Living While Black: The Absurdity We Encounter

Starbucks has made concessions to alleviate not just the insensitivity of its employees, but also the blatant racism of its employees. Am I still mad? Yes. Very. I'm not mad at Starbucks. I'm mad at the people (white, black, whomever) who have the insensitivity to ask the question. The Starbucks incident is bigger than Starbucks. Similar incidents happen to Black people everyday in every walk of life. To understand that America was built on racism and is affluent because of racism is absolute truth, but the absurdity isn't just about white people and their laughable anger.

I'm a proponent of segregation. White people can keep their shit. I don't care. On the low, most other "minorities" in America are living well in segregation. Asians build and spend amongst themselves. Mexicans build and spend amongst themselves. Middle Easterners build and spend amongst themselves. The building includes schools and community centers - not just dry cleaners, stores and restaurants.


[ Photo during the MOVE bombing in Philadelphia. MOVE was a Black liberation group that was labeled a terrorist group. No ammunition or guns were found but Black women and children were killed. 61 residences burned to the ground. This was 1985. In 1921 and 1923 respectively, Black Wall Street in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the community of Rosewood, Florida were destroyed by white terrorists. In both incidences, the fuse was of course... a white woman accused a Black man of rape. Can you imagine how many other communities suffered from white supremacists/terrorists attacks and the survivors who continue to endure the trauma? I'm still mad. ]

My skin crawls when someone asks to go to Lakeside Mall. Jefferson Parish to me is symbolic of dead, racist former sheriff Harry Lee. I don't support anything there. Keep your shit. I'm mad that white people won't leave us alone to build and establish. In this country, thriving Black businesses and communities have been FBI infiltrated, overly taxed, victims of predatory loans, bombed by local and federal government and destroyed by domestic terrorists. That's their crimes and shame which they will never fully admit. For those reasons, I'm still mad. Starbucks is a microcosm of the racism that allows white Americans to be secure. Starbucks is an everyday example of living while Black.

When Black people ask why am I still mad, my skin crawls. I use to ask my Dad why was he still angry. I'm now embarrassed that I asked. My Dad has seem and endured incidences that would either make most men fold or they would exact psychotic induced, violent revenge. How Black people have not violently killed white people is a testament to our spirit. We are not brittle but the Black people who ask am I still mad are brittle. To them, everything is status quo because Starbucks issued a press release. A billion dollar franchise is closing for ONE day to train its employees on customer service. I would bet my next 3 paychecks that most of them refuse to go to McDonalds on St. Claude Ave because of bad customer service but will casually enter Starbucks on Veterans Blvd in Metairie and expect white manager Holly not to be racist. Most of them don't care to know there are Black owned coffee shops because they were influenced by their McDonalds experience. When the shit hits the fan, well... the caramel latte is ridiculously good. McDonalds fries are the best in the world! What's your point?! The soup Nazi on Seinfeld is fluff and funny but Keisha at McDonalds is a bitch?

The internet and social media are influential tools. Awareness can dilute ignorance whether or not the ignorance is acknowledged. Tommy Hilfiger mocked Black people who bum rushed stores to buy his clothing. Michael Kors doesn't want an inkling of representation from Black women. How many times does Denny's have to kick a Nigga out before we stop eating there? Don't buy their shit. Our dollar is powerful. Use the tools to make the Black community aware of the racism. Hopefully we will soon stop spending our money at these places and support Black businesses. Use the tools to search. Despite the systemically racist walls Black entrepreneurs have to climb, there are plenty Black businesses to support. We easily find the gotta-have-it brunch spot in the Marigny. We can do the same for us. We easily click on Amazon or Wayfair for them. We can do the same on webuyblack.com for us. For those reasons, I'm not mad at Starbucks. I'm mad at us who portray us as an ill alternative.

The conditioning needs to be washed out. There's too much accessible information to continue to fall back on 400 years of conditioning. To be ignorant is unacceptable. To be Black and aware is to be angry. Don't ask me about my temperament. Luckily for America, Black people haven't in solidarity, violently retaliated against white people. In retaliation, we need to improve our social norms and practices within our community. We need to stop feeding them with our money. Improve your customer service or get fired, Keisha. Shut it up Ashley when trying to tell me you need your Starbucks in the morning. Get out of my face 35 year old Toby if you're still wearing Timberlands and white tees to a job interview.

Furiously asking for me: Why are we quick to accept Brothers Stores and other Middle Eastern owned stores in our neighborhoods? They openly disrespect us and the community. They can also keep their shit and I refuse to spend money there.