Then we have failed and miserably.
I have several close Jewish friends all of whom speak about the horrific events of the Holocaust with as much emotion and dread as Black people when we speak of the Middle Passage, slavery, and subsequent reconstruction eras. I’m not sure of your ethnic background, but unless you are a member of an oppressed group, it’s difficult to suggest what either of these groups feel, based on stories within our own families that have been passed down through generations.
But the issue with Black people is a bit different. Thankfully, Jewish people were able to flee the country where the atrocities took place. As Black people not only are we in the same place where our ancestors suffered the most brutal and vicious treatment that wouldn’t be inflicted upon an ANIMAL today, but we are told to look at those who benefit from our oppression and to forget what was done. No one would expect Jewish people to happily co-exist with Nazis so I’m not sure why it’s so difficult to believe that Black people would be traumatized around white people, especially since racism, unjust murders, discrimination, prejudice, and white supremacy is still the rule of the day.
As a Black woman, there is no debate for me. What is there to debate about humanity? Anyone who feels there is a reason to debate does not have the best interests of Black people at heart.
I used Jewish people as an example because like I said in the article, you’d be hard pressed to find someone other than an anti-Semite saying that Jewish people should “get over” their past and completely disregard what they endured.
But when it comes to Black people who are existing in the same country and basically under the same conditions (when Black people can get shot in the back for no reason or strangled to death on national television) as our ancestors and people still think that the relevance of our human lives is up for “debate” therein lies the problem. That tells us in no uncertain terms our lives are not valuable to the majority in this country.
