Black is Sin, White is Purity. The Liberal Lie.

I remember growing up in the ‘90s, thinking how strange it was that almost every black male rapper in the prime of his career ended up with a charge, did some time in prison, and made music glorifying it. I wondered if this was some sort of rite of passage. Heck, it almost seemed like a ritual. I questioned how black mass incarceration, which left families and communities devastated and negatively impacting generations, became something to embrace and normalize?

I was speaking at an event earlier this year that I hosted, and the topic was breaking generational curses. As I spoke passionately about what God put in my heart to share, I went off-script and asked the question, “why are we glorifying dysfunction and the worst aspects of our culture and defining them as ‘blackness’?” I began to talk about “colored people’s time,” which was code for being late, and other habits that, though they exist in other cultures, are not embraced as cultural norms in those communities.

This revelation led me to ask the question:

Who is defining what it means to be Black? Or better yet, who has redefined it?

As I entered this journey on a quest to get a better understanding of politics in America and the Black community, I realized a few things about black culture, white liberals, and their toxic relationship.

I discovered that owners of the largest media companies, including record labels that produce hip hop, have part ownership in the private prison industry. I learned that the major record companies, investing millions of dollars into promoting music with violence, drug use, and misogynistic messages in hip hop, are owned by white liberals. I realized that the majority of the media and entertainment marketed towards the Black community portray the worst stereotypes of Black people and are owned or sponsored by white liberals. If the head of the most influential companies, media, and entertainment outlets are owned and run by white liberals, then it is them who are shaping and defining what it means to be Black in mainstream society.

“The same people disproportionately incarcerated when exposed to the criminal justice system are at every turn inundated with media, normalizing incarceration to the point that wherever there is mainstream hip-hop music, reference to imprisonment as an ordinary, even expected, component of life is sure to follow.” - Homeboy Sandman [source]

This type of racism is the most destructive because it destroys from the inside out. This type of racism is the most impactful because it uses our image, diction, and desire to embed toxic ideas and norms into our culture. It is far more destructive than any Confederate flag-waving white man we are made to fear. This infiltration and redefining of blackness have helped to destroy black families while they build generational wealth and monetize our pain and demise.

I saw a young black man who decided to become a Republican, responding to the backlash he faced by pointing out the fact that a black man can come out as gay and be celebrated, but if a black person comes out as a Republican, they are called a sellout or told, "you ain’t black."

It is no coincidence that those who, despite not being Black, are decision-makers on what qualifies as Blackness, are leading these attacks.

Not only have liberal policies failed us, but Liberal ideology is also contrary to the standards God has set for His people. Interestingly, the word liberal means free. But this is Satan’s definition of free because when we give in to the temptation to do anything that we please, we find ourselves in spiritual bondage.

God’s people in biblical accounts were blessed. They prospered. They lived in safety. They were feared by the surrounding nations. Their favor was obvious. No nation could conquer them or enslave them unless they turned from God. God chose Israel as a nation so that He could display His glory to the other nations on earth and that they would know that He was/is the King of Kings. He wanted the nations that serve false gods to know that His ways were better, to appeal to and show His love to all mankind.

In other words, God wanted to show off through you. This is your heritage.

We are so much more than what the powers that be have promoted us to be. It is the reason why we are more than happy to share stories of black entrepreneurs succeeding. It is the reason why we love to see #blacklove and #blackfathers on our newsfeed. They are not just hashtags but some of the ways our community has worked to change the narrative of who we are and how we are represented in our society. Why do stories of Black people doing positive things include the caption, “What they won’t show you in the media?”

It’s time to take things a step further in taking control of who or what defines Blackness. We must continue to take control of our narrative and stop supporting media outlets that monetize our stereotypes, pain, and destructive images.

This involves us denying ourselves by turning down roles and opportunities that, though they may enrich us personally, mean harm to the community.

What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul? Do we have the faith to believe that if we turn down acting gigs, songs, and other forms of media and entertainment that will negatively impact our people, that God won’t come through in a major way? Do your dreams and advancement have to come at the expense of perpetuating destructive ways within the culture? With God, it may take longer. But with God, your breakthrough comes with good success and peace.

We must also demand more from our leaders and those that claim to represent our interest. It’s not enough to march and show up when a Black man gets killed. It’s not enough to show up every 4 years and blindly tell us to go vote with no real plan or effort to educate us on policies and their implications. Racism in this nation is deeper than police brutality, and we certainly need more than just Black faces in positions of power who may not represent what is in the best interest of their people.

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

There is much talk about The Black community, its current state, and what needs to be done. While many have ulterior political motives for bringing this conversation to the forefront of society, God has a bigger plan. I believe that His plan is for us not only to seek out real solutions but to seek HIM. Since we are of God’s chosen, then the solutions won’t simply come because we chose the right politicians or just because we protested. It will take a turning back to our God and His ways.