Are You Pro-Black?

Photo courtesy of Koko Nanga http://kokonanga.com/

---

Are You PRO-Black?
by Perfectly Flawed

For many years now the word “Pro-Black” has been expressed as a negative connotation.  Even to this day when people speak the term in a labeling manner some black individuals are quick to distance their selves from the word.  Is it because the name carries a stereotypical physical identity, such as natural hair or dashikis?  Regardless to the narratives that have been in most cases forced upon us, the title itself is far from bad.  Look at this way if you are born black then by default you fit into this term.  Meaning, everybody that is in the darker shade (African) family supports their race first.  This also includes our lighter brothers and sisters as well.  Breaking it down further, people that are of Irish, Polish, or Norwegian decent are usually classified as white in the United States.  So is it safe to say that they are “Pro-White?”
    
According to dictionary.com the prefix pro means in favor of an idea or party to say the least.  Getting more technical, it also coordinates with the word professional.  Therefore, if you love and care for your people then you shouldn’t be ashamed to call yourself Pro-Black.  Taking the focus off of race for just a moment, if football fans cheer for Dallas over the 49’ers then they are Pro-Cowboys.  Now some may ask what does football teams have to do with race.  Well, if you can applaud, represent, and go hard for a manufactured group then what about your own?  Being born to a team of various skin colors, hair textures, and features for some of us is not good enough to claim.
 
Sadly, we have been brainwashed into thinking that every other team is better than ours.  The deception is so strong that there is always a large number in the melanoid population rooting for or in favor of non-blacks being on top.  Obviously wanting to see people that look like you win at this game called “Life” should be a no brainer. 

However, not only do black people have to fight the enemy which is white supremacy but fellow comrades in the struggle.  What may have started off as an assimilation tactic for African Americans to survive within an oppressive system has become a lifestyle.  Instead of the overall goal being to move forward as a collective group, we tend to forget the past and individualize.  You know the saying, I got mine forget yours.  In a perfect world black people would have enough self-love to not fight over colorism, the scrapes massa throws, or who is doing better.  It doesn’t matter if you are light skin, dark skin, or rocking your natural beautiful hair.  What is important is standing up for your people and having their back.  So going back to the question at hand, are you Pro-Black?