backstory
The recent "McDonalds Incident" has a lot of people talking, and mainly,
saying what I think is the wrong thing. Instinct says "FIGHT BACK!"
But instinct can't save you if you "Fight Black".
is it worth it?
We've had enough as a people. I get it... and though I'm not
on location, as a member of the diaspora, I most definitely feel it.
As human beings there's a temptation whenever we are confronted, to
fight back. Right or wrong, it's part of our nature. Yet, time and time
again, we've seen that fighting back isn't always the wisest move.
Sometimes, even running for your life can get your life taken from you.
It can feel like
"Damned if you do, damned if you don't. Just damned."
You may think to yourself
"What do I have to live for anyway?"
But please, before you throw yourself headlong into a rigged battle you
can't win, think it through. Standing up for yourself can get you shot
down.
know when to stand down. it doesn't make you weak.
The recent
incident at a McDonalds
outlet in the US has brought forth much of the same contrived rhetoric
about "Black men don't stand up for black women!" except we do, and
in this case, despite what the vast majority of screaming voices on the
internet are saying, one of us did. Quite frankly, I think this "brotha"
did the right thing.
- He got her away from the situation.
-
He did not engage with her attacker directly, which, contrary to the
dogmatic doctrines of arm-chair commentator theology, would have
been precisely the wrong move!
-
*ANY* further contact with her attacker, other than what she did in
self-defence, could have been used as evidence of assault.
-
Had someone not intervened and pulled her away, police likely would
have charged *her* with a crime as well. It's messed up, it's wrong,
but it's our reality in a world that doesn't value our humanity.
Sure, it sucks. Many people who watched the video would love to have
seen him served as a happy meal to the floor. It certainly would
seem like the right move. But if we've been paying attention
to the lessons history keeps teaching us, we know full well what would
have happened once police showed up to
that scene.
We have to keep our heads on and let wisdom prevail, even when it feels
like we're being weak or even foolish. Our ancestors knew this better
than any of us alive today. Were it not for their tactful patience in
the midst of unimaginable odds, we wouldn't be here today.
To finish this off, let me remind you of the
story of Moses
and the children of Israel. Although Moses wasn't raised among his
people for most of his life, he never forgot who he was. When he saw
an Egyptian beating an Israelite slave, he took it upon himself to
intervene, and in doing so, killed the Egyptian. A surface-level
analysis of the situation might say Moses was completely justified, and
maybe, he was, but look at what it cost him. For the next 40 years, he
had to live his life in fear; exiled in the land of Midian.
His one act of insobriety cost him a direct line of influence in the
Egyptian Government, his special relationship with notable Egyptians,
including his adoptive family, who may have likely given support to his
fight for his people's freedom, and his connection to his people. His
troubles didn't stop there, but for the sake of brevity, I'll save you
the details. Suffice to say, sometimes, fighting back isn't worth it.
The same people shouting "KNOCK HIM OUT!", would just as easily
"SHUT YOU OUT!" ...
after you get out of prison.
Never forget... even when you want to fight back, you're still in this
racist world, and you're not quite free to "fight black." Temper your
emotions in the moment. It's easier said than done, but you live to
fight another day.
Never let a simple battle cost your place in the war.