The dehumanization of African males and females chained, transported, and enslaved on the plantation has migrated from the plantation to the corporation. White male abuse, aggression, and violence against black females began at the dawn of slavery with such regularity and severity that our Sisters survival today serves as testimony to their strength, endurance, and courage and to God’s Grace.

Today, black women continue to be the object of white men’s rage, lust, and fantasy. We witnessed this rage in the video of a white male customer verbally and physically assaulting a black female McDonald’s employee doing her job in providing customer service. Because he had to “ask” for a straw and didn’t like the answer, without fear or hesitation he instinctively and violently reached out and put his hands on her person…master chastising an “insolent” young female slave for not being subservient and submissive to his needs.

But this young Sister fought her attacker…she fought for her dignity, she fought for her individuality, she fought for her justice, she fought for her humanity. She matched her white male attacker’s acts of supremacy with a necessary, justifiable, and righteous counter that said clearly – Don’t put your hands on Me!” Rosa Parks said, “I was a person with dignity and self-respect, and I should not set my rights lower than anybody else because I was black.”

Yasmine James I salute you!

Brutha’ Q