Slide 1

The Stolen Dreams of Africa

MBONG'S MEMOIRS

3 minute read ● by Mbong A. FT.

Let’s help a brother. What will you use as a more empowering hashtag to counter the racial injustices and abuses against black lives in the USA?

As an African, though miles away, it has been hard to watch the #blackLivesMatter movement take to the streets of the USA over and over again to protest police brutality against my race. Especially in a country that was built on the sweat and blood of black people. While in minority, the contribution of African Americans in building the USA, isn’t up for debate. The onslaught against blacks isn’t just heart wrenching to watch, it is shameful to see and expose the full extent of the American hypocrisy. For a country that brags of its human rights standards, it is simply unbelievable that over a hundred years since the abolition of slavery such acts of barbarism still make the headlines every other day.

And as if my black brothers do not fully celebrate their contribution, I find the #blacklivesmatter slogan to be quite disempowering too. It sounds like a victim’s cry for recognition, for acceptance, for help. It is that counter narrative which reinforces what your opponent is saying. Take this example. “You are a thief – I  am not a thief.” When someone tells you you are a thief you don’t reinforce what they say by arguing that you are not what they called you out to be. You simply tell them who you are. You are a thief, a more apt response should be,  “I am a college professor, I am a football player, I am great…… “. So when blacks are told everyday by the action of the US police force that their lives don’t matter. I think it is a mistake to say #blacklivesmatter without recognising the intention behind those gruesome acts of criminality that black lives really don’t matter. And that pisses me off too. So I woke up today, with a few suggestions of what is a more appropriate hashtag, of what a stronger counter narrative might be.

Don’t dare, not a single more black life to be taken again,

US Police should back (black) off, we demand fairness and justice in dealing with all suspect.

Let’s help a brother. What will you use as a more empowering hashtag to counter the racial injustices and abuses against black lives. Here are mine;

#BlacksMadeUsGreat

#OneBlack2many

#bLackOffBlues