What To BLACK PEOPLE is the 4th of July?

[Nehisi]

What to Black People is the 4th of July?
Submitted by math2112 on June 30, 2006 - 3:36pm. Race & Resistance

What to Black People is the 4th of July?
Brother Salim Adofo

On July 5, 1852, in a meeting sponsored by the anti-lynching society, Frederick Douglass gave the speech "What to the slave is the 4th of July?" In his speech, he illustrated the terrible conditions that Black people face living in America. He showed the contradiction of white America celebrating freedom, but at the same time denying it to Black people.
During the time of Frederick Douglass, white America was enjoying the "good life," and Black people were working from can't see to can't see in order to make white people rich. Black people were victims of lynching, bad health care and lack of education.

White supremacist gangs would terrorize Black people and take their land. Black people were not allowed to engage in politics or own businesses, which would have helped Blacks gain control of their communities and become self sufficient. Also, according to the Supreme Court of the United States, in what became known as the Dred Scott Decision, Black people did not have any rights that a white person was bound to respect.

Now, over 150 years later, we must ask the question, "What to Black People is the 4th of July?" Do Black people have a reason to celebrate the freedom and independence of America?
In 2006, Blacks may no longer face "Jim Crow"; however, Blacks are confronted with "James Crow II." Overt acts of white supremacy have been replaced, in some cases, with INSTITUTIONAL WHITE SUPREMACY.

For example, Black people are disproportionately denied home loans which are essential to building wealth. Gentrification is a tool that is used to lower the property value in Black neighborhoods. The land is then purchased by white-owned corporations who raise the cost so that Blacks can no longer buy property or live in the area, because the price and or the taxes are too high.

In the area of politics, 150 years ago Black people were not allowed to vote. Today Blacks are allowed to vote; however, based on the last presidential election, the votes of Black women and men are not even counted. Many Black communities have been gerrymandered to reduce the voting power of the Black community.

In the arena of law enforcement, Blacks still have no rights that white people are bound to respect. An example of this can be seen in the case of Amadou Diallo. An unarmed, innocent Black man, shot at 41 times by four white cops who were found not guilty of any crime.

Law enforcement officials in the state of New Jersey have admitted to racial profiling, which is a violation of one’s civil and human rights. Police officers are caught on video beating Black men, in some cases to death, with sticks, flashlights and plungers.

Black people in America have no reason to celebrate the 4th of July. Black people are less than 20 percent of the U.S. population but over 40 percent of the prison population.
Black people still have yet to receive full and complete reparations for slavery and the vestiges of it. Blacks cannot even go into restaurants such as Denny's and Cracker Barrel and expect to get service.

Blacks are still people suffering political oppression, economic exploitation and social degradation because of the white supremacist polices of the United States government and its economic institutions. The only difference between then and now is Black people knew then who their enemy was.

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[manifestdestiny]

not a damn thing

[BlackQueen]

It's the white devil's helliday..so it means nothing to me.

[Cairo Imhotep]

I'll never Celebrate any european holiday....I treat it like any other day

[Goddess IsIs Akkebala]

While driving on the main street here where I live, the day before the 4th of JEWLIE, I saw a so call brother ridng a bike, and he had locs, and he had this red, white and head scarf on his head. upside down mind-set.

We can not serve two master (america) and Afrika, for we will love one and hate the other.

HILY/A

G-Isis

[BlackQueen]

I agree. I wear Red,Black & Green bracelets,and I'm going to have our colors tied into one of my locks. I serve Afrika,not Amerikkka.

Originally Posted by Goddess IsIs Akkebala

While driving on the main street here where I live, the day before the 4th of JEWLIE, I saw a so call brother ridng a bike, and he had locs, and he had this red, white and head scarf on his head. upside down mind-set.

We can not serve two master (america) and Afrika, for we will love one and hate the other.

HILY/A

G-Isis

[Nefertiti]

And its really disturbing how our people go "all out" for these days which has no afrikan significance some of them spend all their money and go in credit card debt and grocery shop for that one day instead of the month and cook the barbecue which is no good for you....I dont recognise any of it!!! And Queen GIA that brotha who hair was tied in those devilish flag colours I wouldve just had to stop and look at him....and ask him whats all that about? but of course you probaly would have gotten some weak unconscious response

[NubianSysta]

nada mucho, zilch, negative, zero

[manifestdestiny]

Thats mainly because knowledge JUNE 10 is not pushed to the for front. We have to actively campaign in order address its significance. Burn the Krakka flag and kill the American (bull-shit) dream