Tag Archives: racism

activism, black lives matter, heartbreak, honesty, hurt, parenting, Trump

Today We Talked About Racism

January 29, 2018 tiffanywrites2 Leave a comment

My 14 year old and 16 year old daughters received gifts from one of their Aunties for Christmas. Its a sweatshirt that represents the beauty it is to be black. Its a sweatshirt from Black Republic & Company that says on the front, “I’m Black Whats Your Super Power?” It’s a shirt that uplifted my daughters spirits throughout the many racist comments made daily.

Now me, I am the parent that has all types of activism shirts that I wear in the concession stands at the high school football games. I have shirts that stand with Planned Parenthood, the LGBT community, and several that stand for Black Lives Matter! NO ONE and I mean NO ONE has come for me. But today, this little boy broke my 14 year old daughters heart and scared her. He told her “I know what my Super Power is, its making a noose.”

Pause. This little boy said a noose… like wrap around a black persons neck and hang them – noose, strange fruit – noose. Really? Deep breath!

First of all – the amount of curse words and closed fist punches to the throat I thought of doing to this kid, but I had to calm down, explain the situation to my child about the evil words of those who do not like us, even though they have no reason. I struggled to control myself, that was not just a racist comment, but a threat to my child’s life. Thats how I took it, and I have every intent to treat it like that.

Before I could even say I would be at the school the next morning, she said the Principal will not take reports of racism, he will send you to the Assistant Principal. The same one who acts like she doesn’t know that racism exists, even though she’s black. I wish they would say the sweatshirt is the problem, I will have every black person I know with the same hoodie on protesting on their front lawns. The problem is someone’s parent taught them that it was ok to disrespect my child who is black. The problem is that the leader of this country has racist people opening their mouths again like we will not beat the shit out of them.

Let me catch my breath.

Screenshot 2018-01-29 17.38.40 But how do you talk to your child about racism? About the symbolism of the noose? How do you make them feel safe in a community that is only sprinkled with a few black faces? How do you make them feel like their skin is not the problem, but the ignorance of the others are. How when they hear these comments from more than just one little privileged white boy.

I always push unity, but we cannot begin to talk unity until we admit and acknowledge that racism is still alive and growing in 2018!

2018!!!!

I had the talk, you know the talk that was on Grey’s Anatomy last week, the talk that was on a few commercials that white people everywhere was upset about. The talk that EVERY black parent has had with their child. The talk that explains to her that there is no escaping this, no matter where we go racism is there. We cannot hide the color of our skin, but we can fight so we never let another person make us feel like she felt today. You know the one white people don’t want to admit is real, because then they would have to admit that RACISM IS REAL! Its real and its hurtful. I never thought I would have to explain this today, Arkansas once again, I hyped you up and once again, I have been disappointed.

To complain with me call Cleveland County Superintendent Johnnie L Johnson at (870) 325-6344.

activism, black lives matter, children, hurt, living your life, politics

No Review – I am judging the racist.

January 25, 2018 tiffanywrites2 Leave a comment

Its time out for the exclusions and separations.

I know its Thursday, the day I have scheduled to do reviews.. but today, I don’t feel like much of a review, at least not of a book, movie or television show. I will save that for next week. This week, I want to talk about the failed system protecting these kids, protecting us.

“A system cannot fail those it was never meant to protect.” – W.E.B. DuBois

I live in a small town in Arkansas, a town with more animals that black people and the population is less than 500. I only moved here due to circumstances beyond my control, but I accepted it and I am here. I knew I wasn’t welcomed here when the woman across the street made sure her confederate flag faced my house, when people stared a little longer because not only were we black, but we weren’t the black kind that tries to fit in.

I have been feeling the pressures of being black in this house and in this county. It seemed that during Christmas time, we were everyones charity case. The family that everyone did so much for and said it was because I was a single mother of four girls and a caretaker of two elderly, I accepted. I have never been above anything free, but I found that everything free, comes with a price. Comes with a cost.

A UPS driver came over one day with is sister in his truck (violation, right), to bring a dog house for my larger dog. His house wasn’t quite big enough and he didn’t like it. I thought it was a blessing, as odd as it was. He had no package to deliver, but offered to help out a lady and her dogs. His sister came off as helpful, someone who wanted to help keep my costs down and offered to send her vet friends to look at my dogs for free. I trusted this woman, until the phone calls became to frequent. The accusations that I could not care or pay for my dogs care. She assumed that because I was black, that I was poor.

Now I am not the richest person, nor do I have a lot, but my family has always been blessed. So her assumptions was wrong. She came over a few more times, in her UPS brothers truck, with dog food and a handout of help. I declined her help anymore and decided they had visited enough. Her visits stopped, although her brother continued to come by daily in his truck, according to her, to feed my dogs. (We ALWAYS had enough food to feed our dogs. We never asked for her help).

Last Friday, I received a call from Kim (I will not change her name because she mad a fool of me and I am not above making her look foolish). She offered to purchase my dogs from me. Now anyone that knows me, knows that my dogs are my babies. They are like my children. I rescued Chip, and Bella was given to us from an unwanted litter. I didn’t choose my dogs, they chose me. I am proud of my dogs and how they grow. Now Chips weight goes up and down and anyone that doesn’t know that, may look at him and think he’s sick, but he’s not.

She warned me that I would change my mind. So what happens today? The sheriffs come to my door and first gives me a warning and says that my dogs are healthy looking, only to return 45 minutes later saying I was a liar and I didn’t tell him I didn’t buy the dogs houses. (Why does that matter?) I was issued a criminal offense ticket of cruelty to animals, he said because my dogs didn’t have 24 hour access to water. *blank stare*

My dogs are a bit glutton and if I give Chip a big bowl of water, he will drink it until he throws up. I give him water when I feed him, and sometimes in between, especially depending on the weather. So now I have court.

Here’s my problem, Kim’s brother should’ve NEVER been on my property without a package to deliver nor should his sister been in his vehicle. Plus he was speaking to my children without my permission. (No… called UPS and they are “limited” on what they can do, oh but keep them updated.)

“I didn’t learn to be quiet when I had an opinion. The reason they knew who I was is because I told them.” ~ Ursula Burns

All this the same week that a boy commented on my daughters hoodies, asking if being shot by police was a black persons super power. All after the principle said that he will not address complaints of racism, to talk to the Assistant Principle.

Arkansas, I stood up for you. As much as its is a state that is all white vs black and KKK filled, I stood up for you, and now I am facing a felony and jail time that is equal to more than a murder of a person because I didn’t have a water bowl continuously filled for my dogs? With all the strays up and down Highway 79, why are my dogs on trial?

Screenshot 2018-01-25 20.19.39 I am not dumb, I know my rights, and I have my proof. I cannot wait until court, because once again, I am assumed to be dumb, black and poor. I am assumed to go to court with a “no sir, yes sir” attitude. They picked the wrong black person if thats the case. I will not be run from this little racist ass town, nor will I bow down to the bullshit at stake.

So today I review and judge RACISM, and I am OVER IT! Sorry, but you will not have a head down sister over here. I will win, and I will still be here when the smoke clears. Smiling and possibly having a few new jobs to my disposal.

Sorry for the rant, but I am a pissed off sista with an agenda.

black lives matter, living your life, politics, Trump, Uncategorized

You know you’re a racist right?

August 9, 2017 tiffanywrites2 Leave a comment

If You Aren’t Sure You’re One… Read On!

I don’t know where this new “trend” has come from, I think the image of “45” and his corrupt campaign tactics. You know the ones that brought all the racism, homophobic, jackasses out of hiding. The “trend” which makes me sick to my stomach, is that the racist people play victim and decide that a person standing up for injustice or speaking out about it is now the racist.

Make sense to you? Then you may be a racist. Yeah I said it. If you think its ok to call people names and talk down on them like their race is beneath yours, you are probably racist.

“Weakness is what brings ignorance, cheapness, racism, homophobia, desperation, cruelty, brutality, all these things that will keep a society chained to the ground, one foot nailed to the floor.” ~Henry Rollins

Let me throw some examples out there. Ijeoma Oluo (@IjeomaOluo)( July 30, 2017) tweeted “At Cracker Barrel 4 the 1st time. Looking at the sea of white folk in cowboy hats & wondering “will they let my black ass walk out of here?”” It was a nervous joke that many other black people have made because lets be serious here. Cracker Barrel settled a racial discrimination lawsuit in 2004, and in case you haven’t noticed, black people have been known in history to be killed by large crowds of white people. Must I remind you of the millions of lynchings in Americans history.

Instead of people understanding where this came from the 45 trolls came a running and calling her a racist, a n*gger (which is a racial derogatory statement), she received death and rape threats. How is that ok? Even if you thought for a minute that her statement was racist, how can you threaten to do her the very harm she was worried about?

45 has made you all think its ok to “grab someone by the p*ssy” or threaten to hurt someone because he has gotten away with these inappropriate outburst himself. I have never seen more people act as if they are not the problem than right now. The “go back to Africa” rants and how we were supposedly immigrants are sickening. That is racist! We are Americans. Our parents were born here, we were born here and our ancestors built this country. How would you like if we said go back to Europe? Because America wasn’t yours to begin with.

Do you remember Christopher Columbus and the “discovery” of a country that was already inhabited? Am I taking you too fast? Let be back up and rewind. The issue is you hate an entire race or believe the stereotypes of that race, then you are racist. Let me clarify, racism is not just white to black. There are more people who are oppressed besides black people. Also, I hate to tell you but if you are black and hate ALL white people, honey you are racist as well. Not all white people are the same. No one is bound by their skin to be a certain way. My great grandfather was a white man who used his freedom to buy slaves and free them. White people marched beside Martin Luther King, Jr and there are white people now standing alongside Black Lives Matters.

The issue is peoples character. The color of your skin is not going to make you who you are any more than the color of your hair and eyes. So why to some is such a big deal? Why is black skin looked at like its a threat? Why try so hard to keep us away from power? Yes we had a black president, but he was blocked on so many issues that he fought hard for, yet we let 45 destroy everything that so many people worked for.

Not only is it black people who have to fight for rights, its women, its the LGBTQ community, its Hispanics, Native Americans, Muslims, its everyone! Now supposedly white people are fighting for rights they already have. I have no idea how thats possible. Affirmative Action was not created to push white people out of a school over populated with them, it was created to give minorities a chance at a higher education.

Everyone just wants to live their life, find love, become successful and be happy… so I can’t seem to understand why so many feel its their right to take others away. As @iJesseWilliams posted on twitter, “Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. Its not a pie.” So tell me, why is so important to some to block others from the rights they enjoy?

black lives matter, fighting, moving forward, self-worth

Change You First – then the World

July 6, 2017 tiffanywrites2 Leave a comment

You say you’re ready for a revolution, but are you sure?

You say you want a revolution, but are you sure? You say you are tired of people being oppressed and want changes and call everyone in the neighborhood out for not standing up but are you?

See sometimes we need to stand up and be the change we want to see. We say we want them to stop killing our brothers and want the police to be held accountable for killing our people, but yet when little Ray Ray gets locked up for killing three people – you post “Free My Mans!” You don’t step up and stop those young men who are out acting disgraceful and disrespectful and you are guilty yourself of locking your doors when you see three black men in hoodies.

We yell that women should get equal pay and there should be no gender stereotypes and double standards for women, yet you talked down about Amber Rose’s Slut Walk marketing, or talk bad about Black Chyna for doing what men have been doing for years. Don’t remember, look up Mary J Blige. I’ll wait.

You say you don’t tolerate racism but you a black person, the “most” oppressed person on this planet hate white people, nor do you stand for others that are oppressed because who has heard of the Puerto Rico movement for Independence, or fight for the Veterans who are homeless and starving. How often do you stop to feed someone you see hungry on the side of the road or give up some of your savings to help a cause.

We are so quick to talk about someone else’s agenda and don’t look within ourselves. Justice starts within you. You have to start being that person that you want the world to be. How can you complain about others mistreating you if you are still mistreating others?

I originally started writing an article about the different movements, but I feel like any good movement starts within. We are responsible for ourselves and how we treat others. You can fight for equality if you have some prejudices in you. You have to fight the fight as well.

Screenshot 2017-07-06 17.03.41 I hate to say it but it seems as if this day today is mostly about complaining and no action. We see a peaceful movement that Colin Kaepernick started and many were talking so bad about how he was doing it but not why. If you stand for something, you should stand for it no matter where you are. If you are a cop and you see that one of your “CO-WORKERS” (let me stress that word) is acting ugly and using his power for granted, its up to you to stop him and call him out.

I have seen some of the bravest souls make a stand during football and they are talked down because they are told the field is sacred. Remember Beyonce’s Formation ‘Half-Time Show’? Why? You should stand up in front of people and not just behind a computer screen.

Its time to stand up, but we have to stand up first to ourselves. We can’t fix the world if we refuse ourselves to be fixed.

black lives matter, honesty, living your life

Any discrimination is unacceptable!

June 17, 2017 tiffanywrites2 Leave a comment

-Isms… I’m done with them all.

Why is it that is you stand for one thing you can’t stand for something else. In America, there is a thing called privileged but if you are not a straight white male, you don’t know the true meaning of that word, nor does it pertain to you.

I know some believe that all white people have a privilege attached to them, but if they were born with a vagina, that is simply not true. If that are attracted to the same sex, its not true.

I can feel my ancestors kicking me in my back and a few stares from my black peers. Yes racism is strong, and yes our black people are being killed in these streets for being a color that they cannot control. But its not just us. As much as we want to fight for equality, we should also hear the next persons complaints on why they are oppressed.

There are latinos who are still getting stereotyped in Hollywood and called Mexicans, no matter what country the originate from. They are portrayed as a sex symbol and men definitely don’t respect their women. For all points and purposes they are treated like our black men and women.

Asians, Muslims and Jewish are all disrespected. Women are disrespected, as well as the LGBT community.

We are all dying for the same rights. We are all fighting the same fight. Why can we not fight together?

I had a friend, whom out of respect I will remain nameless, who debated with me and thought because I was speaking up that I was only speaking up for the LGBT community. As if my blackness and me being a woman was thrown out the window because I am a member of that community. Last time I check I am still black, I am still a woman.

I have three strikes against me according to the current administration, so why do I have to pick one over the other to stand up for? I stand for justice for all.

Today I am pissed for several reasons and one is the results of the Philando Castile murder. He was murdered as a friend put it but we just don’t know who. Apparently the video his girl posted wasn’t enough for a conviction. The screams from her and his daughter wasn’t enough to put a man in jail for shooting his weapon in cold blood.

I am angry because a year after the Pulse shooting, people still have the nerve to think that we deserved it because we are sinners. As if their best friends sleeping with their husbands wasn’t a sin. As if the kids they had out of wedlock and the pointing fingers and judging others wasn’t the same. I am angry that people are using the Bible, the word of God, as a means to spread hate.

I am angry that Amber Rose posted a racy picture in honor of the annual Slut Walk and all people could do was call her the very thing she’s standing up against. Her biggest haters were women who wish they could post a picture of the same or who do but hate that she added a feminist words to it. A woman body is objectified daily and looked at as a means of sexual gratification whether we allow it or not. If she was topless it would be a problem, if she only showed thigh, it would still be a problem.

I am angry that everyone in the world is worried so much about how others live their lives that they will ruin their own to make someone else miserable. Gay marriage was voted in federally to be allowed in the United States and it has been a fight ever since. If two men get married how is it bothering your daily life? If two women are raising children in a household of love, why is that harmful but your house full of abuse and hatred isn’t?

I am tired of the hatred in this country, in this world. I feel like the current administration gave people who are filled with hate a platform to express it. Yes there is freedom of speech, but why is it ok for you to disrespect me, but not ok for me to respond? Even if nothing I said is laced with hatred.

America is no where near being great, I have no idea what era Trump was talking about. It seems to me that America is hate. Everyone is hating everyone else, yet everyone is fighting for the same thing. Respect!

The best way to get respect is to look internally and start respecting yourself. Then and only then will you gain respect of others.

review, Uncategorized

Review Time!!!!

May 18, 2017 tiffanywrites2 Leave a comment

Get Out – Seriously Get The Hell Out!!!!

So I know I’m super late, but I FINALLY watched Get Out! This was a movie that I wanted to watch from the first trailer, but never had the time to see it. It was a good movie, but nothing I would buy or watch again unless its on t.v. for free, no I’m lying I actually wanna watch it again. Hold on…

So let me say this, for those of you who have not seen this movie…. SPOILER ALERT!!! I am about to tell spill some serious tea..

So this super black guy, and I say super black because he was a brother! Dark skinned, aware and awake, so I thought, that was dating this white woman. No big deal! So it was the weekend that they were supposed to be going to meet her family, this guy was super in love but asked the right question. ‘Do they know I’m black?’ See this is where I would’ve had the problem, old girl was like no, why… umm… chick do you know what is going on in America? In the world? Did you take history class? Will your parents mind that I am black?!!!! He didn’t do all of that, but I was seriously screaming it at the screen.

Like brotha, you are woke, but you need to check your gut feelings. So of course, they’ve been dating for a little while so he trusts her. I get it. So they ride down to some out of the way town, but he was smart. His best friend, who is the man by the way, knew where he was going. Which was a town no one had ever heard of.

But oh shorty is slick… when they get pulled over and the cop was super suspicious about him and asked for his ID she was down. I mean, like she knew the struggles and woes of the black man and stood by his side. ‘You don’t have to give him your ID.’ Yeah I was a little taken back by that too. She was on the money right? Like you could put your trust in her.

Let me tell you what had me acting like a mad man (I am so glad I was not in a theater because I would’ve been put all the way out), this guy was ignoring all the signs that something was wrong. He even explained to his friend and the dude told him they were being hypnotized. But no, he thought it was people who was upset with them being together or that the black guy working on the yard was into her.

BUT DAMMIT he was right! But just only hitting the tip of it. Crazy thing was she was in on it the whole time! The whole time. I know I skipped a lot, like how the parents reacted and the whole greeting and freaky brother, but you should watch the movie.

I will say this movie shows people who think about this, that this is 2017 and WE ARE NOT GOING! Please don’t try it. But it also shows in a deeper way, that you have to really know the people who are around us. Sometimes the people who are the closest to you are the ones you need to watch. Dating has always been crazy, but now, it can be even worse.

So if you haven’t seen it! Go watch it! Its good, and pulls you completely in. You will not want to walk away from the screen. Oh and keep your flash on your camera. Its takes the crazy out of people!

~Tiffany

black lives matter, fighting, Uncategorized

Standing Up – In Any Way – Its Necessary!

April 30, 2017 tiffanywrites2 Leave a comment

“Dear White People” – Not your ordinary review!

So I just finished Netflix’s original “Dear White People” directed by Tina Mabry (http://www.morgansmark.com/) and baby let me tell you. First of all, Samantha, aka Sam, was me from the beginning, minus the romantic part. I have always been the girl that was questioned about what my racial heritage is – I am black mixed with black mixed with why the hell does it matter? I am a black woman who is tired of being called the angry black woman when I cannot be treated the same as every one else, let alone every other woman.

This show brought up so many emotions as I thought about how we are condemned for standing up for ourselves and yet ridiculed when we are quiet. We are told we should stop crying about the past, but who has learned from it? Not this current generation, but how can they when they are being taught the wrong thing. When has being kidnapped from your home, sold on a chopping block and beaten for being who you are considered being an immigrant? How can centuries of families torn apart, murdered tortured and killed called being treated right unless we misbehaved? These were grown men and women that were treated less than an animal. Had less rights than their unborn son or daughter and less to eat than a pet. Humans treated as if our color was a sin.

Yet we are supposed to forget and stop being so angry. Many of our black women weren’t angry until we have been walked over, used and abused. We are taught that we are all the same and we bleed the same, but yet why is my blood treated like its contaminated?

I know it seems like I am all over the place, but Tina, baby you are to blame! There are so many emotions flooding through my mind from this show. It touched so many issues, some that I feel could’ve been deeper. You made me remember the reasons I fight, the reasons I am tired and the reasons I need to stand up for everything I believe in.

If you haven’t watched it yet, then you need to go to Netflix.com and if you don’t have an account, get one, its totally worth it! Check out “Dear White People”, I finished it in one night and now I am mad I have to wait for the next season. By the way, excellent job on the cast. They really deliver each character with passion.

Let me tell you, this show is real, and deals with real issues that black people deal with on a daily basis. Now while looking up cast and director information, I used IMDB.com and the nerve of them to classify the genre of this show as comedy. Another reason we will never learn, because our issues are never being taken serious. The comments on the Youtube trailer was that the video promotes racism to Caucasians. (I swear that’s a topic for another post… I have to process that mess.)

Until next time – Love and Peace! ♥

Tiffany M. Arnold