In the same breath it seems to be a case of damned if you do, damned if you don’t for a totally different person had this to say in response to the petition:
One of the first things I noticed about Sandra Bland is that she was a natural. It got me thinking that perhaps she checks out BHI or some other hair forum for hair tips.
What if in preparation for her new job she checked out our gallery for styles to rock? What if she commented on one of our Facebook posts? She could easily be any one of us, any one of you who frequent our site, do we then just carry on without the slightest show of gratitude for her presence among us?
Hurt, anger, denial and shock are all stages in the grieving process. Are black hair communities required to always be stoic and emotionless when the community we serve is in the throes of suffering? I can bet if we did that we would be seen as cold-hearted, inconsiderate beings who don’t deserve your patronage.
I cite an instance in which My Natural Sistas registered anger and outrage at the news of the Charleston 9 and came under fire from persons stating that they were only propagating hate by voicing those feelings. Is it wrong that we voice our hurt and dismay at such occurrences?
Let us not get it twisted, for continually burying our pain and internalizing it can do more damage than owning up to what we feel. Behind the screens we are people who feel too, and as people with this unique platform we often wield some amount of influence so perhaps we feel in our own little way by showing we too are affected, it can be a way to show how to deal with the pain.
I propose that this makes us feel responsible for helping in some little way, to usher our readers through the grieving process brought on by situations such as we’ve seen. I even go a step further to say that if we choose not to comment on these issues we’ll be aiding many in remaining stuck at the denial wrung of the grieving process and that would be woefully unhealthy.
Now I’m not saying that what the subscribers want is not important, for we have a duty to provide what you want which is hair related stuff . That is why you started following us in the first place; but we won’t all always want the same things.
Case in point: not everyone who visits BHI is into weaves just as not everyone is into natural hair. To go a step farther, not all naturals are interested in making their own products while there are some that want nothing to do with commercial products.
What do we do then; do we ignore a section of our following all the time or do we create instances that allow them to feel that their views and preferences matter? Most often than not we have to create a mix to satisfy the various personalities that grace us with a portion of their precious time on a daily basis.
In the same way all these different personalities outside of hair and some don’t mind seeing their hair care community show interest in those issues, for it helps them feel that much more connected to the universal black community.
I know some may say that the news and social media is flooded with those issues so it shouldn’t be too hard for people to give their two cents in those arenas; point taken, but when you roll in certain circles sometimes you want to hear the perspectives of those in your circle.
Samuel Dubose, Sandra Bland the Charleston 9 may not have been famous or part of the hair care community but they were a part of something bigger; the black community that the hair care sites serve.
So I ask: don’t they deserve a measly moment of mention in our forums? How do we stay silent about one of the biggest issues plaguing the black community?
For all we know they are connected to someone among us and you can never tell how far away from your door it is. What say you?
Sher Addison says
I’m not. I’m in this community
Tammalah Matlock says
No
Billiondollar Boss says
No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Michelle Browne says
No they should not , is it not a black issue ? im sure if you was subjected to police brutality, the last thing you’d be thinking about is the hair on your head , anything concerning black people especially with injustice should always be talked about, and discussed. In any format.
Dr-Shahila Darraine says
The “hair community”?? What about the nails community, and the club community? Ridiculous. The community is just people!! Either you are a person for a cause or against it. The classification is senseless!
Licia Ballen Buchanan-Allen says
That might be the case Dr-Shahila Darraine and it goes without saying that people make communities but without getting all technical about it, that is the terminology used to classify a group of people brought together by their shared interest in hair related things. Might hair industry be more appropriate? That too is a common terminology.
Jamila Kelly says
thank you !! This is exactly why people think black people only care about their damn hair. WE ARE MORE THAN JUST HAIR.
Plain Jane says
The less people that keep quiet, the more these issues are just pushed under the rug like they don’t exist. With all of the people who follow these “communities” it’ll raise awareness and maybe there will be someone who has the power and the courage to make a change.
Yolanda Hill says
I never had a problem.
ShiShi Maze says
No. it’s FYI & Need To Know, also.
Marlene Ferguson says
the Asians racially profile black people all the time in the black community. I used to watch how the Asians would cater to the white clients in their nail salons, but treat the black clients like there less than. How do we as black people allow them to disrespect us in our community,and continue to support there businesses…Lets boycott and run them out, and in turn open up our own businesses, and employ our own.
Brenda Matthews says
Because most black ppl don’t support their own and rather give their money away to ppl that disrespect them. When I receive unsavory treatment from ANY establishment I NEVER return and I also urge my peers to do the same. Word of mouth can make or break a business.
Hazel Verge says
Key Word: COMMUNITY – The Key Word should answer this question.
Andrea Angie Tater says
No the more dialogue the more solutions we are being judged on our natural hair in our careers because some how we do not fit the look or work culture or we are being stopped by the assumption that dreadlocks is equal to drug possession or criminality….we have rights and should be protected like the Jews and Gay community against harrassment and hate crimes.
Philly Angel says
No!
Moni Pinkney says
No, we need all community input. This affects us ALL!
Susan Cartwright says
We all fight
Dena Smith says
sound the alarms
Claudine Woods says
We were lost four hundred years ago and we are lost today. We had no leaders back then and we have no leaders today. Our people are simple lost among ourselves.