Joe Biden's gaffe: a lesson in whitesplaing

I Hate it when white people tell me how Black people should think.

Whitesplaining is rampant on social media. Take note of opinions protected by enough social distancing to inspire trash talk regarding what Black people should think and do. In other words, say that to my face. The boldness of it all.  The assumptions of privilege and unwarranted intrusion into the life Black Twitter.

No one told you to interrupt our Black think tank session.

Joe Biden trolled our Black think session. He, like countless white people allowed access to our social media spaces, was welcomed in for a visit. You can sit and enjoy Black culture and thought. Come on in, take a seat. Enjoy your time. Like a glass of iced tea? Glad to see you.

The Breakfast Club, a syndicated radio show hosted by DJ Envy, Angela Yee and Charlamagne tha God, is a Black think tank session. It is part of a witness of Black spaces that exist to provide comfort, solidarity and humor for Black people. These places are part of “the culture”.  It’s where and how we figure things out without the intrusion of white folks informing the conversation.

Melissa Harris-Perry discusses the importance of these places in Barbershops, Bibles & BET: Everyday Talk and Black Political Thought. These places are where Black people gather to flush things out together. It’s where views are shared for an informal chat involving “what we gonna do”.  These are places that welcome extreme disagreement. Black people are allowed to scream at one another because that is what real family does when there are a variety of perspectives in the room.

These are sacred spaces where Black people gather to “understand persistent social and economic inequality, to identify the significance of race in that inequality, and to devise strategies for overcoming it,” says Harris-Perry. She provides the roadmap for understanding Black politics by highlighting the community dialogue among Black people in constructing their collective political interest.

Harris-Perry offers four ideologies that shape the framework for black political thought: Black Nationalism, Black Feminism, Black Conservatism and Liberal Integrationism.  Black radio, barbershops, beauty salons, the black church, Black twitter and Facebook are the places where Black political thought is debated every day. This is the Black community think tank where the Black agenda is designed with an informal strategy to confront white supremacy and institutionalized racism with the goal of empowering “we” the people.

Many argue the Black community isn’t a monolithic voice. That is true, but we are all gathered for the family meeting – be it at the barbershop, at church or listening to Joe Biden talking trash on The Breakfast Club. We come with differing political perspective – Black Nationalism, Black Feminism, Black Conservatism and Liberal Integrationism – but all of us are listening and posting comments aimed at creating a Black Agenda.

You are welcome to join us, but, please, don’t misunderstand your place within our discussion. Sit over there and mind your business. This is Black folk business.

That may ruffle the feathers of your white privilege. I would apologize but doing so would refute the claims of Harris-Perry’s thesis. You can sit and watch, but we are conducting family business, albeit in public view.

Don’t speak out of turn. We got some questions for white people. You are welcome to answer our questions but keep your opinions regarding what we should think and say to yourself.

Carry on now.