Monkey See Monkey Do? — Are [We] Setting Ourselves Up?

Once again, before you read the below statement know that it is not my own. I do however agree with the stance the author of the statement is taking. We are going to joke [as black people] about certain things…a joke is a joke right?? BUT (whether we deem if fair or not) we need to be careful as a people of WHERE and WHEN we display those jokes.

To me, it’s SIMILAR to a scenario where a parent curses, drinks and uses foul language around their kid, but spanks and beats the heck out of them when they do it. MONKEY SEE, MONKEY DO. There is a time and a place to do and say things. SO when we as a people make jokes and vent on social media where our white, etc followers can see ; you run the risk of the racial lines being blurred and them being confused as to ‘what is too far’. AND yes, in all fairness that is OUR page to do as we please, but a fact of the world we live in is that we have to be careful of our actions at all times.

NOW….check out this statement via Chris Allen…

Trayvon Martin’s friend, Rachel Jeantel, was mocked and ridiculed yesterday via social media, and from what I could see, 99% of it was from her own race. She’s only 19 years old, under more pressure than any of us could imagine, and was involved in a tragic situation of being the last to talk to her friend who was killed shortly thereafter. Instead of embracing her, we make jokes about her weight, her public speaking, and of ALL things….her color.

We can’t hold white people to a higher standard of respecting black people than we hold ourselves. We can’t punish them for hating us and “holding us back” while leading by example and showing them how it’s done. There’s by FAR more black people that hate black people than there are white people who hate black people. We show it by the self-hatred we project on those like Rachel Jeantel in times like these.
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But this isn’t new. We did the same with Gabby Douglas when her “ponytail was undone” as she won gold medals. Remember?

I’m not saying I ever excuse the acts of racist people vs. blacks. I just want us all to be aware that we’re DARING them to do the very thing we are DEMONSTRATING.

The worst thing about all this is, those that need to hear this message, probably won’t.

– Chris Allen (endorsed)