and most of all, the problematic narrative that in the U.S. to be “Black” is to be defined and determined by others . . .
Mt. Conness, Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite CA, circa de 10/2019
From L to R, Aunt Jane, Me, Grandpa Jim, Grandma Alma Lacour Hines.
GABE PATTERSON -
On August 1, 2020, I wrote the following reflection…which was the day before I turned 29.
I really don’t know what to think these days. My mind is not at ease. Due to COVID and the perfect storm, the same may be for many of you, but for different reasons. I’m doing my best to keep the conversation going, and there’s plenty of material out there to soak in and chew on: debates between Black Conservatives and Black Liberals; Black musicians and scholars against the organization of BLM; BLM versus all BLM; rhetoric of people like Glenn Loury, John McWhorter, Coleman Hughes, the Conservative Twins; literature of James Baldwin and Ta-Nahesi Coates; critique of DiAngelo's White Fragility; the narrative of Black victimization; the 1619 project and reparations; Thomas Sowell’s Black Rednecks, White Liberals; pride and courage inspired by Beyoncé’s Black is King; calling IN non-black POC to advocate for anti-blackness, which in turn we all benefit from; politics of identity; and most all, THE PROBLEMATIC NARRATIVE THAT IN THE U.S. TO BE “BLACK” IS TO BE DEFINED AND DETERMINED BY OTHERS; comments like Biden’s “YOU AINT BLACK IF YOU VOTE FOR TRUMP;” why Blackness is defined as gangster, ball players, “do you know where I can find weed/are you selling,” low income, etc etc. I’m sick of it.
Why should any Black person have to question their authenticity if they don’t fit this mold? Who defines this mold? It certainly wasn’t Black people, and it certainly was age old white supremacy, and nowadays, is perpetuated by the mass media. These stereotypes in many cases prevent Black people from advancing their lives, aiming high, getting outside, getting a Ph.D, owning a business, being successful outside of ball playing and music, b/c when you do, “YOU’RE ACTING WHITE!!” Or your white friends call you an Oreo, or the whitest Black person they’ve ever met. Black people say, “you just want to be White white!” This shit is fucked. A lot of work still needs to be done. White Liberals. Non-Black POC. And Black people, we have a lot to do too. We need to lift each other up.
To all those in the scene who inspire me daily, thank you for just being you, Black and proud, through and through.
South Lake Tahoe area, CA. circa de 06/2020
I want to share just one more reflection. Though this time, it is from my maternal aunt, Auntie Jane. On June 17, 2020, she wrote the following via our family text thread:
“Gabe and twins (I have two older brothers, twins), thanks for your thoughts and action. Just so you know I’m filled with admiration. To all the brothers Patterson, prepare for my ramblings:
Deep and looming life lessons have been swamping the human collective soul in recent years. Especially since the election of our priceless orange-face. I’m starting to see him as seminal to activating folks seeking righteous peace (a gift in monster’s clothing). Lessons of late are unprecedented in the last 12 weeks. Our nature pulling the strings to all of those lessons...
A molecule colors the shell surrounding the stuff and soul of a human being, and the color is all that some people see...A bundle of genetic fragments that capitalized on the failings of a highly social organism that can’t overcome its desire or obligation to commune face to face...A single species that sat still long enough that, at long last, it sees fish in the canals of Venice and clouds brushing the high domes of temples and hears birds that at long last sing to each other again in NYC tree-lined streets, but this one species again churns and surges like an undertow to drown out Earth’s music, now approaching business as usual.
Except on May 25 no more business as usual. Billions of eyes did witness and can’t unsee a murder so appalling, words cannot express. So, you stirred yourselves out of the fear of dying from one pandemic to confront another deadly one, the oldest pandemic known to our species. The one responsible for harming him and her, and him and him, and her and him, and her and all the rest.
Yes, it’s life and death now and always has been. And you’ve been in this fight since your parents made you and Angela pushed you into the light. So of course, there you are, out there y’all are. With your lovers and friends, and good strangers who also can’t unsee this and who will sacrifice for justice and fairness and humaneness and liberty and fraternity and sorority, and for the love of the stuff inside the shell, no matter the color of it. I’m with you. We all are with you.
So much I want to hear about from you all...
March on. Love on. Fight on, and on, and on.”
- Jane Hines Broderick
