagine.

As I have stated earlier on in this blog, I know the angst of not having my voice heard…Especially when it is imperative to the livelihood, and to the blood and breaths of my people… No matter where they are in the world. I also am a woman of strategy, patience, love, and wrath… There are different ways of handling those with hyper-visibility, who are dead set on disrespecting the purpose and personage of the ideals, that come through us for the collective, in order to keep their “fame train” going; discernment is key. When to speak, when to push, when to let go, when to demand them directly…What to do? It’s hard to say, because you have to think about what’s best in every relation of the issue, and unbalanced ego cannot be the leader in this sort of inward discussion.

If just “letting it go” was the best thing to do every time, then this blog post wouldn't exist in this form… If it were that simple, I would just say we need to get over ourselves, myself included. Truthfully, “letting it go” is not the highest truth every time, simply because of the parasitic relationship some hyper-visible people have, with the ideas of other people; highly visible people arrogantly thinking less visible people are incapable of successfully calling them out for their intellectual thievery. This is something that makes an idea meant for the collective to carry out, but taken from the one who originated the idea… When a highly visible person takes that ideal to appease their inflated ego just because they can; this is an occurrence that does not allow BLACK Liberation to flourish—It invalidates the personage of the less visible human beings, as if they are not good enough to be sought out about the details and heart set behind the ideals they birthed into the earth realm. It creates the forever revolving and nuanced systems of hierarchy within our communities, that already need to be demolished; our freedom not realized.

This is a very uncomfortable subject for me, because above all else, I don’t want to be the type of obtuse AF person that I don’t like… I don’t want to start screaming “that’s my idea” every five minutes. It’s not really my personality to be like that; the thought makes me shutter. Honestly, I give all praises to the CREATOR, MASHIACH the Ancestors for speaking back to me what is innate… Leading me, helping me create, giving me vision. When it comes to my 3 books, or my other creative works and expressions— I have no issue declaring it to be my work. When I write plans or strategy for our community, and a highly visible person takes them as their origination for their own ego-sake… I feel at a weird crossroad/dilemma. I use to let stuff like this go, but now I realize that for the sake of the ideals coming to fruition the way they were intended, for the sake of me not thinking I am not worthy to be associated with what was given to me directly, for the sake of not fostering traits that lack integrity in others by allowing them to continue being disrespectful, for the sake of truth, integrity & narrative preservation… I realize I have a responsibility to what I am given… Even if the greatest thing I do to preserve its truth is to share the community oriented work/ideals, make sure to clearly note when it is written/brought to pass, and allow the people to see the truth on their own.😉

I am truly a work in progress when it comes to this, and every situation is different. In any case, here are a few things I find beneficial in assessing these sorts of situations that are community centered ideals birthed by you or I, taken for ego-sake by a highly visible person who severs us from their origination… Handle it or let the UNIVERSE handle it? Let’s explore:

• First, pray and meditate. Now, if I feel moved enough to feel some sort a way about one of these occurrences, I usually vent first… I’m not saying that’s the way to go, just being honest. But if possible Pray, meditate, and center yourself FIRST… Try to get in a place where you can see clearly, and not allow pride to lead your decisions… Ask for guidance. Sometimes the answer is that karma has your back, and you just need to wait… Sometimes you must act in some way and right away… Sometimes it’s a combo of the two like it is for me right now😉—Get clarity and do what is best. If you’re not spiritual, be honest with yourself and weigh the pro’s and cons.
• Second, I start asking myself questions. I ask myself what is bothering me the most about the situation: Will people be harmed or at a disservice if the person who has re-branded the intellectual property; takes it in the wrong direction? Will this wrong direction make future endeavors from the right people, and with the right focus, hard or impossible? Do I feel unworthy or negative feelings about myself, because of the thievery? If so, what do these feeling mean? How does the highly visible person handle those who have confronted them in similar situations? If the person has a record of being nasty &/or retaliatory, am I prepared for the fight and is it worth it?
• Third, Ask people you trust and who will be honest with you to confirm/compare your work, and tell you their honest opinion on whether the person took from you or not… People can have similar ideas at the same time, without even knowing each other. However, if you find the essence, wording & character of what you put forth in someone else’s proposal of sorts; it can be quite simple to be able to tell where they got the inspiration… Especially if what you have put out is on a public space for all to see, very unique in structure and essence, and you’re less visible person… Being less visible and insightful/talented is a parasite attractor…Be careful!
• Fourth, decide what your course of action will be. Will you try to confront the visible parasite directly, privately, publicly, both, or indirectly? No matter what you do, this sort of work, freedom work, is about the people getting the strategy, the ideals, and the revelation in their spirit; applying it to life so that we can actualize more freedom. This, however, does not mean that we can’t walk and chew gum at the same time, ‘cause really, if folks continue to behave with no integrity; we can’t build shit! So, the point of showing where ideals originate, when lies and thievery has attached said ideals to a parasitic person, who seeks to capitalize for selfish reasons… The heart behind setting this mess right must stem from a place of wanting folks to be accountable, preserving ones own healthy sense of self-worth, and preventing this same thing from happening to others… It has to be about setting things right, as opposed to retaliation. This can be a hard balance, but we must strive.
• Fifth, remember the purpose of it all. These sort of ideals that are about our people and getting us further along, this sort of intellectual property has a communal aspect to it, so no one should ever ask for money because of a highly visible person putting their name, on the efforts produced through you or I. What should be done is the highly visible person should cite the inspiration of their ideals, so that people can get ALL of the original thought behind it. This takes humility, and wanting to get things right for the sake of our people… And let’s be honest, highly visible people who do this sort of snatch and grab type thing, they are not interested in humbling down and admitting their mistakes… Unless they have had some sort of spiritual renewal. This is why they mismanage the ideals, plans, and strategy of a less visible person in the first place. They are fed by the glory their ego receives, and people like this, those who have mesmerized many; these types are dangerous to BLACK Liberation. As a unmovable principle, you can’t be revolutionary, and taking from your own at the same time…This goes for any and everything. Our journey in this life… Our struggle toward freedom is about us developing principles, character, integrity, and doing what is best; the best way it can be done…

Because freedom is still my dream, my song, my journey… Freedom for my people, and freedom for me… I get some of that freedom right? You certainly deserve freedom! Freedom from every type of oppression inside and outside the community… To share and give freely, but to also demand I and others who are not as visible, be treated with respect and dignity… Unbalanced ego will keep us all in chains, whether it is too much or too little.

^{In Unashamed Négritude & Revolutionary Love,}

^ORIT

COPYRIGHT ©  ORIT 2016

All Rights Reserved

www.oritvibes.com

~PART 2~ Ancestral Winds Blow & Reveal: Lies-Coverups-Opportunism-Faux White Allies

I was debating on whether to continue the topics of last week’s blog, or to save all of that heaviness for another week; instead choosing to write about spirituality or sensuality or something else of that nature. I did want to kind of take a break from last weeks topic(s), but I left so many things undone… Chiefly, my promise to you all that I would elaborate on certain subjects I brought up; this will now be fulfilled. I need to complete my thoughts, and not delay—Get the rest of this truth, and my heart that has been marinating on these matters, into the blogosphere.

This week I have received weird and menacing phone calls… Usually the death threats that  I have encountered, or other types of harassment that has come my way; it has been a mostly online sort of occurrence— Though I have had some real life, face to face experiences at times, with race hatred based harassment… This time, the intimidation came via phone. The fact that it happened after I released last week's blog; this does not seem coincidental to me in the slightest. 

One of the sources of the phone calls, spoofed their phone number to make it look like the calls were coming from a different area then they were in.There are a few different types of people who would/could be upset with me over last weeks blog; wanting me to shut-up. Those people are: Opportunists that have something to hide, white faux allies who’ve been manipulating and harassing, and/or members of BLM… Especially the Kentucky chapter since I called out how they have recently treated police brutality survivor, Antwynette Houston. I do have more information on what’s going on, but I am keeping it to myself.

What I will say is this, I am safe, and I will continue to be so… I am not afraid, and I WILL NOT SHUT-UP! How do I know I’m okay? The CREATOR, the Ancestors are all around me… This energy reassures and comforts me… I am very protected, I am very loved… Y’all better be careful, you’re just alerting karma she needs to visit you swiftly😉

In last week's blog, I told y’all I would tell you more, in a forthcoming post, about why I went from staunch support of the organization Black Lives Matter(BLM), to realizing they were not really about what I thought. The time has come, and what I will be recounting is over 1.5 years worth of information, that I have been patiently quiet about. Please go to last week’s post where I talk about the difference between the org and the many people moving in action since the execution of Mike Brown in Ferguson…How we all came to use the phrase “ Black Lives Matter”—How there are opportunists who only care about themselves and their crew. How there are also genuine people who are doing work, but who don’t realize the underworking’s about us, and that those underworking’s are undermining BLACK Liberation. Yeah, check all that out if you are not familiar before proceeding. If you are already hip, let’s continue…

Something I didn’t mention last week was that I have also lost faith in the Movement for Black Lives (M4BL)…I was uber gung-ho about M4BL until recently. I know some of y’all who are just getting familiar about this current wave of our continued struggle toward BLACK Liberation are like, what the hell? Another name? Another title? Another designation? Yes, I know… But trust,  it ties in easier than you may think. Take a deep breath, and I guarantee it will unfold clearly in your mind.

In July of 2015, in Cleveland Ohio, M4BL had it’s first convening. I almost didn’t go, but I was so glad that I decided to attend at the last minute. The M4BL Convening was a way to bring together every BLACK Person in the movement who could make it … Orgs & individuals working toward BLACK Liberation from all over the country, Europe, South America, and the Caribbean… Yes, people flew in from abroad, and that was also very dope to me. My favorite part of the convening was an intimate talk I was able to engage in, with some of our most revolutionary and beloved radical elders… Individuals who have paid high prices for our people…Those like Pam Africa and Baba Eddie Conway. Also, the convening included former SNCC members, Original Black Panthers, the Ferguson Fam from various orgs or independent freedom fighters… The Young, middle & elder folks from all over the country, active in BLACK Liberation… Healing spaces, and lots of beautiful BLACK Folks walking around, and interacting in an ALL BLACK space. It was 3 days of a much needed insulation from the obtuseness of whiteness, and I loved it… For the most part.

And yes, the org BLM was there, and yes, they were apart of this convening. BLM didn’t take the outward lead, though behind the scenes that was a totally different matter. At the time of the convening, I had no problems with the org BLM… But honestly, some things did happen during that convening that made me start to question BLM, and afterwards more things would unfold to make me totally distrust this org. I thought, at the time, that M4BL was the answer…Like I said, until recently, I have always been very happy about  the idea of unifying in the way that M4BL could potentially foster. However, as with most things in this life, there were intra-communal politics stirring just below the surface.

Now that you understand, from my previous blog(part one)— That I am for us( BLACK People) moving toward BLACK Liberation in these current times, and have been very active in that… Now that you get that there are genuine freedom fighters, faux white allies, and BLACK opportunists… Now that it is apparent that COINTELPRO type tactics are at play right now, stifling our moving and our being… Yes, now that a lot of this has been established in the previous blog, and in this one you are reading right now… Let’s get to why I no longer support the organization(network) of Black Lives Matter(BLM), the entity that has become the Movement for BLACK Lives (M4BL), and how that won’t stop me and others who see what I see… It won’t stop us from moving, being, growing, giving, serving BLACK People, as we move toward our collective and individual freedom, from oppression in every form.

The first reason I no longer support BLM( the org) or M4BL is because as an African-American & Ethiopian Jewess—My BLACK ass does not matter to either entity. I am in a unique position in BLACKNESS; an intersection people seem to want to run away from like the plague. Israel’s horrendous treatment of Palestinians, people in the west not understanding what life is like there, or the history of the land going back further than just 100 years, media miseducation and the ever so present erasure of BLACKNESS in this region… All of these “ingredients” mix to form a very disagreeable gumbo… Many BLACK People here in Amerikkka eat big bowls of it, and the sick feeling they get from it, makes them want to forget they ever tasted it. Basically, many BLACK People in Amerikkka decide to throw away this issue; deciding to overlook how BLACK Lives are treated in this land of Israel/Palestine, in order to be able to concentrate on Palestinian Solidarity from their limited perspective.

Many simply want to support Palestinians without addressing the systematic racism Black People face from racist Ashkenazim (white jews) on the Israeli side, nor do they want to address the anti-Blackness that non-BLACK Palestinians subject BLACK People (Palestinians, Jews, Christians, Black Bedouins, and other BLACK groups) to on the Palestinian side… BLACK People from Amerikkka have been making so many trips to the region recently, without helping BLACK Lives; this is deplorable!

 Listen, I have tried to raise the alarm, but no one has wanted to go too deep, or get involved in a sincere way. I have always tried to educate about this subject, since I have lived in Israel, and have faced the racism and anti-Blackness firsthand. Like I said, it isn't the “popular” thing for people in the west to engage in, which is why many refuse… It’s such a misguided taboo.

I wrote a post, on a blog that I am no longer active on, in February of 2015 on this very subject… Check it out here! In this particular blog entry, I elaborate on the racism, and the anti-BLACKNESS I have faced in Israel/Palestine… A lot of people ended up reading this particular post; it was even plagiarized in parts by some online news outlets. People would tell me it was eye-opening, but would go back to continuing the erasure of BLACK Lives in this region. I understand that as the People in Ferguson rose up to fight the system, there were Palestinians tweeting us on how to ease the effects of being gassed, and that is understandably why so many feel linked and obliged to solidarity efforts with them—I was in Ferguson in the early days, and I have been gassed( CS) several times. And though I do want the best for Palestinians, and acknowledge Israel has not done right by them… I also know that anti-Blackness is huge in their community, and I do not feel BLACK People should sacrifice the BLACKNESS and the oppression thereof, of those BLACK People in the Palestinian Community, by not seeking these said BLACK People out, and demanding they be centralized in Palestinian struggle, as a condition of our solidarity with them. After all, doesn’t everyone always say that the most oppressed should be centered in freedom work?

I know for a fact that the various BLACK Peoples in the Palestinian Community are ostracized, and many are so use to it; they don’t even have the fight in them to demand better…It’s just accepted, this mistreatment, and that is very sad. Folks try to talk around this issue by saying they(Black Palestinians) face problems solely because of Zionists, which isn’t true… Everyone non-white faces issues from racist Ashkenazim(white jews), but BLACK People face the harshness of anti-BLACKNESS from the Palestinians too… Imagine being BLACK in this region.

I also know that BLACK Palestinians are purposely hidden when non-Black Palestinians want to “unite” with us ( BLACK Folk) from Amerikkka… I’ve even seen articles written that talk about BLACK Amerikkkan Solidarity with Palestinians, and how we face the same issues… Yet all of the BLACK People actually going through systematic racism identical to what we face in Amerikkka; they are totally left out of the picture. But why? 

Come on now, do you really think Palestinians want the BLACK People in their community to become front and center in their struggle? Think about it! The erasure of BLACKNESS in Palestinian society should be more important to Black People in Amerikkka, especially since so many are haphazardly blending our movements together… Especially entities with high visibility like BLM & M4BL, who perpetually advocate intersectionality. Don’t forget, BLM is a part of M4BL… BLM is one of the orgs that has pledged allegiance to the M4BL platform… This platform further ties BLACK Liberation to Palestinian Liberation, without addressing anti-Blackness and BLACK erasure in Palestinian Struggle.

I personally feel BLM has a huge say in what happens with M4BL, an entity that includes various orgs from around the country… It seems to be a way for BLM to have more control over other orgs, without looking like it does, and in some cases those orgs not realizing that it does. Unity is all good, until it is united in areas that leave others who should be included, out of the equation.

So both of these entities, that operate as one at times, are all about intersectionality when it comes to BLACK LGBTQ and BLACK Women’s issues (two issues that are very important to me by the way)… But are these the only ways these entities are willing to apply intersectionality? Or really, is this all an issue of money controlling the narrative? I say it’s both! 

When BLACK People ignore Black Lives in the world, in order to show solidarity to NBPOC (non-BLACK People of Color) who have strong anti-Blackness issues they are not addressing… What in the actual fuck is that about? How is that not participating in the very things you supposedly are fighting to correct? How are these BLACK entities from Amerikkka sending delegations to Palestine, and not demanding the anti-Blackness be addressed throughly and thoughtfully while there? Why are all the BLACK People in Israel perpetually ignored? BLACK Jews face the same issues we do in Amerikkka plus other indignities, and the BLACK refugees there are being killed & deported along with the other systematic issues… Why are they left out the conversation? Do their BLACK Lives matter, or nah? The avoidance of this subject, and the issues thereof; it let’s me know that their lives don’t matter to most of y’all… Because of, well… Agendas. 

A retweet here and there about forced sterilization or deportations mean nothing, if you go to the region and don’t even go see how you can help them, and learn their stories while you’re there… But everyone spends all the resources and energy and time to make sure Palestinians, who erase BLACK Palestinians in their struggle, get all the solidarity efforts... Wow! 

And yes, some BLACK communities have complex relationships with one another and various needs, but we can’t even get into that yet, because folks gonna keep ignoring BLACK People all together… Like, what the fuck? Is that how it’s gonna continue to be? For real? If they are not good enough to meet with and fight for when you are over there, don’t retweet random articles that only tell, in part, of the horrors they face because of State sanctioned white supremacy in Israel.

When BLACK Folks come into this region for a few days, do they not realize that they probably won’t experience said anti-Blackness, because the ones who brought them over want and need BLACK Power to align with their cause… To strengthen it? They are using BLACK People as their Ambassadors in Amerikkka, riding the gale of change( the movement) our Ancestors blew our way to get us free of oppression, and further along. I get it though, they want to use this moment in time to pressure the Amerikkkan GOV here, so that the Amerikkkan GOV can directly pressure Israel to stop oppressing Palestinians. I want Israel off their backs, but not at the expense of ignoring other BLACK People being oppressed in that land…That’s a terrible deal!

Ask the visible (non-BLACK) Palestinians what they are doing to help BLACK People in their own land? They can’t just pressure the GOV like we can here in many ways, but they could work on eradicating anti-Blackness in their community as a sign of good faith. Ask them how our solidarity with them benefits us( BLACK People in Amerikkka)? If Ferguson had not risen to fight back, and a movement blossom as it has…Would they(visible Palestinians) want to be in solidarity with BLACK People because they saw us suffering? These are questions everybody needs to be asking.

We have aligned ourselves with other NBPOC in the past, including Palestinian Peoples… What did it do for us in the past? Did we build bridges that are beneficial for both? Did it last? Why not? Historically, we always end up at the back of our own movements when we align with NBPOC, because we don't demand more from them, and many do not really see us as their equals in humanity. We are very trusting, and think it’s cool when someone wants to stand with us… But listen, we need folks to not just stand with us… We need folks who say they are in solidarity with us, to move their legs and walk with us! This means they must be willing to take risks on our behalf, even if that forfeits the NBPOC privileges that they can access... Because let's be real, NBPOC have a closer proximity to whiteness, and many times they have thrown us under the bus to maintain it.

We (BLACK People) always work hard for our freedom, and for the freedom of others…Carrying everyone on our backs, and then we have the nerve to wonder why everyone else has a strong community, and we knee-grows from Amerikkka don’t. Those we align with get further along on their freedom journey, and BLACK People get what? Seriously, what have we received? Does the anti-Blackness mysteriously go away on its own? I'm afraid it sure the hell doesn't!

So, if we get Palestine free of Israel’s tyranny, how will BLACK People fare in their land and in Amerikkka? Metaphorically speaking, let's say you have sex with someone, and they climax... But you don’t. And to make matters worse, they don’t care that you didn't because they’re “taken care of”--Chile, I’m just saying. How many times will we repeat this cycle? We can support NBPOC, without sacrificing other BLACK People in the process. BLACK Liberation requires we take care of our people on a global level first, not leave them by the wayside for fair weather alliances.

Seriously…Think about it! What are BLACK People getting out of these alliances? How can BLACK People benefit if no one, including the BLACK People from Amerikkka... If BLACK Folks are not making sure that Black People in Palestine & Israel, no matter religion or ethnic persuasion; making sure that all of these BLACK People are being brought to the forefront and included in solidarity efforts. If that's not happening, how can there be true solidarity, and why are folks blending our movements in the midst of such epic erasure of the BLACK People on the Israel/Palestine side of things. This really has me hot!

Have y’all ever asked some of the BLACK Palestinians who have always lived in that land( not those who just got there in recent times or even the last hundred years)… Has anyone ever asked them who stole their lands? Imma give you a hint, it wasn’t the white jews👀. But, oh yeah… The BLACK Folks making these “solidarity trips” don’t go further into the region, and none of the people who bring them over there, make sure they are given the full picture… The full picture doesn’t benefit the people funding or benefiting from these trips, egos don’t want to take in the full picture either—Folks are willing pawns in a game that they do not fully understand.

When I went to the M4BL convening in July of 2015, I told y’all I had a great time for the most part. The exception was the last session that I participated in while at the convening… Before the closing of our coming together that weekend. The last session I participated in was an international one… It was about us planning ways we could fight for BLACK Lives on a global scale.

I have a unique perspective in BLACKNESS, because of my background. This automatically gives me a global vision, so being in this last international session was imperative for me. Beforehand, I had no idea who would be over it, or what all we would be discussing. I have kept much of this story to myself since it happened, because I didn’t want to be petty, and I was still hopeful that perhaps things could change. 

But now, as the Ancestors winds blow, and I feel truth needs to be told… I am over that “don’t want to be petty/ sacrifice myself in one-sided/harmful ways for the good of the movement " type bullshit! I always try to give our people the benefit of the doubt… Room to grow, relearn, expand... Always I am patient and give more than a few chances for folks to do right... Systematic racism has not been easy on the BLACK psyche & soul. But now that M4BL & BLM have proven that they will not address this BLACK erasure in Israel/Palestine, I am just going to lay it all out so that this issue can be better understood.

When Opal Tometi, one of the co-founders of BLM, first came into the room for the session; she looked at me funny, and rolled her eyes. I am so use to people treating me badly; that folks don’t easily get under my skin enough to move me, or to make me shut my mouth😉. What I didn’t know at the time, is that right before this session, some of the BLM People and Ferguson people were arguing… It was very heated from what I was told second hand. I guess… Maybe she( Opal) knew I was cool with Ferguson folks, and decided I deserved disrespect? Maybe she had seen my tweets at some time about the BLACK issue being ignored in Israel/Palestine, and didn’t like me because of it? I can only guess why she was acting this way toward me, because I don’t know her, nor had I ever had any interaction with her during this entire convening… Until this session, that is.

I remember after she saw me and gave me a dirty look, she called this girl out into the hallway… I don’t know the girls name, but I have seen her in some pictures of a recent trip to Palestine by folks picked by M4BL. She was very light skinned with naturally straight hair… I assumed she was BLACK because it was a BLACK only space, but she was one of those type of BLACK People who could pass for white if they wanted…Not at all saying that she would want to do that. I would later realize that the side bar conversation Opal and this girl was having, was about me… I guess she was supposed to try to interrupt me, because every time I spoke during this session, she tried to act like what I was saying was not relevant, interrupt me, and just overall behave very rude to me…VERY VERY rude! Maybe they were trying to get a bad reaction out of me for some reason… Trying to intimidate me into silence? I dunno, but if that was “the plan”— I wasn’t falling for that either…So I kept participating😁.

People in our session were from all over the country, a few places in Europe, and a few places in South America as well. Everyone but these two were kind to me, and many were wanting to hear my ideas and experiences. The whole time, this girl who Opal tasked with trying to deflect my ideals & Opal herself; they were looking at me funny and rolling their eyes… It was so bizarre. When I did get to say something about BLACK People being erased in the convo about Palestine, they tried hard to detour that from being a topic. Then Opal decided we would only talk about the Haitian issue in Dominican Republic, a very important issue by the way… But the way by which they were trying to silence me was really low human behavior, and very telling.

After the session, I was trying to talk to Opal, despite how she was treating me… She didn’t want to look me in the eye… I guess she was nervous about having to deal with me one on one… She tried to ignore me, but I wouldn’t let her😁. When she couldn’t ignore me anymore, and I asked her about the issue I brought up, she gave me this fake answer( I can’t remember verbatim). She told me to write my email down, and that they would include me in further discussion on the subject… This never happened, of course! Well, I’m sure they discussed the subject further with those they deemed worthy, but they certainly didn’t reach out to me... A person with first hand/lived experience on the subject... Wanna know why? ‘Cause my BLACK ass don’t matter😉 It is what it is, right?

As time has gone on, I have watched M4BL & BLM, continue to not address the issues I have throughly discussed in this blog… The issues concerning racism and anti-Blackness in Israel/Palestine, whilst they spend so much time, energy, resources building BLACK/Palestinian Solidarity, that does not include BLACK People in that land… Just us BLACKS here in Amerikkka because we can help affect change for them… Messed up, right? I think it is.

I continue to educate, have spoken at events, but folks here just do not care… Why don’t they care? Because the largest entities in the movement don’t care…That’s why. Most people are not leaders, even though they think they are… Most people only want to go with what is popular aka what is funded and visible. Many people do not care about a cause as much as they care about how they can benefit from being involved in said cause… And along with that, people are always choosing whether they will be loyal to what is right, based solely off of who they may get to rub elbows with in the future.

I have watched elders I respect greatly like Angela Davis and Danny Glover work on these campaigns to bridge the BLACK folks in America with the non-Black Palestinians. I am not sure if they have been made aware of the whole picture… I don’t know if they realize how many BLACK People are being ignored, and could use solidarity from other BLACK People like us. I do know that when I engage people, they are interested, but ultimately do not care enough to join me in heralding this issue.

Also, my contacts back in Israel, an Ethiopian Jewish brother specifically who is on the front lines fighting against systematic racism & police brutality… He says he wants to work together, but at the same time… He and other BLACK Jews think that BLACK People in Amerikkka don’t care about their plight, or what to be involved with them… And to be honest, he is right. Folks here truly don’t care about them, which is like saying you don't care about me.These people are flesh of my flesh, blood of my blood, just like African-Americans are to me. Ethiopian Jews are my people too, so I take this erasure of them and every other BLACK person in that land personal... This is personal to me, because I fight for our people here in Amerikkka, but I truly feel my people here don't have my back. Cops almost killed my ass just last month at a protest… Shooting live rounds at us on the 2 year anniversary of Mike Brown’s execution, but that doesn’t matter to most… I truly love BLACK People, and want liberation for us all… That is why I fight, because if it were based off the love I felt from my people…I wouldn’t do anything at all.

In my last blog(part 1)—I talked about the BLM chapter in Kentucky, treating a police brutality survivor badly… This chapter isn't the only one I have witnessed acting questionably. I live 2.5 hours away from Cleveland, and I have travelled many times to stand with the people there, as they began to move on behalf of those being killed by cops. When Brandon Jones was killed in March of 2015, I drove up to stand with his family and the people gathering. I helped local organizers( not BLM) as they plotted their next moves… Nothing ever progressed as far as sustained pressuring from local activists, organizers, orgs… BLM  (Cleveland chapter) didn’t reach out to his family(according to his mom who I talk to often).

The biggest case in Cleveland, at the time, was that of our dear Tamir Rice. There was a lot more publicity of his case than the others, because of his age and the circumstances. BLM was/has been there for the family of Tamir. I am not sure if they have been so for the others killed by cops.

Brandon was unarmed and had taken some things out of a closed store… He did NOT deserve to die. Just this Friday, the cop who unjustly executed him was indicted on a lesser murder charge. The cops who killed Tamir, Tanisha, and others didn’t even get indicted. An indictment isn’t a conviction… If he is convicted, will he even have to serve time? Such a tedious and hurtful journey for the families of those killed by cop demons.

I remember reaching out to Brandon’s mom on Facebook last year, and asking her if anyone was helping her, because I wasn’t hearing anything about the case, or any action on his behalf. I was very surprised that no one in Cleveland, especially BLM was assisting her, planning actions—No support. I started to build with her and her family… I would drive all the way up, and do what I could, which wasn’t much. It was hard for me, not being from Cleveland to get people together… Many who could help get people together were uninterested… I reached out to many of those whom I have stood beside in protest who lived in Cleveland, and most of them could care less.

I continued to do whatever I could to support the family, but it was so messed up to me that the burden of trying to organize was on the family… There are so many ways to support people… Even just picking up the phone and asking them if they want to go to dinner, offering a laugh, finding resources, making sure they have folks supporting them when there are court dates…So many things people who live in Cleveland could do, but wouldn’t.

For the one year anniversary of Brandon’s execution, I was glad that mothers from other cities came to stand with the family… But seriously, her hometown activists totally abandoned her and her entire family. I talk to her, and it’s hard for her everyday.

I see BLM and other groups from various places, always wanting to be on the ground for the most publicized cases, but paying other folks dust…Folks who really need any type of support that can be mustered for themselves, and their executed loved ones. It’s a pattern I do not like, and that I will not support.

My hometown isn’t too much better when it comes social justice, no matter the group or org. We have a lot of big egos, and folks not wanting to do what needs to be done, to affect change…This is a disastrous combination. Ohio lacks the energy to fight back as need be… I don’t know what it is about this state and the BLACK People in it…There will be a rally when cops murder one of us, maybe 2 or 3, but then the momentum dies… We need to do way more than protest, and if we do protest it needs to be epic and totally disrupt… Otherwise at this point, we’re just putting on a show for the winds. None of us can be a movement by ourselves, no matter how radical we are… It’s so frustrating, because we should have Ohio rocking for all the injustices done here… Folks just aren’t with it, though.

So, right now, I am not going out to protests, and I am not joining with people who do not vibe on a revolutionary LOVE frequency. I am helping my people in various other ways right now… I am not disrespecting the goddess in me by allowing myself to be disrespected… My life may not mean much to those I  have fought beside, but it means something to me and those who actually do love me… I have too much still to give, to waste in shallow, stagnant waters. I am open to taking action and even risking my life; I will just be sure it is expedient for me to do so… No more wasting of energy and vibe.

So… I have really gone deep about why I don’t support BLM & M4BL at this point… But understand, that does not mean I am not still doing this work. Understand that there are individuals who are involved in these entities, that are fighting sincere and true, and are just unaware of the underworking’s —I just believe COINTELPRO type tactics, greed, and selfishness has taken over. I feel this is a time that the true freedom fighters need to stand against the shit hurting BLACK Liberation. I have been a freedom fighter since childhood, I’m a healer…I will always be helping my people in some way… I will always stand against injustice! 

Could my perception about BLM & M4BL change in the future? It could if I feel they cleaned house, cared about all BLACK Lives, and stop taking money from entities that wish to water down our movement. So what do I want? No one is perfect, right? Well, no one is flawless…We all, including myself make mistakes… What we do when we make those mistakes is what counts… This is the difference between the just and the unjust. I feel that there is too much clique mentality, opportunism, and being bought going on, and I want to continue to fight for my people, both here and abroad, with integrity. I want to raise the vibration of the planet, by helping to restore our people to greatness; thereby realigning things for every person on the planet. I don’t want to have to compromise our people and our struggle for agenda’s that do not benefit us… I want freedom, and I want it done in way  where integrity and revolutionary love are centered. I do not want to feel like I, or others like me, do not belong because we don’t fit in the side agenda du jour…. I want us to make progress that lasts, not an illusion that enslaves… This what I want for us.… What do you want?

^{In Unashamed Négritude & Revolutionary Love,}

ORIT

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