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1921 Tulsa Race Massacre scene from the HBO series Lovecraft Country
Publisher’s Note: In light of yesterday’s attempted coup to overturn the 2020 presidential election, we’ve updated this article with an embedded video to show you what entitled mania looks like.
Reading Time 3 mins 16 secs
By Autumn Brown, Senior Editor
I just finished the most recent Lovecraft Country episode titled Rewind 1921, and through tears, I am writing this piece.
First, let me begin by saying that we are not worthy of a show like Lovecraft Country. The writing, the historical context, the art, and the knowledge are things that we should value in this beautiful artistry ensemble. I am so thankful for a show like Lovecraft Country.
Now to this week’s episode, which time-traveled back to the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. It was beautiful to see a glimpse of a thriving Greenwood district. Black families who owned homes, Black businesses, and entertainment. It’s always good to see a humanizing version of Greenwood outside of the massacre’s singular event.
For anyone with a soul, this week’s episode was challenging. But watching white anger is what really pissed me off.
Why do white temper tantrums always result in mass deaths?
Let’s face it; being White comes with privilege and an ingrained sense of entitlement. It’s like being born White is supposed to result in success, and anything outside of success is everyone else’s fault; hence, the tagline ‘Make America Great Again.’
That line represents the idea that White reigns superior, and America is only truly great when “others” are kept in their place. And as Black people continue to succeed in all avenues of our lives, in spite of, White people are enraged!
Much like the White people who looted, bombed, killed, and destroyed an entire community in Tulsa because they were “mad.”
American history proves that we continue losing the battle against white nationalist terrorism. The dominant discourse would lead you to believe that America’s monsters are Islamic and dressed in hijabs, America’s real nightmare has been angry white men.
Since September 11, white supremacists and other far-right radicals have been responsible for almost three times as many U.S. soil attacks as Islamic terrorists.
In 2018 more people were murdered by far-right radicals in the United States than in any year since the Oklahoma City bombing, another senseless act of domestic terrorism carried out by two white males.
In America, terrorism has a White face, not a Brown one, and it’s past time that America reckons with the idea that the most dangerous enemies on American soil are White. And White supremacist attacks are becoming far more lethal since Tr**p became president.
White people get mad that America finally has a Black president, then vote to elect a White supremacist with zero political experience.
White people get mad that Black people are flourishing and independent, so they bomb their homes and burn their businesses.
White people get mad at too much governmental control, so they blow up a federal building full of innocent men, women, and children.
White people get mad in general and march with tiki torches chanting, “Jews will not replace us,” as a young Neo-Nazi drives his car full speed into a crowd of peaceful counterprotesters.
White people are so entitled that any forward movement by minority groups is a threat to their humanity. Their anger translates into cruel and unusual forms of murder.
White people throw a temper tantrum because the social order they created–systems of institutional power and access–are dismantling, and people of color are pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps; and they can’t take it. As we say in our culture, white people get BIG mad at the successes of black and brown people, so they resort to mass killings and bombings.
David Hickton, a former U.S. Attorney, says, “White supremacy is a greater threat than international terrorism right now. We are being eaten from within.”
Hickton is true, indeed. America is being eaten from the inside out by White rage. We saw it in Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Charlottesville, El Paso, Las Vegas, and Charleston. It’s time we call a spade a spade. Too many White men have been and remain a threat to this country. Far-right radicals are terrorists. And ‘Make America Great Again’ is a cry for help from White individuals who ain’t bout shit, but would rather blame people of color for their worthlessness.
Raging, entitled mania: The White men’s luxury.
Watching this latest Lovecraft Country episode, I was seething with rage as I watched happy White faces burn families alive. And I wondered, what if people of color let out our frustrations in the same way our White counterparts do? What if we bombed the homes of officers who kill unarmed Black women and men? What if we put a bullet through their child’s head? What if we aimed semi-automatic rifles at them while they were deep in prayer? What if we raped their wives or underage daughters? What if we beat them senseless for not picking their expected lot of cotton? What if we drive a car into a crowd of “Back the Blue” protestors? What if Black and Brown people soon began to seek revenge rather than equality and equity? What if?
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