I’m not interested in Cory Booker’s universal love and here’s why

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t’s how they try to control us. No amount of love will ever change that.The latest example of just how dangerous white people are to black folks is Virginia Governor Ralph Northam. You should have heard the story by now. It not, I’ll summarize. Northam posed in blackface in his 1984 medical school yearbook. First, he admitted he was in the photo — standing by another student dressed as a Ku Klux Klan member. Then he denied it. Then he didn’t remember. Then he said it wasn’t him, but admitted he did once darken his skin when he dressed up as Michael Jackson.I don’t care about his excuses, and I’m not interested in white people trying to explain him away. His medical school years weren’t that long ago. He was old enough to know better. He didn’t denounce it then, and he hasn’t spoken up in the 35 years following it.Let me be clear. I’m not interested in punishing Northam. I am, however, interested in him being held accountable for his actions. He is the governor of Virginia. How does that look when black people in that state overwhelmingly voted for him? They must feel betrayed, and he has to recognize that. They got him into that office not knowing his history. Now they do, and he can’t be trusted to fairly govern black

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citizens in Virginia. He had the chance to right that wrong, and he didn’t. Because of that, he’s not fit to lead the state.And for white people having an opinion on whether he deserves forgiveness? Your opinion doesn’t count. Yeah, I know that offends you, but your telling black folks that we should give this man other chance offends me. You don’t get to tell us what’s offensive or forgivable. This has nothing to do with you. It has everything to do with the history of racism in this country that still affects black people to this day.You don’t understand that, and you never will. Now is the time for you to sit down, shut up, listen and learn. Stop thinking your opinions matter here because they don’t. Black people are tired of listening to you lecture us about our own history and telling us whether something is racist. You’re not the experts. We are.And, White Republicans, take note. Many prominent white Democrats immediately called for his resignation, even though he is a fellow Democrat. They know he shouldn’t be governing the people of Virginia, and they are standing up for black people and for what is right.It’s time you did the same thing and stood up to Trump.</article></body>

We have to fight people like Gov. Ralph Northam.

Black people have felt the weight of racism since our ancestors were kidnapped and brought to this country as slaves. Yet we’re expected to remain graceful and forgiving in the face of racism and oppression. Even some black folks believe this. Just look at Van Jones and the “Love Army” he talked about as a way to fight Trump. Well, Trump is still Trump, and black folks continue to look at Jones like he has lost his damn mind. It didn’t work for Van Jones, and it won’t work for Cory Booker.

Love won’t defeat racism. It won’t stop police brutality, lynchings or murders against us. It won’t make defenders of systemic racism even bat an eye. That’s because white people will never willingly give up their power and white supremacy. It’s how they stay ahead of us. It’s how they try to control us. No amount of love will ever change that.

The latest example of just how dangerous white people are to black folks is Virginia Governor Ralph Northam. You should have heard the story by now. It not, I’ll summarize. Northam posed in blackface in his 1984 medical school yearbook. First, he admitted he was in the photo — standing by another student dressed as a Ku Klux Klan member. Then he denied it. Then he didn’t remember. Then he said it wasn’t him, but admitted he did once darken his skin when he dressed up as Michael Jackson.

I don’t care about his excuses, and I’m not interested in white people trying to explain him away. His medical school years weren’t that long ago. He was old enough to know better. He didn’t denounce it then, and he hasn’t spoken up in the 35 years following it.

Let me be clear. I’m not interested in punishing Northam. I am, however, interested in him being held accountable for his actions. He is the governor of Virginia. How does that look when black people in that state overwhelmingly voted for him? They must feel betrayed, and he has to recognize that. They got him into that office not knowing his history. Now they do, and he can’t be trusted to fairly govern black citizens in Virginia. He had the chance to right that wrong, and he didn’t. Because of that, he’s not fit to lead the state.

And for white people having an opinion on whether he deserves forgiveness? Your opinion doesn’t count. Yeah, I know that offends you, but your telling black folks that we should give this man other chance offends me. You don’t get to tell us what’s offensive or forgivable. This has nothing to do with you. It has everything to do with the history of racism in this country that still affects black people to this day.

You don’t understand that, and you never will. Now is the time for you to sit down, shut up, listen and learn. Stop thinking your opinions matter here because they don’t. Black people are tired of listening to you lecture us about our own history and telling us whether something is racist. You’re not the experts. We are.

And, White Republicans, take note. Many prominent white Democrats immediately called for his resignation, even though he is a fellow Democrat. They know he shouldn’t be governing the people of Virginia, and they are standing up for black people and for what is right.

It’s time you did the same thing and stood up to Trump.