I honestly can’t decide what young adult fantasy dystopian
novel/movie I am living in right now.
Does this story take place in Panem? The
Earth of the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
All I know is that I am waiting for someone to jump out of
my closet and yell, “CUT! That’s a wrap!”
I do not know how we got to this point. At around 4pm today,
I drove down the street, eyeing the overflowing supermarkets with boarded over
windows and lines of customers expanding into the parking lot. Thankfully, I did
not need to fill up my car with gas; if I had, I would have turned and noticed,
too late, the flimsy yellow plastic barrier warning me to stay back. I am
scared to travel northbound – I know that all I will see are burned down
buildings and destruction. Katniss would feel right at home.
Not even three months ago, peoples’ biggest worry was having
enough toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Now, streets are being looted, small
and large businesses set aflame and raided. Countless people die every day, faster
than we can keep up with. Death is fluid; it has many faces and forms that we
cannot catch or keep contained. There is truth in the statement, “life isn’t
fair”, but if we are being completely honest, there is more validity in the
claim that “death isn’t fair”. There is no pattern, no reasoning, no justice when
it comes to who lives and who dies. The Endgame that the world find itself in
does not include a purple giant with a god complex, ready to snap.
However, in one small corner of the earth, a diluted version
of this scene did play out. Instead of being gigantic and purple, the man was of
average height and white. Instead of using fingers, he used his knee. And this hasn’t
been the first snap. There have been many; for too long have people caged and
twisted their privilege into an offensive weapon rather than a helpful tool.
Thanos is running rampant in America. And sadly, we don’t just have one purple god-giant,
we have hundreds. There are thousands of people who would snap their fingers
without a second thought. Because of this, our Marvel team is working overtime.
They are struggling to be heard. They have been fighting this battle for years,
but in this rendition, there is no Tony Stark to come to the rescue.
During a peaceful protest I witnessed on television today,
one woman who spoke mentioned the concept of a “White Wakanda”. My brain immediately
rejected this idea, because (thanks to the incredible individuals who had a hand in creating
the brilliant film that is Black Panther) Wakanda is a haven. It is a glorious,
strong, abundant, and advanced place of beauty that is the home of highly
developed tribes. Colonizers have no place there. “White Wakanda” is an
oxymoron; the words simply should not be in the same sentence.
I finally read an article that provided clarity: “America is
Wakanda for White people”[1].
White Wakanda: a haven for white people. White men and women fear much less in
this nation than people of any other race; therefore, this concept makes sense
- this is our Wakanda. And what a terrible, crappy, version of Wakanda it is.
The real Wakanda would have found a cure for COVID-19 by now. It would have
faced the issues that arise and solved them by now. It would have had no
tolerance for injustice towards any of its people. Citizens who showed cruelty
and acted in inhumane ways would have faced consequences that matched the
severity of the offense.
Wakanda is a brilliant, extraordinary place that is home to
a strong and resilient people. Its existence is necessary and important. But the
people of this world need to rise above. We need to create something better. We
need to destroy White Wakanda and lay the foundation for a world in which acceptance
is natural and second nature to all people. We need to fill the gaps and mend
the bridges that have been previously burned. We need reform. I refuse to live
in a world where the young adults I teach are unable or afraid to leave the
house. I refuse to accept a line of work in which the students that I lead and
care for are relieved not to come to school because it increases their chances
of not getting shot. I refuse to live in a world where men are murdered because
unnecessary force is used when they decline getting in a police car.
There is importance in the statement, “Wakanda forever”. We need
a system and place of peace and justice for minority groups.
But why not aim higher?
[1] America:
Wakanda For White People
Michael
Harriot - https://www.theroot.com/america-wakanda-for-white-people-1823224399
