Self Hate Disguised As Constructive Criticism

I need to get something off of my chest.  Have you ever noticed that whenever we as the black community are slighted, harmed, infringed upon, or disrespected in some way that there is always a handful of brothers and sisters who somehow make it our fault?  I'm not just talking about the overt "Uncle Ruckus" types.  I'm talking about those "concerned negroes".  Those brothers and sisters who, under the guise of constructive criticism, regurgitate the same stereotypes forced upon us by racists and those who view us as second class citizens.  The ones who claim to love and support the cause yet all you hear from them is "black people this" and "black people that".

You know the type.  They ramble on about black on black crime.  They ramble on about rap music.  They ramble on about welfare queens.  They ramble on about drug selling and drug usage in our communities and inner cities.  These are all serious issues.  Issues that we as a people must address.  But instead of tackling these issues in their entirety, instead of placing these problems in the proper context so that we can find ways to eliminate them, these "concerned negroes" speak and behave as if these problems are inherent to black people and that we are solely at fault for the conditions that exist in our communities.

Some of them are pretty convincing too.  They use phrases like "we must take responsibility" and "we have to do better".  And they are right.  But once you start speaking about tackling systemic racism, discrimination, and other important issues these Agents of Self Hatred quickly reveal themselves.  They will say things like "We cant keep blaming the system" or something similar, effectively absolving systemic racism and ignoring the discriminatory cipher in which we live.  They will pretend that it is all on us.  That we ourselves are the problem and that our struggles are born of our failings and nothing else. 

They will also vehemently cling to stereotypes, as it is the foundation of their self hate and the essence of their false constructive criticism.  When you point out things like the fact that there are more black men in COLLEGE than in PRISON, it punches a hole in their narrative and gives black people a sense of pride.  These Secret Toms cannot abide that so they will tell you its not enough.  When you point out that more black women are in the workforce and college than on welfare, they will quickly counter with anecdotal evidence, usually taken from some inner city experience.

It is important that we identify these agents of self hatred and "concerned negroes".  They are dangerous.  Not only do they reinforce stereotypes but they lend legitimacy to racists and validity to those who contend that systemic racism is merely a figment of the imagination of angry militant blacks.  These agents set us back.  We must identify them, call them out, and demand that they get out of the way. 

Follow me on Twitter @DocSinn
Check me out on FB: http://www.facebook.com/officialdocsinn
Email me: pavementmedia@gmail.com