Welcome to THEJNSREPORT’S: “The Angry Black Man Argument”
Written by T.D Moody
Often times, in mid discussion with some people I find that as a mode of convenience the term “Angry Black Man” get’s tossed around as if it’s some sort of super defense mechanism to diffuse confrontation or addressing issues when dealing with Black Men. Recently, while hanging out with a few friends of mine I found myself being called an “Angry Black Man”.
The funny thing about the situation was that I wasn’t even angry. What actually made me stop and think and then actually tackle the subject was the fact that the term was thrown at me in my opinion simply as a reflex by someone who I don’t think has a full understanding or concept of what it is to be angry let alone label someone as an “Angry Black Man”.
I also realized that in taking on this topic I’d have to break down a few things for the less informed or those who think that because they claim or believe they or their ancestry was not directly involved in the atrocities enacted against my heritage and ancestry that they are some how innocent and don’t benefit from practices that were in place from way before any of us were gleams in our father’s and mother’s eyes.
Being of African-American descent and native to America in as much as I was born here to immigrant parents, I do understand the history of my people and background and realize that the struggle and all the prejudices and arguments that my forefathers and foremothers bore in their time has not changed or ceased to exist no matter how much people shuck and jive and close their eyes in today’s world claiming how “far we’ve come” since the Civil Rights Era.
I began my argument first by stating A) I was not angry but rather simply put, stating my opinion with emphasis and confidence in what I was saying. I find often times when a Black man or Minority is able to articulate his points in the same manner as say someone of a different ethnic background he is automatically labeled as “Angry”. I in turn ask the accuser, why do you say that I’m angry? Typically the response I get is… you’re big, you’re black, and you’re intimidating. My first inclination is to say well you’re an idiot!! However, I reply by asking again what does my skin color or my size have to do with you labeling me as angry?
I was so dumb for so long not really getting the fact that they really and truly had no argument and actually were telling me more about them than they realized. Generally speaking, if I were to be a person who for well over four centuries benefited from the rape, murder, enslavement, forced labor and exploitation of a single group of people like none other on the face of the planet, I imagine that any time I engaged a member from that group, it’d behoove me to label them as angry to try and diffuse the karma due me and my people. I honestly believe that is at the center of the argument.
“It wasn’t me, I didn’t do anything, neither did my father. We love black folk”. If you are still reading up to this point then I give you props for not being a guilt ridden coward or ignorant person who can’t see past his/her nose. Digressing for a moment but still relevant to this topic. I’d also add several movies to my Film Committee selections from years ago while still an undergraduate studying Political Science and taking Theory of Human Freedom Classes.
One film that we had to watch during my studies was “Rosewood” another one which I’d seen years earlier was “Mississippi Burning” followed up with “Amistad”. I ask anyone who has seen any of these films if after seeing this period pieces whether or not they looked or thought about the world and the people around them the same.
I know it to be the truth that we as human beings can be so dumb, so ignorant, so shortsighted, or just plain old blind deaf and dumb to what is real and really matters. It’s moments like now when I imagine the phrase, “The shoes on the other foot”.
Imagine it. A world where roles were reversed and White people suffered at the hands of Black people the way Black people have suffered throughout history at the hands of White people. How many white people would enjoy having some idiot come up to them to tell them that they are “Angry White Men”? Or ask them why are you so angry while simply expressing your view point? I believe it allows them to feel like they are some how some sublime, emotionless, calm vessels in a tumultuous storm of chaos.
Firstly, we are all human beings period, no matter where in this world we’re born or our ethnic background. We are born human beings. Secondly, I’ve yet to meet a person no matter what their ethnic background that lacks all the full emotions that every human being has including anger.
I told the person who accused me of being an “Angry Black Man” he didn’t know what he was talking about because to see me angry would look unequivocally like nothing he’d ever seen from me before. I went on to explain that if he’d actually ever seen me “Angry” there’s no way he’d ever make the mistake he’d just made.
The “Angry Black Man” to me is nothing more than an artificial label a “Straw Man” argument because real dialogue is too scary for most people to engage in for fear of where reason and logic will take them. A sobering look at reality and history is too much for some so labeling by default spares them having to actually get their feet wet and come face to face with the past, present, and future.
I’ll end for now on a note that I find very apropo at the moment. The late great Tupac Shakur coined the Acronym T.H.U.G.L.I.F.E. For those who think they know what he meant when he coined the term, let me give you some education.
Tupac stated that Thuglife stands for The Hate U Gave Little Infants Fucks Everybody!!!!! Food for thought. It had nothing to do with the ghetto fabulous BS image perpetrated today by many wanna be rappers and their uneducated good for nothing commercial rap fans and inner city lost youths.
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