Disclaimer: please forgive typos, my vibrations are HOT right now. Currently observing an email thread of fed up & disappointed youth vs the baby boomers.
Below are my sentiments...
The disconnect that is happening between the baby boomer generation & previous who literally dealt with in your face racist bigots, verses the current generation that has grown up from the teachings of our grandparents & parents, is that we simply won't "turn the other cheek" and sit down to DEAL with this ignorant behavior. We didn't have to go to protest training sessions to learn "how to NOT" emotionally react to a racist pouring ice cream on your face & your Sundays best, or spitting in our faces and having tunnel vision with sunglasses to simply keep moving on. NO, we will give you ALL this smoke & then some if you try any of it, especially Gen Z'ers.
The calling out I believe Don Lemon was expressing to his elite Black Hollywood friends, is that they've gotten so comfortable in their ritzy lifestyle that they've become disconnected from the younger generation or not so rich families. The same goes for Clayton County young adults to Ti & Killer Mike (there was a commenter on V103 that expressed her disconnect from both the rappers not understanding the present-day struggle). It comes off as cold, tone-deaf, insensitive, disconnect & extremely confusing.... "How do you & did you teach me to stand up for my rights, however in the middle of the current struggle you're silent or not out here in these streets with me?"
AT THE SAME TIME, I do understand that the silent generation & my father's generation had instant burning KKK crosses at their doorstep if they even tried to do half of what the Millennial Generation & Gen Z'ers are doing. When my father's generation protested, they were not only met with tear gas & pepper spray, but ferocious dogs and powerful water hoses to break their spirits. Or worse, being yanked out of your bed and tied to the back of a truck and dragged in front of your family to WARN you to "shelter in place aka stay your a$$ home."
The constructed fear and pain they felt was instantly received by white supremacy. Because of their peaceful protesting (amongst other avenues to express the need for change), laws were changed and black people could live their lives and raise their children (current day generation, US) with a "lil" more freedom. The leaders that were birthed from the silent generation & my father's generation didn't have a heavy influence of the material & luxury we have present day. Their mindset to lead was not based on the fear of repercussions to protect their brand or social media content 👀. It was based off freedom for the future generations to have a better chance at life.....US 🙌🏾.
The baby boomer generation have fought an INCREDIBLE fight with tremendous SACRIFICE. I'm so thankful for everything they did. As the current day generation when it comes to being a true leader, WE MUST get our a$$ off the comforts of life our parents sacrificed to afford us. Look to them for intelligence and guidance yes, however use the freedom and youthful fire to dismantle every single systematic racist fortress that's been built. In my opinion, focusing on the frustrations of the disconnect from our Civil Rights Era parents is a distraction from utilizing them as a powerful resource, yet enacting our own power and present-day leaders.
We MUST Focus on instinctively BEING & MAKING the change instead ✊🏾
In Power,
-Who Else Wanna F&CK With Hollywood Court -ATL Heaux -A Xennial who's smack dab in the middle of ol school teachings and new school technology