This is the part about “us” that we always protect from the world because of our need to keep our OWN darkness from seeing the light. We like to project ourselves as innocent but this is not always the case. Some of the greatest pain that comes to a Black man or woman comes from another Black man or woman and we are beyond aware that we are not innocent of causing excruciating pain to each other. This is absolutely not an excuse or a pass for racism or police brutality which is real but an admission that WE are also not perfect.
I was a landlord once and never went through anything like this but I did learn why there are systems in place, like credit checks, down payments, first and last, insurance and having a middleman to handle transactions sometimes who doesn’t look like “us” in order to get the respect (sadly) that we don’t often give each other in situations like this.
These things happen to many black people in power like entrepreneurs as well. We get mad at black people who grow up in the hood and leave never coming back again but we don’t think about things like this being the reason. Would they have done this to a white landlord? Chances are probably not because they would have known his power with the law but when it comes to a struggling black man trying to help somebody out, who obviously didn’t deserve it … this is the price.
We have a tendency to bring each other up and sometimes at a very high price that depletes our own resources but we are held accountable for not “reaching back” and bringing each other up. This does not apply to all of us but if a person doesn’t have the wherewithal to at least get their credit straight, that should be a HUGE warning. Credit is much easier to get straight today than it was a couple of years ago and your score can be changed in a matter of weeks by paying off or negotiating debts with creditors.
If someone, no matter what color they are, doesn’t give a sh about themselves they are not capable of giving a sh about you. We are not the community mother, father, therapist, babysitter, bank or excuse and we have to learn that lesson, sometimes the hard way.
There is a great chance that this man will never make this mistake again but then we will accuse him of thinking he’s better than the rest of us because he won’t bend over backwards or feel obligated to help a black person who isn’t as fortunate or deserving. Sadly, that one diamond in the ruff, a single black mother, who really does need the help and really will do their best to change their lives for the better will now suffer because of sh like this.
There is often a high price for undeserved “favors” and we MUST know that our debt to the world does not extend to the people that we don’t know no matter WHO they are. You can help people in need in many other ways besides letting them live in your property. Once they get in they are in and this black man just learned a very, very harsh lesson. Rent hasn’t been paid (probably in months) and now about $5000 to $10,000 in damages that will come out of his pocket on top of that. But the bank is not hearing it, the mortgage is STILL due no matter what. If you want to be right, do as the rich do. Follow procedure at all costs or be willing to pay the price.
This woman who did this with her man will never have a day of peace and will always struggle because Karma is always patiently waiting around the corner and keeping score. When or her man make excuses for being of victim of racism or being mistreated because of the system, this will be the furthest thing from their minds. Again, this is NOT excusing racism or police brutality which is an absolute but it’s also not excusing how we treat each other. There is indeed truth is those who say Black Lives needs to Matter to us too and to us first.
