Womanist Musings ... The Value of Anger
Maya Angelous said, "Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. Anger is healthy, I think. I think anger is like fire. It burns out all the dross and all the stuff ... I think it's wise to show it. To be opposed to injustice, at all times, for anybody, I think that's wise.
As soon as I feel myself to be insulted, the person who has insulted me is the second to know. As soon as I know, I say, 'Hey stop. Just a minute. Come here. I beg your pardon. You won't do that to me. That is your affair. Don't put that poison on me. I will not have it.' So, that's much healthier. And, fortunately, it is creative. And, that thing which is creative has a productive result.
For those who are still reeling from the US Presidential Election of 2024, you are not alone. Black women, in particular, are bearing the brunt of this election. According to pollsters, Harris was winning up until a few days before the election when data indicated the election might swing in the other direction.
These are unchartered waters when the American Democracy appears to have been traded in for fascism. It feels as if the entire world is uneasy and afraid of what could happen next.
Vulnerable communities, but especially "Black and Brown" communities, are feeling incredibly concerned for their safety regarding the possibility of deportation and other concerns. I will unpack and explore those issues more in the coming weeks. But for now, I want to push back on the notion that it's time to stop grieving and get to work.
No one can tell you how quickly you must process the grief. No one should have the insensitivity to gaslight the concerns raised, by communities of color, or by poor working people of all backgrounds. Not only are concerns valid, but strategies of protection are absolutely wise and necessary.
Today, however, I want to address those who continue to police our emotions, our words and our right to even evaluate this moment. I want to push back against well intentioned advocates who say that we must push aside our stunned disbelief, that America would rather move into fascism and elect a man who simulated a sex act during one of his rallies, who is a felon, and a man who has tried to overthrow the government - that man is a better choice than a woman of color who is one of the best qualified persons to ever run for office.
I have moved from disbelief to anger. Maya Angelou said that anger is healthy but bitterness is not. I think she's right. My intention is to express my anger with diligence and without apology. This is the only thing I can do to keep it from festering.
In the upcoming days, I think it is imperative that Black women begin to explore, fully, how we will continue to co-exist with a country that consistently chooses self injury over Black women.
There's the story of the pools becoming integrated in the US. One community was so determined to keep Black people out of their pools, that they drained their pools and cemented over them. They decided no one would swim if people who looked like me would get in the water next to them.
This runs the gamut of all the ways that we embrace being together in community - from living in the same neighborhoods to working together within professional spaces. So, if you're one of those people who decided it would be better to drain the pool than to share it equitably, then stay tuned. The cement may not provide the cold comfort you anticipated.
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