This is a rant. I am very angry right now. I am sitting in my office, staring at the photo you see here. It is in a frame and sits next to my computer. This is my family. They were from Loudoun County, Va. My great-grandmother, Amelia “Millie” Weaver Roberts, is seated in front of a portrait of her deceased husband, Presley Roberts. They were both enslaved in Loudoun. She is surrounded by her children, who were born free.
I’ve written about them in the past, in “They were slaves in Virginia,” so I will not repeat their story here. I will only note that my great-uncles and aunts had to fight to survive free. They faced down the Klan. They faced down bigots. They passed their fighting spirit on to me. I too have faced angry racists, and members of white citizens councils, and the Klan. I’ve spent my entire life fighting racism.
Ironically, I wrote their story in 2008, praying for voters in Va. to do the right thing:
On this day, as I sit here watching with quiet joy, I see a change in Virginia, which I pray will change America, and change the world.
If you are voting in Virginia today, cast that vote for all those who came before, who never had the chance.
I want to share their stories here today, in hope that their dreams for the future of this land will today come to fruition.
I own part of the land where they were held in bondage. I pay Va. taxes. I can’t vote there—since it isn’t my primary residence.
If I lived in Va., I would have been one of the many thousands of black people campaigning and voting for Ralph Northam. I followed the elections there very closely. I saw black folks, especially black women, secure many Democratic victories there.
I stayed up late last night, reading the calls for Northam to resign. I agreed. I was proud of Democrats who saw clearly, and immediately, that he has to go. But I feel asleep angry. I’m still angry.
I’m restraining my fingers on the keyboard because I really want to cut loose with some major cussing. F-bombs galore. They have been deleted. I’m still thinking them though. Woke my dog up with them earlier.
I’m angry, and hurt by the comments I’ve read from people who purport to be allies. Who so easily dismiss my pain, my feelings, and those expressed by other black folks. Oh, not all of us—we are not a monolith, but enough of us have made it perfectly clear why Northam’s yearbook photo selection illustrates racism—and why he needs to go.
I read excuses. I was told my thoughts on the matter are irrelevant, that I’m not from Virginia, and that other people who aren’t from Va. have no say.
I just reread attacks on Markos in the comments section for calling for Northam to resign, here and here. Want to repeat again—thank you, Markos. I read comments dragging in a slew of other issues, which have nothing to do with two very clear things:
The KKK.
Blackface.
Period.
Those of you who sit here excusing and defending racist actions and deeds are no better than the perpetrator of those deeds.
You are not my ally.
Those comments were so disturbing I had to leave and head back into Black Kos, where there are white folks who “get it.”
If the problem is that you don’t “get it,” close your mouth, take your fingers off of your keyboard, and listen. Listen to those of us who do who don’t have the privilege you do.
The KKK.
Blackface.
Not acceptable now, not 20 years ago, not 60 years ago … never funny.
If Northam wants to have a “come to Jesus” moment—fine. If he regrets his younger adult racism—that’s fine too.
What is not fine is him remaining seated in the Governor’s chair won on the backs and ballots of black folks.
He needs to resign.
You people defending him need to think seriously about your own racism.
Thank you to those who do “get it.”
Dee