by Jeffery A. Faulkerson

Created on: August 28, 2008   Last Updated: November 12, 2011

No one ever said being black in America would be easy. And on Monday, August 25, 2008, I discovered just how true this statement can be.

Five days earlier, I received two wristbands from the founder of the "i am the black community" company. The wristband is nothing but a piece of black plastic, with "i am the black community" written across it in white lettering, but I have only removed it from my wrist twice since receiving it. No, the wristband is not a prerequisite for the assertion of my blackness. It does, however, serve as a reminder that I am something more than what the mainstream media says about me.

On the Monday in question, I had an encounter that caused me to question the political correctness of wearing the wristband. A white gentleman at a local automobile dealership respectfully asked me about it. His question caught me offguard, but I told him that it promoted black pride, unity. He then said he needed to get one for his 24-year-old daughter because "she hates white people."

My first inkling was to ask him why his daughter hated members of her own race, but I left it alone. I reluctantly chuckled with the man as I ushered my son into the backseat of the car. But the man's statement was insulting to me. He equated black pride and unity with black hatred of white people.

I don't wear the "i am the black community" wristband because I hate white people. I wear it to let persons of all races know that being black is more than just being an athlete or entertainer. It's about being who you are in the moment, someone who is making positive contributions to the society at large through righteous words and deeds.

Some people would probably argue that because the wristband doesn't cater to other members of the human race, it is a ploy to keep us divided along racial/ethnic lines. I beg to differ. Most Whites don't have a clue about what it means to be born with black skin. What they do know is their white skin gives them the kind of privilege that makes it easier to acquire material wealth and prestige. And from this position of privilege, they feel empowered to tell other racial/ethnic groups what to think and feel about themselves.

Granted, we have a choice about what we wish to believe. I tend to believe that every member of the human race is favored by God. We are children of God, created in his likeness. For this reason, I would much rather be wearing a wristband that says "i am the human race". But such a wristband has yet to be created. Why, you ask? Because white Americans still have a difficult time understanding the hopes, dreams and aspirations of their black American siblings.

What are our hopes, dreams and aspirations? They're no different than those held by Whites. We want to be treated with respect and dignity. We also want our achievements to be included in the mainstream American culture. Stop thinking that every black person in America is a rapper or baller. More of us are doctors, lawyers and social workers. And like Whites, we work 9-5 jobs to keep food on the table, clothes on our backs, and acquire the best education for our children.

We are the black community, and we have a lot to say about who we are. And if you're White, and I happen to walk past you with my black wristband, I encourage you to ask me about it. Hopefully, I'll be able to offer a better response, one that is reflective of my experiences as a black American male.

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