“Colorism Blues” is the third essay from The Black Equalist (TBE), a compilation of speeches and essays about human rights (or Afro rights) which are not protected for African descendants. TBE is a rare mixtape-podcast about international social, economic, and political issues in America. The purpose of TBE is to introduce my Pan-African philosophy of Black Equalism, which focuses on the fact that despite our social, economic, and political status — all people are equal.
Moreover, “B/black”, “white”, and race are not real but social constructions created to compel people to dislike “B/black” (non-white) people. I attack the dividers of people, social constructs, and systems/practices (colorism, racism, sexism, xenophobia, poverty, sexuality, religion, ethnicity, gender, political affiliation, region/geography) that are created to hold people back and maintain the status quo."Colorism Blues” explicitly addresses forms of economic, political, and social dehumanization African descendants (and non-African descendants alike) experience via colorism, racism, xenophobia, and debates over ethnicity and genetic heritage. The essay calls attention to the facts that:
- a) all humans have rich ethnic backgrounds
- b) “race” is a social construction produced by pseudoscience and racial “differences” have no biological basis
- c) a human classification system based on color gradients and refraction of light is silly
Rockets. Moon shots.
Spend it on, the have-nots.
Money — we make it.
Before we see it, you take it.
It makes me wanna holla, the way they do society.
Humans not characters. No reversed psychology. I’m me.
It’s unknown, so let’s go into the blue since it’s difficult for some to see.
The world has many skin complexions, like blues within the sea.
So — I’m not the color black, nor the word “Black” with a capital letter “B”.
Humans not characters, I repeat.
You seem obsessed with skin tones and hues man, I don’t agree.
We using new social paradigms, fuck yo’ racist social hierarchy.
Colorism is only an idea, but if we believe, its real like a lock, so I got major keys.
Forget your indifference to social and economic disparity.
Can’t support xenophobia, classism, sexism, and colorism, complain about racism, and think we stand in solidarity for equality.
Inflation still means “no chance…
…to increase finance”
And bills still pile up sky high.
But the U.S. Army is always open to send our kids to die.
Segregated integration exists. I call it American Apartheid, that’s true.
America divides us into different social, political, and economic groups.
Then uses the state, laws, and public policies to dehumanize you.
But, it’s not all black and white, green, red, or blue.
Colorism is a terrible social system, but it starts with you.
Not colored people, we are just people — humans, like you.
Stop labeling people based on false facts, what social system are you enslaved to?
Colorism removes our humanity and sanity, so now we’re singing the blues.
Light-skinned versus dark-skinned versus brown-skinned?
We are all the same and visually measuring skin tone is a game nobody wins.
Are we beefing, discriminating, and backstabbing because of skin?
We confused by colorism. No one can choose their amount of melanin.
We confused by racism and classism, and suffer from colorism blues.
Shades of melanin are like shades of blue — its more than 260 tints, tinges, and hues.
It came out of the blue, but let’s run wit that metaphor, it can help us find context clues.
Counting blues can help us see colorism is a trick to oppress, divide, and confuse:
- Azure, sky blue, baby blue, Robin’s egg blue, midnight blue, and steel blue.
- Sapphire, Prussian blue, ash blue, artic blue, Catalina blue, and Caribbean blue.
- Aquamarine, Celtic blue, cloudy blue, dark blue, dusty blue, beryl, and electric blue.
- Turquoise, cerulean, vibrant blue, cosmopolitan, navy, cyan, slate, and marine blue.
- Egyptian blue, retro blue, cobalt, indigo, and royal blue...
Just to name a few.
Clearly its multiple shades of blue, but they are united and don’t fight.
“Colors fighting each other” is silly, like humans classifying themselves based on gradients of light.
Humans not characters. Do you know someone who is dark-white or lite-black?
We are people, not “colored” nor “colors” and your social constructs been wack.
We have to reassess and address the colorism social policy in every nation.
Colorism only separates and creates problems with self- identification.
Despite our nationality, colorism leads to problems with socialization.
Ethnicity is universal, and every human has a rich ethnic background — why discriminate?
Using or allowing ethnicity and complexion to divide reveals ignorance, insecurity, jealousy, envy, and self-hate.
Recognize, like the color blue — there is a variety of shades (ethnicities) and skin tones within the human family of people.
Regardless of skin color and other forms of social, political, and economic status — we’re all equal.