Race: Harnessing Anger in Black Communities

Black people are by far (it seems) the angriest race in America. Many of us can be very quick-tempered, especially amongst the impoverished. Poor Black people have a right to be angry though! We are in communities with absent fathers, inadequate jobs, inadequate schools, and a "street" culture that glorifies drugs, violence, material wealth and ignorance. Of course women are angry because they are raising children on their own. Men are angry because society berates them and presents every obstacle imaginable to hinder growth and prosperity. Children are angry because parents are absent. Everyone is telling us that it's our own fault. They say that we have been presented the opportunities to thrive in the ghetto. There are schools, books and programs to help us succeed. BULLSHIT!! What good are scholarships if we don't have guidnace counselors, adequate teachers or books to help us make it through high school?? Are we supposed to forget that our friends maybe drug dealers, our parents may be drug addicts, we may be taking care of younger siblings, and that we can't even afford basic neccessities at our homes such as food and clothing??  BUT you still wanna blame the victim and say we have been afforded equal opportunities?? FUCK OUTTA HERE!!

I'm angry my damn self and I made it out the inner-city to a university. I'm angry for my people man. We are in communities that force us to have harsh attitudes and instead of loving our neighbors, we compete with them and distrust them. We are taught to fight for what is ours (which is understandable considering that resources are limited in innercities) and to defend ourselves from the excessive and unwarranted violence of the innercities. Its a kill or be killed attitude whether you like it or not.

This anger becomes ingrained in us though and it is detrimental!! Anger is a force that can isolate the individual and also have harmful effects if uncontrolled. Anger can also be harmful to your body, increasing blood pressure and stress levels. Not to mention the inevitable violent conquests you will have, which in this day and age, can result in a gunshot to the head. Many times too, people get angry over the smallest things!! There is no need to fight over a pair of Jordans or because somebody at Walmart bumped you. Angry outbursts will only intensify your problems and give the world another reason to call you a nigger.

Harness this anger. Use the energy, emotion and passion you feel at these times to produce something great. For example, I rarely get angry but a gentleman made me angry when he lied to me and laughed it off. I wanted to cuss his ass out forreal!! Instead I gathered up all the energy I felt at that moment running through my body and started blogging, writing, and just perfecting some projects I had been working on. That energy I felt at that moment was put to great use!! Its hard but worthwhile. Nothing in life is easy so man up and stop overreacting in anger because it is counterproductive and a waste of energy. Many things do not deserve an angry reaction from you! You are a child of love and a child of a Higher Power (if you believe) and anger is for the weak at heart!! 

I understand there is alot of built up anger and aggression and it seems like ppl love to test you!! Its only because they fear you and want to blow your cool!! Don't let them!! Harness your anger related to abandonment, poverty, death, hurt, despair, suffering, abuse, etc etc and let those passionate feelings overwhelm your being and put that energy into a productive project!! Writing, painting, playing with your kids, developing goals, playing a sport like boxing or football, finding a job, doing homework, whatever it is that you know you need to get done!!