by Q. Paige, San Quentin State Prison
Something everyone wants but is bias in their own act of accepting. Webster Dictionary defines acceptance as “The act of accepting.” Webster Thesaurus defines accept as “to have favorable opinion of. Then they lead you to approve (of).”
Let’s speak of the Thesaurus definition of accept because I think that’s right on the money. To accept someone there has to be favorable qualities about them to even get you to consider. As I spoke of in my autobiography, “Too Black For Some, Not Back Enough For Others.” I had a very hard time being accepted. There was this one time when I was going to be jumped for not cutting my hair from fellow “Blacks.” There was this one White boy in the sea of Black folk and I asked my brother who he was and he said, “that’s so and so. He’s probably the deadliest one out here.”
I heard for Whites to be accepted into Black functions, gangs, or gatherings they had to do some off the wall stuff to prove they were really down. To know if that is true I asked a couple of “accepted” white boys and just to hear what they did or dealt with it sounded like pledging for a fraternity with intense hazing.
For Blacks to be accepted by Whites I’m still waiting for that day. I was tolerated most of my life by Whites, but I don’t think I was ever accepted. I was watching TV about a country artist (who I will leave nameless) who was told by his own manager that “they” might not accept you. He used the word respond, but I knew what he meant. In case you didn’t catch on the country artist is Black and it’s no longer a rarity anymore with artist like Darius Rucker, Jimmie Allen, Lil’ Nas X, and Mickey Guyton who has a song called, “Black Like Me.”
Will we ever be accepted for being Black in America? I would love to believe so. Hell, we had a Black President that’s something, but as I have this platform to speak I want to speak about the hate crimes against Asian Americans. Us as Blacks know what you are going through and most of us wouldn’t wish this on our most hated enemy. What I have to say about this is speak up! Don’t just sweep this under the rug, see something, say Something!
Say it in unity and faith. Have faith that this too shall pass. No one should have to feel like they aren’t welcomed in America. This is the Land of the Free. People risked and some even gave their lives so that we can live free and peaceful in this great country. We shouldn’t be making no one feel like they can’t live with what they believe to be the American Dream. If we can give others a chance I believe we can find some “favorable” qualities in others. Unity is key. God Bless.