America Is Obsessed With Placing A Band-Aid Over Systemic Oppression

Source: John Lamparski / Getty

In the wake of the repeated state sanctioned deaths of Black people across America, corporations and individuals who say they are vested in allyship have taken certain steps to appear locked into making America what it has the potential to be.

But there’s been a lot of performative action going on, instead of truly addressing what is going on. Because America did not come to its current foundation alone.

While some of these measures are a step in the right direction what Black people want is simple. The systems that have been used to topple us, need to come crumbling down. Black people in America want systemic racism to end. We want to defund the police and instead invest in community building efforts. We want  a fair living wage along with health care. We want access to affordable education, which divests from pushing white-washed and heteronomorative narratives which rarely include the contributions of those who are not Black, nor straight. We want land and the right to pursue our own enterprises without the threat of the goal post being moved at every turn. We want the prison industrial system to end. We want political representation who truly embody and understand our needs.

And those are just the topline items, there are many more.

But instead Black people in America are asked to be complacent with painted streets, psa’s and empty promises. To be clear, some of these actions are welcomed, but it cannot be our only solution, or first foot forward in the march toward true freedom.

We cannot use these actions as a permanent fix over America’s issues, we have to face them with policy, education and renouncement. Here are just a few of the things we’ve seen over the last four weeks.

The co-opting of the movement #TheShowMustBePaused, which was created by music industry executives Jamila Thomas and Brianna Agyemang to demonstrate against racism and police brutality.

Tearing down monuments which held the pain violence and destruction of Black communities for centuries.

Tearing down flags and emblems which held the pain violence and destruction of Black communities for centuries.

The Black Lives Matter murals that are popping up across the country on major boulevards and intersections.

Corporate leaders giving employees the day off for Juneteenth and activists launching a campaign to make it a paid, federal holiday.

Washing Black people’s feet.

Staging slavery re-enactments with white people in chains. Let’s be clear, Black people didn’t ask for this so why would we feel justified seeing others in chains?

Firing and not fully convicting cops who kill innocent Black people.

Making PSA’s and rehearsed statements.

Changing logo’s that had long standing and overt racial stereotypes.

Deleting TV episodes and movies from streaming services that promoted and made light of harmful stereotypes.

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