Normally I like to do a spotlight of a Blackman or Blackwoman who I admire when I do my annual "HBHM" post. But for the 2021 edition, I want to focus on the here and now, and the more general state of things... where we are after 4 years of He-Whose-Name-We-Speak-Only-In-Our-Nightmare.s....where things might go depending on how the new regime deals with the long-standing problems it's inheriting.
Right now (1:03am on 2 Feb), I'm tired, math'ed out, and .ready for bed. But through out the month, I'll be updating this post. For now... HAPPY BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2021! Let's celebrate Black excellence, worldwide.
UPDATE 7 Feb.: One thing I'm concerned about with the new administration is a possible return to the thinking that symbolic gestures (e.g.; putting Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill) is "enough". I understand the rationale behind these gestures: you normalize viewing Black people as integral parts of the creation of modern America. But doing that doesn't, in and of itself, change the state of things. We have to deal with some of the "street level" issues like racism in policing/courts, racism in education, racism in jobs etc. There has to be real changes in policy to confront and deal with these issues. There has to be real standards and consequences for people who violate these new policies. The previous POTUS was terrible for racial justice, true. But these problems existed under Obama, too. They existed before Obama. We've had tons of great symbolic gestures singe the 1960's at all levels of government, but we're still here. The root problems still exist. The only way to start fixing those problems is by directly confronting them. You need the two pronged attack against racism of the symbolic gestures AND real policy change. Without real change in policy, the symbolic gestures start to look more and more like empty gestures. I just hope the Biden/Harris administration is really dedicated to making changes in policy. I don't expect some Earth-shattering paradigm shift or anything, but I expect some sort of groundwork to be laid to set up some real policy change. Anything less will be....more than a disappointment.
Like, it's nice that Biden has one of the most diverse cabinets in history, but what does that mean if we're still flooded with more and more videos of Black people being clipped off or choked to death by officers for NOT putting officers in a life threatening position?
UPDATE 12 Feb: RIP Jenoah Donald and Kevin Peterson, Jr.