The Raw Suga

“When they go low, we go high.” These words spoken by our magnificent first lady became the unofficial mantra of the Democratic campaign for 2017. It’s meaning—to fly far above the fray, dust the dirt off your shoulders, and to not grovel with the swine of the earth. However, there’s a missing part to this statement. Yes, First Lady Michelle, in all of her grace and poise, beckoned us to take the high road. Yet, Michelle LaVaugn Robinson would have added, “After they go low, do a Bruce Lee leap in the air and chin check them with a kick to the face…in self-defense of course.” This is the mentality Democrats need to take on—taking the High Road, but willing to take a sharp left at These Legislative Hands Ave.

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Does 45 need prayers? Yes. Do I need to pray for him? Eh…I guess. Prayer warriors are being solicited right now for a prayer service for 45. But somehow, I don’t think a prayer circle will change the heart of a 70-year-old fart set in his ways. Maybe a deliverance service? Yet, I’m sure VP Mike Pence tried a little “shock therapy,” and that still hasn’t worked. Even if God miraculously changed the heart of 45, it still wouldn’t make him a competent leader. So, why do Christian leaders like Donnie McClurkin and Tina Campbell of Mary Mary keep asking me to pray for him?

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The concept of the black barbershop being the center of black male-bonding is a popular mantra within black culture. This phenomenon has been captured through pop culture through the Barbershop movie series and even news segments where news anchors frivolously try to understand Black folk within a 5-minute segment. You want to know what’s happening in the world of sports? Go to the barbershop. Want unfiltered, unnecessary relationship advice from the male Inyanla Vanzant perspective? Go to the barbershop. Want to see Marvel’s Black Panther movie, even though it’s not slated to be released until 2018? Go to the barbershop. However, I’m here to tell you…the black barbershop ain’t shit.

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Dear Colin Kaepernick,

I recently watched a show called Queen Sugar on OWN, Oprah’s channel. Have you heard of it? It’s awesome! Anyway, there’s a character on that show that shows the complexity of activism in a modern world. Nova Bordelon, played by Rutina Wesley, is the eldest of her siblings and fits into all of the good and bad cliché’s of being the 1^st born. She obdurately stands in her beliefs almost to a point of complete arrogance. Her main stance is getting her people “woke.” However, it appears that she’s more concerned about making a statement and making sure that she’s the one to make that statement. In the last episode, her homie/lover/friend Chantal (Reagan Gomez-Preston) started getting people “woke” without her involvement. She was visibly upset that her way of doing such wasn’t followed to the T. You see Nova was more concerned about making her statement rather than making effective change. This is my concern with this generation of activism. All statement. No Change.

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