Bang! Bang! Out With The Old

Another year begins. At midnight, in a big ole American F*** You! to the Brady Bill, a handful of citizens in my predominantly black neighborhood abused their Constitutional right to bear arms. I think this January 1st set a record; a good fifteen minutes of mostly semiautomatic gunfire. It was notable not only for its duration, but in the sheer volume and variety of calibers used. I imagine the streetlights cast an eerie greenish glow through the pungent clouds of gunpowder. I imagine it only because I wasn’t stupid enough to poke my head outside as the boys in the hood did there best Gaza Strip impression.

This annual ammo dumping exemplifies a stereotype that’s usually associated with Whites moreso than Blacks, i.e the great love affair with guns. After all, I’m pretty sure it was a white dude who wrote that Second Amendment thingie. However, making up for lost time through gang warfare, John Singleton films, and ubiquitous Hip Hop iconization of weaponry, it seems black people are poised to wrestle the title of “Biggest Gun Lovers” from our lighter cousins. Or maybe that’s just a misconception of mine. I’m willing to be proven wrong. No harm, no foul. Only my three loyal readers will see this rant. But what happens when an entire nation (or planet) is exposed to deliberate misconceptions, misinformation, and myths about black people.

Black filmmaker Janks Morton explores that issue in his documentary What Black Men Think. With insight gleaned from over 20 years spent in the entertainment industry, and 43 years being Black, Morton’s wisdom can benefit us all. Clutch Magazine features an in-depth interview with Morton. There he calls the film a “docu-logue – a documentary designed to create dialogue”. With so much at stake this conversation is desperately needed. And with less than a year to go before we choose another National Decider, everyone should be a part of it.

Besides his blog, Morton’s YouTube channel, jynxonline offers more information and video from the documentary. My copy’s already on the way. I’ll leave you with a clip from one of the many participants of the project. Taalam Acey, renown slam poet and spoken word artist dishes on the thriving market that profits from the negative portrayal of Blacks. For sensitive viewers, Acey uses some strong (profane) language, but not one word is misplaced.