This Thanksgiving Black folks will be gathering around dining room tables and family rooms dotted with TV trays, unable to avoid thinking about and talking about the unexpected arrival of a second turkey this season: that Jive Turkey Donald Trump.
It’s imperative that we don’t allow the chaos of our outer world to upset the peace we have in our homes. To that end, there are positive things that have come or will come from Trump’s win:
- No one can honestly deny the existence of racism again.
One of the reasons we as a nation have made no progress on the race issues in America is due to many people’s fervent denial that racism even exists. Why do Black people have to focus so much on race? Everything is not a race issue. I never owned any slaves. Everyone has equal opportunity in America. Stop playing the race card. I didn’t have it any easier than any Black person. Black folks need to stop playing the victim. Now . . . there is no longer any strawberry air freshener of denial to cover up the shit. America is racist. After this election, only the simplest of fools could contest the existence of racism in America. Once we acknowledge the issue, perhaps now we can concentrate on improving it.
- We never need to hear the “post-racial” b.s. again.
Americans want to believe in happy endings. We want everything tied up with a nice bow like in our movies. When Barack Obama became the President, White folks seemed to want to clap their hands and exclaim, “Viola! See, racism is over. That is proof!” Let me quote from a more realistic movie, “Wake upppppp!”
- We will have some more woke Black people.
We now have even some of the most “shuck & jive, I pulled myself up by the bootstraps, slavery ain’t no issue, and there is no race but the human race” Black folks woke up from their American dream to realize that they are indeed in dis here Black struggle too. We all knew that they were in the club, but I believe they will be paying dues and coming to the Black meetings and convention this year.
- We will get closer as a people & community.
Ain’t nothing like the lack of options to make you closer to what you have. Each other is all that we’ve got folks! Let’s stop fighting over educated vs uneducated, suburbs vs city vs county, west coast vs east coast, natural hair vs. weaves, bougie vs. real. The world sees us all as Black. They see us as one big family. Shouldn’t we start seeing ourselves the same way?
- We are so prepared – more than anyone else.
I’ve been talking to many of my White, Gay, Hispanic and Asian sisters and brothers and they are visibly in shock and greatly depressed about the realization of how divided this country is. Black folks certainly aren’t happy; but we are used to coping. We are accustomed to being marginalized. We have been conditioned to endure. We, sadly, but maybe fortunately . . . got this.
- Discrimination and the accompanying anger is no longer solely a Black thing.
While we are the most trained and prepared soldiers in this discrimination war; we aren’t the only soldiers. We, Black folks should become closer; but we should also become closer with other races, cultures and religions. They too realize that this country is designed by and for White males to be successful at their expense. The smartest solution is for us to become closer. White men can only prosper if we remain alienated from each other.
- All of the kids who have only known a Black President / and we’ve known one for 8 years too.
No one can take away that we have had a Black family in the White House for 8 years. Many children have only known a Black man as the leader of the free world. They understand what is possible and I think that we will see greatness rise. Also, Trump is undoubtedly only going to make President Obama’s legacy greater.
- The things Obama may do when he gets out of office.
Barack Obama will no longer be our President and Michelle will no longer be the First Lady; but I don’t think that either will stop being leaders. We have only started to see the changes they will make in this world. Perhaps since they no longer are constrained by the red tape of the government; they will be able to do even more to organize and to lead the Black community and the United States as a whole.
The election didn’t turn out the way most of us wanted; but let’s remain thankful, faithful, aware and hopeful.
Wake up everybody no more sleepin’ in bed
No more backward thinkin’ time for thinkin’ ahead
The world has changed so very much
From what it used to be
There is so much hatred war an’ poverty
Wake up all the teachers time to teach a new way
Maybe then they’ll listen to whatcha have to say
‘Cause they’re the ones who’s coming up and the world is in their hands
When you teach the children teach em the very best you can
The world won’t get no better if we just let it be
The world won’t get no better we gotta change it yeah, just you and me
I know we can do it if we all lend a hand
The only thing we have to do is put it in our mind
Surely things will work out they do it every time
The world won’t get no better if we just let it be
The world won’t get no better we gotta change it yeah, just you and me
Melvin and Bluenotes
Originally posted 11/24/2016