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A New Form of Racism
By Justin Fossett-Cunningham
It’s the year 2007 and racism still exists. Not just in the south where the Jena 6 incidnet took place, but everywhere, it's just in different forms. Youth Radio's Justin Fossett-Cunningham writes wondering why racism still thrives in this country.
I LOOK IN THE MIRROR DOUBLE TAKE ON MY FACE
RUNNING COLD WATER OVER MY SCALP, QUESTIONING THE TRUE
MEANING OF RACE
AFRICANS WERE REALLY CAPTURED FROM AFRICA WITH NO TRACE
SLAVERY TRAPPED HUMAN BEINGS NO WAY TO ESCAPE
AND IT STILL GOES ON TODAY BUT MY QUESTION IS
WHY? AND WHAT FOR? I STRESS THE MESSAGE WITH EMPHASIS
WHAT IS INSTITUTION, OPPRESSION, WHAT ABOUT WHITE SUPREMACY?
NO ANSWERS MISTER GOVERNOR, WHAT IS YOU GIVIN ME
TELL ME WHY IS IT A SIN TO ME TO BE A YOUNG BLACK MALE?
SO MUCH NEGATIVE ENERGY DIRECTIN ME STRAIGHT TO THE JAIL CELL
JENA 6 STUDENTS LOCKED UP LOST HOPE WHEN THEY FOUND OUT BAIL
YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT PROGRESS BUT WE MOVE NO FASTER THAN
SNAILS
AND I CAN’T TALK ABOUT THIS IN A SONG BECAUSE I’M AFRAID IT WON’T
SELL
MAKE IT SEEM LIKE I CAN’T WALK IN AN ALL BLACK COMMUNITY AND
NOT WORRY ABOUT GUN SHOTS EMPTY CLIPSE HOT SHELLS
PISTOLS ON TOP OF FAMILY BOOK SHELVES
IN THE KITCHEN FIXIN’UP HERO OR CRACK TO SELL
WAITIN FOR THE FIRST CHECK OF THE MONTH, THAT’S MY ONLY HOPE
FOR MAIL
SO MANY STORIES TO TELL BUT PEOPLE IN POWER ARE LIKE OH WELL
NOW A DAYS IT ISN’T JUST BLACK FOLKS THAT FALL VICTIM
YOU CAN BE A TARGET JUST BECAUSE YOUR SKIN COLOR IS DIFFERENT
SO AGAIN I ASK ABOUT RACE HOPIN TO GET SOME ANSWERS NO LIEN
ASK THE TEACHERS AND COPS ABOUT TRACKIN AN RACIAL PROFILING
ASK ABOUT HOW WE CLAIM TO BE DESEGREGATED KNOWIN THAT AINT
THE CASE
YOU NEVER GET ANSWERS BECAUSE THEY ALWAYS GOT SOME EXCUSES
TO MAKE
AND WHEN I SAY “THEY” I MEAN THE RACIST COWARDS
FIND THE CONNECTION RACISM EQUALS PREJUDICE PLUS POWER
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