01.13.2016 - “It’s because I’m black.”
A while ago, I had a debate with my then boyfriend about the black narrative and the incongruities that came with the color of your skin.
It started when he said he disliked how black people nowadays throw the phrase, “..it’s because I’m black” around like an excuse for their shortcomings and problems. His argument was that instead of making it a racially charged issue and complaining about it, it was really up to those people to change their circumstances and situations. They were using their race as an excuse. That it was lazy to simply complain and do nothing to resolve the issues that cause them to say “it’s because I’m black” in the first place.
If you know me (hopefully by now), you’d know that I argued for the other side. I wasn’t too happy with his statement and I wasn’t sure which position he thought I would take, but I look back on our debate now - with the information and events that have happened since then - and I’m glad I argued for the phrase and not against it.
“It’s because I’m black.”
Historically and holistically, it IS because they’re black. Yes, they do have the choice to try and work towards a solution and change their circumstances. Yes, success is defined by your actions and reactions to the obstacles you face in life. Yes, people with mentalities that believe in overcoming their shortcomings and stereotypes are the ones who get farther in life. Yes, just complaining about the injustice they face in their lives may not change a significant amount.
But it educates. The phrase alone realizes that there is an issue and there are problems with the system. That in many cases, it DOES come down to the color of their skin and that is just unfair. Just by being black, there are higher chances of failing school, incarceration, being victims to police brutality, poverty, depression, self-deprecation, inferiority, health issues resulting from malnutrition and asthma, defects because of environmental radiation and proximity to nuclear waste, the list goes on. The hurdles that colored communities face - and especially black communities - are so ridiculous in comparison to the privileges of the whites (and the males) that the world needs to be reminded everyday injustices happen “because they’re black”.
When you face the inequality of your race and of your identity every second of every day of your life, I think you’re entitled to complaining and in turn, educating those around you about the unfairness of our systems. There are subconscious racial attacks and micro aggressions every day, whether you notice them or not. Blacks and other people of color feel inferior and are told they are inferior, every day. They face obstacles that other people may not have to, and face more and more obstacles, again and again. There’s only so much you can change on your own.
I also find it amazing that the phrase reached mainstream and most people I’ve come across, have heard it. That in itself, is educating and contributing to recognizing the issue. The first step is to accept that there is a problem in the first place.“
Yes, it’s because they’re black. Now let’s all do something about it, collectively.