The Myth of a Black- Brown Alliance
In theory, a Black- Brown Alliance tugs at the heart strings. A united effort to combat White Supremacy in America, & abroad. The Truth of the matter, is this 'Coalition' reached its peak 50Yrs ago. Fred Hampton's Rainbow Coalition, united the Black Liberation Movement w/ the The Young Lords Organization, The Young Patriots, & AIM (The American Indian Movement). It was an ambitious joining of forces.
Unfortunately, Fred Hampton was murdered (executed) by Chicago PD hunting Black Panthers. The Rainbow Coalition went underground, before eventually dissolving. The Black Panther Party & The Young Lords Organization were criminalized & hunted by The FBI, while AIM was targeted by the same policies that forced them onto Reservations. Luckily their sovereign status allowed them to press on. This, was the turning point in (large scale) Black- Brown relations. The Immigration Act of 1965, brought new groups to America w/ different experiences & agendas.
Before the Immigration Act, the Black- Brown Alliance mainly took place in Black Communities. So called 'Brown People' identified as 'Black'. They were mainly Cuban, Puerto Rican & Panamanian; to a lesser degree, South American, Dominican, & Filipino. We embraced each other's culture of food & music- Black Americans played & danced Mambo, Samba, & Salsa. In some cases, We intermarried, expanding Our family ties & solidarity (i.e. Plantanos & Collard Greens). We were culturally diverse, but One Community.
The 'Change' began in the 1970s. Henry Kissinger served the same notice on Latin American Nations regarding Black America, that he served on Afrikan & Caribbean ones. The US. Information & Educational Exchange Act (currently known as the Smith- Mundt Modernization Act of 2012) was implemented to discredit Black Americans in this region. The U.S. Government played on the 'Colorism' of Latin America, as They played on the 'Tribalism' of Afrika & The Caribbean.
As the U.S. Gov't enacted 'Benign Neglect' tactics on Black America, 'Brownfolk' took notice. The respect that they once held for the group that took on White Supremacy during the Civil Rights Era began to wane. The modest gains that We achieved began to deteriorate, as individuals excelled, while the Black Collective stagnated. Unemployment, & the lack or inconsistency of Municipal Services transformed many Black Communities into Ghettos & Slums. Imminent Domain & Asset Forfeiture further changed the Community landscape. Families began to move, creating a 'Brain Drain'.
In Richard Pryor's 'Live On Sunset Strip', he joked about the way that the U.S. Gov't indoctrinated the Vietnamese 'Boat People' against Black Americans, as they were exiting the ships in Houston. It wasn't just them; every immigrant group was indoctrinated. All of the 'newcomers' were situated in areas around Black Communities, but not in them. My High School Sociology Teacher referred to them as "Buffer Groups". They provided a 'buffer' between the Black & White Communities.
The banding of Black, Brown, Yellow, & White Communities on these 'Buffer Zone' Maps resembled targets, w/ Black Communities situated at the 'Bull's Eye' or center (Inner Cities) & White Communities on the outer bands (Suburbia). These Buffer Zones served as socioeconomic dividing lines. The further we move away from the Inner City, the greater the expression of Wealth. As the Wealth of an area increases, [public] access to it tends to decrease. This may explain why Black families moved from Inner Cities to Suburbia.
The 1st wave of new immigrants to come after The Immigration Act, were Elites w/ the means to relocate & start over. Some were American allies in their Home Country that had to flee after a regime change (e.g. Cuba, Haiti). They were given (additional) resources or provisions by the U.S. Gov't to make the transition to 'American Life' (Private & Commercial Property Ownership). Later waves of immigrants were escaping the instability of Military Dictatorships & Narco- States run by Drug Cartels. For them, America was a chance to start over. Unfortunately, many brought their cultural prejudices w/ them.
By the 1980s, groups were immigrating to America from Central & South America, the Middle East, & Southern Asia. Like Black immigrants of this era, They congregated in enclaves. Unlike the Brownfolk of previous generations, many in this new group were refugees fleeing Communist & Socialist Governments. Their political beliefs differed from the neighbors We grew up w/. They also held a different regard for Black Americans; many, if not most, identified as 'White'.
The newly arrived immigrants, like Black immigrants gravitated to the mainstream Culture of Whiteness. They mimicked what they saw. They were hard working, conservative minded people that believed in The American Dream. They pushed their children to strive for greatness; much like Black American families pushed their children. The difference, was the environment. While All immigrant groups go through a 'hazing period' from White America, before attaining social autonomy, Black America/ ADOS/ FBA is perpetually oppressed as a Collective.
An important factor to speak on, is that of competition. As Drug Laws w/ Mandatory Minimum Sentencing targeted millions of Black Men, immigrant Men were used to replace them in the workforce. Unlike the White Blue Collar workers that mobilized against Black workers migrating from The South, Black workers didn't make as big a stink. In fact, Black workers were often assigned the task of training immigrants. Black workers, lacking true social autonomy, were not in a position to utilize (Unionize) nepotism like Irish, Italian, & other European immigrants. As a result, the Black workforce declined while the number of immigrant workers rose. Immigrants are willing to work at lower wages, so Employers are quicker to hire them over qualified Black applicants.
Tension really started w/ the preconceived notions that Brownfolk had about Blackfolk. There are obvious exceptions, but as a Collective, Brownfolk adopted the Reagan Era depiction of Black America. As a Collective, We are seen as lazy, illiterate, sexually promiscuous, criminal minded deadbeats & underachievers dependent on Government Handouts. Parents cautioned their children to AVOID Us socially or intimately. Black Men are irresponsible 'little boys', while Black Women are opportunistic 'gold diggers'. Meanwhile, Brownfolk took advantage of Affirmative Action Programs meant for Black Americans.
The System of Colorism/ Caste is another factor to consider. Brown people, or People of Color, Collectively have cultural issues w/ 'Blackness'. In their 'Home Countries', from Latin America, to Asia, dark skinned people are associated w/ the Underclass. The oppression of Blackfolk/ ADOS/ FBA in America was simply a continuation of their ongoing Experience. The difference, is Black Americans/ ADOS/ FBAs are a Warrior Class w/ a history of fighting prejudice & bigotry. Brownfolk can't outright disrespect Us, so They denigrate Us in their native tongue. As Shopkeepers & Landlords, they regularly overcharge for a lower quality of the products & services They provide Us.
A tape recently surfaced of Joe Biden scolding (so called) Black Leaders for demanding a 'Black Agenda'. On that tape, Biden told them that Latinos will be 'The largest Minority Group' by 2040, so They "gotta learn how to work w/ Them..." THIS was an insult to Black America/ ADOS/ FBA that won't be ignored. Hispanics/ Latinos/ Latinx are relative newcomers, from an ADOS perspective. Biden is suggesting that We 'Follow their Lead', but We are INDIGENOUS to North America- shouldn't They follow Our lead? It's obvious that this ethnic group is slated to be the 'New White People', as European Jews, Italians, & Irish were before Them.
This begs the question: What exactly is a Hispanic/ Latino? Pablo Guzman famously defined 'Hispanics' as: spanish speaking people that identify w/ their Spanish/ Castilian roots; while 'Latino' describes spanish speaking people that identify w/ their Afrikan roots. Then there is the System of ranking individuals: Blanco, Mestizo, Indio, Negro/ Moreno- They don't All get along. There are also Nationalistic & Political differences. Does the Culture of a Dominican mesh w/ the Mexican, El Salvadoran, or Peruvian? Can Venezuelan Politics find cohesiveness w/ the Politics of Puerto Rico, Columbia, or Argentina?
There seems to be an attempt to amalgamate several different Nationalities as One Group, but the honest term would probably be 'Pan- Hispanic' or 'Pan- Latino'. No different than 'Pan- Afrikan' or 'Pan- Asian'. This wholesale designation is no different from the grouping of Europeans as 'Whitefolk'. The System of White Supremacy flourishes on Black oppression, so 'Whiteness' is a fluid term that depends on the marginalization of Blackfolk. The designation of 'Whiteness' was originally an exclusive label that separated Classes of Europeans. Emancipation brought a change in that philosophy, as the goal shifted to a numbers game. The 'Powers That Be' needed to overwhelm the 4 Million emancipated Slaves, before they became a formidable group- Enter (large scale) Immigration.
Over the last 100Yrs, 'White Anglo- Saxon Protestants' (WASPs) have expanded their Census Rolls to include Catholics, Caucasians, & Indo- European Groups into the sphere of 'Whiteness'. Today, Whiteness is more a philosophical view, than a genetic disposition. Arabs, Asians, North Afrikans, & Hispanics identify as 'White', & accept the (necessary) marginalization of All Things 'Black'. Meanwhile, Brownfolk remain silent, as 'The Powers That Be' attempt to ignore the fact that the largest Non- White Group in the U.S., is Black America/ ADOS/ FBA. Like Black immigrants, Brownfolk have quietly enjoyed a degree of autonomy that We have been denied- where's the solidarity in THAT?
Another point of contention, are the attempts by Alexandria Ocasio- Cortez & 'The Squad' to include Brownfolk in American Reparations- THIS goes beyond a simple insult. It wreaks of pure opportunism & graft. As a Gen- Xer, I represent the generation following MLK's 'I Have A Dream' speech, but Barack Obama calls DACA 'The Dream Act', & the children of illegal immigrants 'Dreamers'. Why didn't Our 'Allies' correct him, out of respect for Us? It looks like yet another 'Minority Group' is using the Black American Experience, plus Our support & solidarity for their own 'comeuppance'.
I'm reminded of a recent NY Times article on why California needed a Latino Senator- The Author bluntly states that a Black- Brown Alliance is a Zero Sum Gain, because We have different Agendas. A 'win' by One Group, means a 'loss' for the other... As I said earlier, there are obvious exceptions to this Collective dynamic- Blackfolk & Brownfolk have accomplished great things together in the past, & continue to do so on a smaller scale. Like Black immigrants, We are dealing w/ a New Group of Immigrants that only seem concerned w/ what's in their best interest.
Any alliance w/ Black America/ ADOS/ FBA, appears to be a Means to an End that helps their Lot elevate to the ranks of The Oppressor.
