Black lives matter to Black People

Recently there have been calls for other races to respect the lives of black people. It made me start thinking about my own experiences and that of other black people I know. Yes, I admit racism exists and is pervasive toward the black community. But we must acknowledge that most crimes against black youth occurs at the hand of another black youth. If we keep refusing to recognize this fact, we will not be able to bring change to our communities all over the world.

We are enraged when other races stereotype us. Yet we are silent in the face of colorism/intra racism (whichever term you want to use). Black men and women are constantly praising features we connect with whiteness. Except no matter how light your skin, straight your hair or mixed you are. They will not accept you as their equal. You would think with that thought black people would deal with the seeming inability for us to accept ourselves. Yet still we stand tall praising anything that is closest to whiteness.

We refuse to take individual responsibility for ourselves and the children we make. We blame others. And we cannot see why our state in this world is not improving. Immigrants come to this land and their communities advance and ours do not.
Our focus is off. We need to pay attention to the actually destructive forces in our community. Black on Black crime, Intra-racism, self hatred, black men, women and children division. Lets try to fix these issues. It is unrealistic to expect outsides to come into our neighborhoods and improve our lives.

We are the only ones that can make our neighborhoods safe. Outsiders will only do what they have done in the past. Use us as an example for all that is wrong with the world.

We need to change. We need to march in protest demanding not for whites to accept us, but use to accept ourselves.