How the power of *WORDS* has affected black women!!!

The words we use (what we think) will make or break our lives-what are you saying to the world and yourself?.......

Many ppl continue to let their words do them in and then wonder why their lives are not what they would want them to be. The bible says, 'Life and death is in the power of the tongue'

What does that mean to you? I'll tell you what it means to me. It means that the words that come from your mouth, shape your life. It means those words are soooo powerful that they can even cause life to end! Many of you sistas are NOT where you want to be, or have what you want to have, or live the way you want to live today, because of the words you allow to cross your lips.....

Words have amazing power, but not many ppl realize how powerful they really are.

Example 1.

Did you know the entire Holocaust started out with Hitler ( a little German nobody) claiming he was the greatest ruler in Germany, and that he would restore Germany to it's former glory? He then proposed to do this, by eradicating all of Germany's primary problems-starting with the Jews. He started out calling the Jews vermin and other vile names. Soon ppl did not see ppl when they looked at Jews they saw vermin. Think how much easier it is to kill 6 million vermin than 6 million people! He progressed by saying that all the economic, political, and social problems that Germany faced were the fault of the Jews (vermin) At first ppl laughed at him, but as he spoke (and he was a master communicator) ppl began to listen. The jews were no longer seen as ppl. they were considered on the level with rats and roaches. Do you feel any compuctions about killing rats or roaches? Once they were viewed and accepted in this light, it was so much easier for the SS to 'exterminate' them, and the fate of the poor Jews was soon sealed.... How did such a thing happen? How could something so horrible have ever happened? It happened the ways things usually do, with words preceding actions....

Example 2.

Think about the recent demise in the black community...
If you remember the start of Hip hop, then you remember Run DMC, and how when it began, it was never misogynistic. It was electrifying, and it was good dance music, but misogyny was never a part of it. As it gained fame and popularity, other musicians (that title does not really fit) opted to take the easy way to fame and fortune. They began to engage in music designed to scintillate the senses and pander to the base instincts of the public. (anything to get to the money) The music grew increasingly malicious, and vile. With it grew more and more crimes against women -yet nobody seemed to anticipate or notice the connection! I remember Curtis Blow saying how uncomfortable he was with the direction the music was taking. I also remember how quickly he was shut down. The downward spiral had begun... Artists were getting paid, and they did not want to hear anything that might interrupt the sweet sound of money landing in their bank accts. Women who saw the writing on the wall and tried to intervene were accused of trying to keep brother's broke (Deloris Tucker anyone) Along the way, gang violence escalated, bm filled the jails, and bw and girls were more and more often the victim to bm who listened to these horrible lyrics day and night, and then decided to emulate them. What I am suggesting is that it is in no way surprising to me the horrible way bw are being treated by bm in this current day. Just look at the garbage they call music! Listen as they recite these lyrics on a continuous basis, and then look at the effect on their lives. No the music is NOT solely responsible, but it has exacerbated (to the 9th degree) a whole host of problems that already existed in the blk community. There is simply NO WAY you can listen to something day and night while constantly reciting it, and not have it affect you!!! What I am saying is NEVER BELIEVE THAT WORDS ARE JUST WORDS-WORDS HAVE POWER!!! Just look at how cold and misogynistic today's bm is compared to the ones from yesteryear! Look at how many bm are filling jails because of words, (rap music, keepin it real, down wit it, ride or die, etc etc, etc. Look at how we went from 'treat her like a lady' (temptations 80s) to now (you's a hoe, move bitch-get out the way, pimps up-hoes down)etc, etc, etc. The music today (if you can call this nonsensical lyrical trash music) is doing so much harm, it's unmeasurable.... Bw are not even being seen as living breathing ppl with hopes and dreams and feelings anymore. We've been relegated to horrific labels by the very men many of us have fought tooth and nail for. Because we have allowed this garbage(and other garbage) to penetrate our consciousness, we now have young men glorifying violence,glorifying jail, glorifying gangs, treating women like sexual toilets, sexual violence against women and on and on. Everything white America has enough sense to see is horrible, and wrong is glorified and uplifted in the bc. The more these despicable words are thrown at bw like verbal daggers, the greater the danger for bw and girls, the lower the self esteem of young girls, and the more deadly bm become. Think about the old days. Was it EVER this bad that you can remember? NO! Do you know what the primary change is: The Words used to describe bw grew more evil, more deadly, more hateful, and more threatening! And what happened? The resulting actions followed SUIT!!!!

Example 3. -final

Lets give a final example:

look at how the slogan "Nothin but a black man!" has affected relations, and attitudes in and out of the BC.....

As this chant/slogan gained popularity, many bw began to suffer the consequences.

Many bw began to allow bm to come to the table with nothing but a pulse, yet non-bm were often given the cold shoulder. After all, it was uncool to date white (forget that bm were doing it like it was going out of style.)

Wm were practically expected to turn hand flips to get a date with a sista, while bm had a harem of women chasing them, and bulging an already overblown ego. This little stupid saying had bm who looked like Flav thinking they were Morris chestnut. It's caused ww to run after bm as well (further bloating that big ego)

Ww began to think to themselves: If he's all that-then he should be with ME!!

It's interesting that bw only began this chant because they felt so many brothers suffered low self esteem due to racism, and they were hoping to alleviate the pain in any way they could. Many bw wanted bm to know that no matter how the world viewed them, we were still in their corner. Thus this chant began, and was quickly used against us. Many bm immediately began to believe they were too good for bw. (Never mind that 70% of the wealth, and 2/3 of all College degrees awarded to AAs -go to bw.) These little-so called insignificant words also slowed IR down for many bw. Some women refused to indulge (no matter how much they wanted to) and some actually began to believe the bullshit they were spouting (Nothing but a bm) They convinced themselves he had to be blk. There was no longer criterion for being a good man, husband, father, -just blk! Let me show you a few more ways this has hurt us.....

1. Bm began to show signs of open conceit, and along with it, contempt for other men-and BW!.

2. Bm became more disrespectful because they felt (knew) they could get away with it.

3. Bm became more misogynistic in word and deed, (and song) and showed more open disdain for bw.

4. Bm were able to do less and less in relationships, while demanding more and more...

5. With less and less demands on them, many bm began to show more and more signs of slothfulness and lackadaisical attitude toward everything. This began in their relationships, and expanded to include employment, education, parental responsibilities etc. I am not suggesting that a mere slogan started their downward spiral. I am suggesting that once again- it Exacerbated it.....

This is just the tip of the iceberg, but I wanted to bring attention to how this new low standard affected the men both black and white.

Now how did it affect wm?

1. Wm who were on the fence about asking bw out, opted for more 'open' women (usually Asian)

2. Wm who were already dating a bw, began to worry that she secretly wanted a brotha

3. Wm who were dealing with a lot to be with a bw, began to wonder why he was putting up with all this, when she probably wanted a bm all along.

4. Some wm who were strongly attracted to bw, 'gave up' and slid back to ww. etc, etc, etc.

5. Wm who were easily scared off, never asked a bw out to begin with, or were extrememely reluctant to, from then on....

The bottom line that I am trying to convey here, is that words are NEVER just words. Words = power, or helplessness. Words = wealth or poverty. Words = love or hate, and words = separation or unity....

Words are life and death. Don't' ever let anyone ever tell you that words don't matter.

Remember, before Wars, before Slavery, before the Holocaust..... there were the words that brought them about.....