Are Black People Beyond Loud?

The following is a copy of the posting found near an elevator of the Irvine housing complex ironically named Equity Residential. The issue is in reference to‘Resident Noise Levels’, and it’s addressed to two parties: 1. ‘fellow residents’ and 2. ‘African-American residents.’  The first concern is a request to reduce the stereo and television volume, the second to keep conversation and music levels down. My question is why noise levels are specified on the basis of race instead of being inclusively addressed to one group, i.e. the residents. After all everyone, at one time or another, can have their stereo, television, music, and/or conversation too loud, why is the posting so racially explicit? Look at the words communicated and judge for yourself.

I took the liberty of calling the phone number listed on the notice, and asked if the company was aware of the posting. The woman I talked to said that they were aware, that she welcomed my call and that the management and police department were taking measures to find the person responsible for the act. Good luck with that I thought, and then asked her if they had made any effort to inform the public of the alleged mis communication and potential blame. She then stated that a notice had been sent out to all residents informing them that the management was not responsible, and that they were doing what they could to resolve the situation. However, no apology was indicated.

We African-Americans are all disenfranchised when it comes to housing, because regardless of our socio-economic status, whether we are in Africa or America, it’s ultimately the white man that determines where we live. Let’s face it, black people are able to live in Irvine not because Martin Luther king died for that right, but because people like Donald Bren allow us to do so. Ethics and morality dictate that one who has knowingly been a factor in causing another pain should at least apologize, but being money driven why should Donald’s people apologize to anyone that is no threat to the acquisition of billions of dollars more. We black folks are needed for labor in the newly lucrative slave trade, i.e. the prison system, but we’re totally dispensable when it comes to funding the housing market. We are perpetually reminded of the disdain for our presence, and no concerted effort is being made to make us feel that somebody, somewhere is at least tolerant of our existence.

In closing, let me make one thing perfectly clear. I am neither surprised nor disillusioned with the aforementioned incident, or its potential outcome, because it only serves to confirm that we are nowhere near experiencing a post-racial environment, and that corporate entities are still insensitive to the souls of black folk. What concerns me is the lack of meaningful response from the self proclaimed white progressives, and their apparent disconnection to reality. You say you understand our pain, you support our cause, and that you want to help us. Yet you hurt us more by telling us in so many words, “Get over it.  It ain’t that serious. Don’t blame us for what one racist white person did.”  Well if you had gone through for one hour, what we have gone through for a lifetime, you’d understand why it’s more than serious…it’s killing us on a daily basis. So if you’re not going to at least talk to your people about the wrong they’re doing to mine, then don’t talk to me about letting it go. And just so you know, I’m saying that real LOUD.

I'll holla...


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