There is a special obsession when it comes to Black women in the empire. First, our bodies were seen as property at the pleasure of colonizers, and our wombs were seen as staff increases for an inhumane business. When it was clear that the colonizers’ reputations were at stake, Black women were then seen as income, still largely domestic, at the pleasure of mostly white women. Today, Black women who earn their way into power by navigating a corrupt political system are still seen as the property to coerce within the dominant narrative, even without provocation or instigation. It seems that the imperial roots of the United States cannot be torn, and people still think it is perfectly acceptable to control Black women.
During Obama’s presidency, Michelle Obama was frequently mocked as a man masquerading as a woman, and the only real conclusion that I have come to on that whole debacle is that people are confused when they see strong, tall Black women. That nonsense gave real Sojourner Truth vibes since she was the first Black woman who was openly confused by the pretense that she lacked femininity because of her height and her strength. I have said it before, and I will repeat myself: Black women in this country were bred–yes, I said it–bred to work all day and copulate all night, all while sustaining abuse. To me, it is almost surprising that there are not millions of Black women who stand above six feet with extensive muscle mass. By calling her a man, people were demanding that the President’s wife prove that she had a right to be treated with respect, and they expected her to spend her tenure conceding to their wishes. Michelle Obama was merely a Black woman sustaining a position that most people felt belonged to a white woman, and they chose to behave poorly as a response.
I do not like Kamala Harris as an individual, especially because she made a point of saying that this empire is not racist during a time of racial upheaval. Like Obama, Harris made elaborate promises and suggestions in an effort to get elected, knowing that the racism and disrespect would eradicate her responsibilities, just like Obama knew that bigots would never agree to universal healthcare. However, the amount of expectations that this woman has sustained after the entire country refused to elect her and employ her as president has been the most disgusting spectacle that I have ever seen in my life. After the inauguration, so many beneficiaries and sycophants were screaming about where she was, knowing that she was a private citizen. Now Bigot Sanders has unmasked himself as the shameless grifter he always was by harassing someone who lost the election, went home, and got out of the public eye–unlike him. Imagine telling someone that was rejected from a job that they owed time, and demanding the right to control them.
Georgia will never live down its horrendous behavior during the election between Stacy Abrams and Brian Kemp. Abrams was many things that Brian Kemp will never be, and I saw nothing wrong with her running the state of Georgia in 2018, as did most of the state of Georgia. However, like the South tends to do, Brian Kemp, as the Secretary of State and therefore the controller of elections in Georgia, started closing polling locations to ensure that he would win the election. Kemp knew that the bigots of Georgia would be more comfortable not seeing someone who looked like Abrams in the governor’s seat, and since he could not see a legitimate way to win, he cheated. In this way, Abrams was reminded of her place within the dominant narrative, meaning under control instead of wielding control.
In downtown Austin, hailed as a liberal beacon amidst a conservative onslaught, State Representative Nicole Collier is being held hostage by the state government because she refuses to be escorted by the Department of Public Safety. People have attacked Black citizens all over the country, instigating relentless violence that has been supported by the government, and the bigoted Governor Abbott has decided to show his hand by demanding a Black woman be “kept safe” by the “police.” She has slept on the legislative floors of the Texas capitol building, and now she is filing a lawsuit to be allowed to leave work without being stalked. All Rep. Collier has said is, “No,” but imperial residents see themselves as above the “no” of Black women. There is no returning from this moment, and by demanding that Rep. Collier conform to the will of the government instead of being treated as a human being, there is no fixing Texas.
Control has always been a tenuous thing, and it is one of the reasons that I have disengaged from my past since people have consistently required that I concede to their wishes and ignore my own. When people need to feel in control of others, they are no more “free” than the people they demand to dominate. Sooner or later, the bell tolls for them, and people stop buying the lie that they are “good” people who sometimes make bad choices. Black women have made a point of disengaging for the most part, and we are tired of being dragged back under the heels of oppression for the entertainment of others. If people really want to show that they “support” Black women, they need to start allowing us to make our own choices on our own terms, and start refilling our resources.
Chasing A Dying Empire 