Power-
1
a (1) : ability to act or
produce an effect
(2) : ability to get
extra-base hits (3) : capacity for
being acted upon or undergoing an effect
b : legal or official authority, capacity, or
right
2
a : possession
of control, authority, or influence over others
b : one
having such power; specifically : a
sovereign state
In
any movement power is of the utmost important.
There is no reason to start a movement if it cannot be completed. An endeavor
without tangible objectives usually leads to a misappropriation of power and
time. A revolution is no different. The
power to shape thought into reality is at the center of a revolution. In that regard, revolution mimics the process
of child birth and rearing. Thought made
flesh by virtue of the semen and egg joining to transform.
At least in the authors’ history, males have
traditionally been on the forefront of social change regarding our community.
Noble Drew Ali, Marcus Garvey, Malcolm X, Huey p. Newton Rosa parks, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Angela Davis played a huge part of progress gained.
Yet and
still the man acted as a lightning rod and a galvanizing agent for the minds of
the people. Warriors on the front line taking the brunt of the negative attention as well as the accolades from the
movement accurately describe the situation faced by the brothers. So the question comes to the mind: Is
there an imbalance of the distribution of power in the revolution, in regards
to men and women?
After all
in Africa , definition and delegation of the
various roles played by the genders are paramount to the survival of culture. Yet in the corporation known as the United States
Cause for
concern? Consider this:
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/race/news/2012/03/13/11351/the-top-10-most-startling-facts-about-people-of-color-and-criminal-justice-in-the-united-states/
According to
the Bureau of Justice Statistics, one in three black men can expect to go to prison in their
lifetime. Individuals
of color have a disproportionate number of encounters with law enforcement,
indicating that racial profiling continues to be a problem. A report by the
Department of Justice found that blacks and Hispanics were approximately three times
more likely to be searched during
a traffic stop than white motorists. African Americans were twice as likely to
be arrested and almost four times as
likely to
experience the use of force during encounters with the police.
Now,
if 1 and 3 black men are expected to see life behind bars, who is rearing the next
generation? Women of course. The time needed to raise a child is
astounding. The mental and physical energy exerted without proper outlets for
social change often leaves no room to pursue progressive lifestyles. Kids have to eat, and the lights must stay
on.
However, the impetus for political, social
and economic progress is an insatiable beast.
So it typically falls to men to lead, and by lead I mean to be in the
spotlight, a movement. Recall:
a: possession
of control, authority, or influence over others
b: one
having such power; specifically : a
sovereign state.
In
regards to control and influence is where the imbalance occurs. The image
of women in society at large is not of one fighting and shaping a new
world. Yes, to be certain there are
specific movements in which women are at the forefront empowering minds, the feminist
movement for one.
But, in the Black community this sphere of
influence pales in comparison to the psychological reprogramming of the black
youth, specifically young men, to see women as strictly sexual objects.
Powerful women such as Michelle Alexander, and Abundance Child are needed to offset
that image by providing relevant information and services for the next
generation. Only by a balanced manifestation of information, representatives
(activists, speakers) can the inherent power
of the Nubian people be realized.
Peace.
