By Walter L. Hilliard III
If it isn’t the criminal justice system allowing private companies to overcharge prisoners (and Black men, who are about six percent of the US population, make up nearly 50 percent of the prison population, and most are poor) for phone calls, food, clothing, etc., or the car dealers, landlords, and mortgage companies and banks (predatory lenders) over-charging Blacks – it’s the NFL and NBA over-fining Black players like Ron Artest (lost about $4 million for fight), Adrian Peterson, and the San Francisco 49ers Aldon Smith owing more of his $1.1 million salary to his team than he even makes because he was suspended. So, when he returns to the team, he’ll be playing for free.
And, oh, by the way, let’s not forget the Check-Cashing and Rent-to-Own criminals.
Let’s also consider that most Black homes are headed by single Black women raising children, so they’re struggling mightily while dealing with the aforementioned financial burdens.
Talk about economic slavery, Black people can’t catch a break – but we’re supposed to be lazy and all ways getting over on “the system.” Nahhh, the system is getting over on us.
So for the last 400 years, it’s no wonder that most Blacks are unable to overcome a system of White supremacy that is still practicing a contemporary financial version of Jim Crow.
We should also remember that over 30 percent of Black children are in poverty, over half of the Black men in many cities aren’t working, and because of historical discrimination, White wealth is about $100,000 and Black wealth is around $5,000.
Black people should never be quiet about racism and let Mainstream America off of the hook until they get their “hooks” out of our damn pockets. And we also pay taxes, spend billions, and die for this country, nonetheless, we cannot even be treated like everyone else who isn’t Black.
Why do I talk about Race, Racism? Because Black folks are dying — and how you gon’ win a damn fight if you don’t even know you in a fight because you layin’ on da ground, knocked da f*#* out. And I’m yellin’, like a couple others, for our people to wake da hell up and stop being afraid to talk about racism because Mainstream America don’ scared you half ta death?
Just a thought.
