With today’s ruling that essentially strikes down Affirmative Action, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) has demonstrated to America the white supremacist principles to which they are beholden. Once again, the SCOTUS has shown People of Color in general, and Black people in particular, the naked disdain they are more than willing to exercise against us. And once again, the cries that Black Americans need to rise up fill the air.
Pfft!
Racial equity in the United States will never come to fruition solely as a result of the efforts of Black Americans. Why is it so hard for some people to realize this? When you get down to the crux of the matter, there can only be two answers:
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They’re content with the hastening trend to further denigrate Black folks in America, or
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See No. 1.
It’s more than apparent that a portion of white America (the self-proclaimed agrieved part with power) loves Black culture—correction: can tolerate Black culture—but have no use for the people who create it.
I said what I said.
I’m fed to the teeth with the thinking that Black people need to rise up and fight back against this and other racist rulings from eras gone with the wind.
Clue: If that’s all it would’ve taken to eradicate the financial, employment, healthcare, and educational inequities (that are the very warp and weft of the fabric of America), the pervasive racism, bigotry, discrimination, and white supremacy would’ve been discarded whole cloth decades ago.
Our country has never been colorblind.
—Justice Jackson
If you think Affirmative Action robbed people—who already had unspeakable influence, money, and access—of those advantages, you’re not keeping your eye on the ball. Affirmative Action provided more access to opportunities for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color without those resources who would otherwise be penalized, overlooked, or disqualified because of the color of their skin.
But no. Too many are content to extend the benefit of the doubt to circumstances that evince America is in retrograde.
The rampant inequity that thrives in this country from sea to shining sea will only become a distant memory when white folks get off their butts and choose to work for racial equity and against systems of white supremacy. Then and only then will America begin to come close to delivering upon its promises.
The day will come when race is no longer a determinant in who has access to the American dream and opportunity will be available to all regardless of skin color—but don’t fool yourself children, we’re nowhere close to those shores.
