Nostalgic for the past that I've never experienced and perhaps was never really here...
I sometimes feel as if I missed my decade, that instead of being born in '86, I should've come on the scene in '76 or even '66. If only to wear a dashiki in public while not at a Holloween party (I went as Kwanzaa). My favorite artists are Prince, Stevie Wonder and Chaka Khan, some of my favorite TV shows are "Kate and Alley", "Family Ties" and "The Jeffersons". And it was a golden age for black men with names starting with the letter 'M' - Malcolm, Marvin, Medgar and Martin.
It seems as though b(l)ack in the day, folks felt that there was a lot at stake and were willing to fight. and if not fight (I wouldn't want any fire hoses aimed at me), then educated themselves about current events and to a stand. For something.
Today although many of the newspapers are constantly writing about the 2008 presidential candidates, many young people aren't too aware of the who's who within that mob. Or when I do see young people moving for change it isn't us (black and brown people). At a free play this summer in Central Park about the genocide in Darfur, I only saw a smattering of colorful faces. Where were we and where are we? What are we about?
I'm sure that not everybody was marching, holding up signs of protests, and staging sit-ins during the '60s and 70s. I know there were some okie doke negroes, the dissillusioned and some who simply didn't care. But today, it sometimes feels like the people who are at the fore of social action and poltical awareness about issues important to us are white liberals. Who, however noble their intentions often get stuff wrong.
Damn crack epidemic for basically shutting down massive black political action. (COINTELPRO anyone?)
While there are some people, groups and organizations holding it down, we all need to step our collective game up.
