If Black people have an issue, it’s racism

It’s not the culture, it’s the consequences

“A man wearing a baseball cap, brass knuckles and earrings holding his chin by a brick wall” by Andre Hunter on Unsplash

When the New York Times published a story on the punishing effects of racism on Black men, I responded with a story about “What Black Men Need Right Now from America.”

And wouldn’t you know it, I got responses that said the issue is Black people.

Too many times have I heard ‘Black culture’ is the problem with the Black community. Even Black people will sing these sunken songs. From Black people, and other people of color, this is ignorance.

We hear this talk in the hush up tones of respectability politics that blames and shames Black culture. Those who self-hate and have internalized racism also blame and shame Black culture.

But from white people, this argument is the ultimate blame the victim tactic and abdication of responsibility and accountability.

What they call ‘culture’ I call consequence.

Now, of course, Black people aren’t a monolith. But, when people start to point fingers they shouldn’t point them at us first or alone.

I’m not saying personal responsibility means nothing. I’m not saying Black people are helpless, that’s not the case.