Gee, that's not supremacy

"I thought the point was to hate white women, like ourselves?" Said Anne, after we analyzed yet another black supremacy play in our 400 level Studies in Drama class.

After 30 minutes of discussing, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf is a 1975, which is a, in my mind beyond controversial, stage play/series of poems by Ntozake Shange, we began taking notes on Ms. Shanges' colorful (wait, is that racist?) people who "influenced" her writings. Included in this list are such famous black supremacists/marxists as Toussaint L'ouverture.

"That's all I'm taking away from this class. After all, only African American sympathetic plays can use the isms effectively, because they were oppressed..." I snarkily replied.

"And in my African American Literature class, we'll study more of Ntozake Shange... and her cohort who once said, 'culture is a weapon used to make ourselves stronger and keep the white man down... " Began the professor.

"I though this WAS African American literature. This class should be cross-listed under, "how to hate yo white-self." I mumbled. And then it happened. In my mind I saw the las straw sink into murky blue and something snapped. That's when I said, all too loudly, "gee that's not supremacy." This was followed by an uncomfortably long moment of awkward silence in which I died a little as knew I was about to embark in a one-man debate with a professor about the evils of considering a black supremacist as a role model.

"We all choose our role models, Naomi."

"Right. Sure. But choosing a 'role model' who advocates for more violence and the oppression of a culture is reprehensible."
"Some people find inspiration in different things."

"Right, but the essence of a role model is someone to whom one looks for guidance and considers an ethical entity in one's life. Black supremacy is just as dangerous as White supremacy the racism of the 1960s or slavery. I do not consider people like this to be good examples, or any examples of role models."

Anne mouthed "I agree." And the proff changed the subject. My analysis, which will be reflected in my essay portion of the final, is that this play can be summed up as the snaky author offering you a drink saying, "I'm a thrice suicidal black supremacist, but you can trust me. Indulge in my teachings."

No, thank you.