Family, we need to talk.
Something's shifting beneath our feet, and if we don't stop milling around in a dream, our children will be the ones left to wake up in a nightmare.
Let’s stop sugarcoating it: America might have already crossed the threshold—from a quasi-democracy to a full-fledged dictatorship. I’m not trying to be hyperbolic, but when truth feels more like a whisper and power moves unchecked, what else can you call it?
And here’s the kicker: for Black folks, this so-called “American experiment” never really prioritized us in the first place.
We Gotta Get Specific About Our Struggle
One of the biggest mistakes we’ve made—and continue to make—is assuming that everyone operates by our principles. We've been extending kindness, fairness, justice… to people who don't respect or reflect those values back. That’s why I push for specificity. Let’s call anti-Blackness what it is. Let’s stop lumping everybody into the “oppressed” category and start identifying:
We can’t afford to be polite anymore. We need to make enemies uncomfortable. If you’re not for us, you should be wondering when we’re coming for you—because we are. Strategy means unpredictability. Confusion. Throwing people off balance. And most of all, acting with unapologetic purpose.
“When They Go Low, We... Stay Real”
I recently sat through a meeting with Black politicians still preaching that “when they go low, we go high” nonsense. Family, we’re past that. This ain't the era for polished speeches and trying to be everyone's favorite peacekeeper. We need folks who speak truth like fire. The kind of people who make others uncomfortable simply by walking into the room. That might be you.
Yes, you.
Because right now, too many of us are more concerned with being righteous than we are with being real. We’re sacrificing our children’s futures on the altar of political correctness. We’re watering down our fire trying to play by rules written by people who have never played fair with us in the first place.
Stop Extending Your Principles to Everyone
Black folks have always welcomed everyone. We’ve sat with snakes thinking they were friends. We’ve assumed that our values were universal. They’re not.
Let me say that again:
Our principles are not universal.
You don’t extend love, community, and trust to everybody out here—because not everybody deserves it. Until someone proves they can walk with us on our terms, they are not a friend. Period.
Walter Rodney said it in Groundings with My Brothers:
“Everyone must demonstrate that they are on the side of the people.”
Not talk about it.
Not post about it.
Demonstrate.
What Are We Leaving Our Children?
We’re on track to raise the first generation of Black children since Reconstruction who will look back and say:
“I remember when things used to be better.”
Think about that.
They’ll remember free lunches.
Opportunities.
Breathing clean air.
Speaking their truth without fear.
Hope.
And it’ll all feel like the past.
Why?
Because we were too busy trying to be fair in a fight where the rules keep changing. Because we were more invested in high-sounding ideals than in protecting our lineage. Because we forgot that leaving an inheritance means more than just money—it means power, protection, and a plan.
Start With Your Tribe
Practice your principles—within your tribe first. Stop trying to play savior. Stop giving everyone a seat at your table before they’ve earned it.
This world is showing us that admiration for our culture doesn't mean admiration for us. They’ll rock the music, the fashion, the slang—but not the humanity. Racists are doing TikTok dances to trap beats while voting for policies that harm your children.
Don’t be fooled.
And don’t be soft.
So here’s my message, family:
If you’re waiting for a sign to stop playing nice, this is it.
If you’re wondering when it’s time to be bold, the answer is now.
If you're questioning your role in this storm—step forward.
Because we don’t need any more martyrs.
We need strategists.
We need warriors.
We need truth-tellers.
We need you.
Stay woke. Stay grounded. Stay dangerous.
— Brother ha2tim
Gye-Nyame Journey Media
If this message hits home, share it. Let the world know we’re not milling around anymore.
Comments
Post a Comment