A POEM: Clarification, by Connie Jordan

A POEM:  Clarification, by Connie Jordan
                                                From:  Personification of Injustice

In honor of Black History Month - let's get some Clarification on how we arrived at where we are in 2016.  Even through the harshness it is never to late to change direction!!!



  Personification of Injustice



CLARIFICATION

As I sit here watching the 'conversation'
about racism in America, I feel like we
are all getting caught up in the weeds,
as I heard one news anchor express the
other day,

Let's start by understanding from whence
we come;

Back in the day we, meaning black people,
where snatched from our homes, treated
like animals on the journey to our new
domicile, humiliated, sexually abused,
beaten and sold,

Stripped of our heritage and repeatedly told,
we needed this treatment to keep the control;
now let's define some relevant words;

Stockholm syndrome/traumatic bonding:
traumatic bonding does not necessarily
require a hostage situation but we,
as black folk, where indeed held hostage,

But this syndrome describes strong emotional
ties that develop between two persons, where
one person, white folks/the United States
of America or simply the government,

Since it's easier for them to blame rules, policy,
laws and institutions rather than to stand
individually responsible; intermittently harasses,
beats, threatens, abuses or intimidates the other;

Now we as black people have experienced all
of those behaviors, directed towards us
for centuries,

As times changed, so too did methods, until here
we are in twenty-fifteen, they calling it policing,
and simply shooting rather than lynching, although,
that propensity to lynch does still exist in the midst
of this madness,

Yet, as I have listened to them attempt to blame the
victims of these heartbreaking atrocities, their
justification being we need policing cause of black
on black crime, when their white on white crime is
just as substantial;

Even while psychologically states, when a victim
begins to believe the same values as the aggressor,
they cease to be perceived as a threat and so there
is born the house niggers of this generation, they
allow a few to get through, to sing their praise,

Sell their brand, while the rest of us suffer from
constant policing, low job availability and no
preparation through a decent education,
and they call us the 'Thugs'!!!

When you come to my house and disrespect me
in front of my family and friends, I begin to believe
I just don't matter; while we have a reason for our
behavior, you feel justified in the hate you have been
perpetrating for all of these years with no reason,

Based on that I have to ask, who the real thugs are,
yet, in analyzing the situation, both sides need
to recognize this protesting that's happening,
on some levels could determine our fate, so let's
get it together, before it's too late, knowing that over
time, hate breeds hate,

Let’s change our direction