Created and hosted by the Ninja himself, Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writers Support Group posts the 1st Wednesday of every month. Click the image to learn more or sign up.
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Well, it’s February and I’m trying to be optimistic. I did hear that the groundhog had good news yesterday, but the promise of spring may not be enough to boost my spirits. February is a tough month for me and I’ll try to explain why without bringing you down.
I know that there are a lot of people who are tired of talking about race, but I have a feeling that many of these people haven’t lived a life where the color of their skin, the shape of their eyes or nose, or even the language they speak has made them a target. This month is Black or African American History Month and I’m proud to spend the next 25 days thinking about the accomplishments of African Americans and thinking about how far our nation has come since the time of slavery.
I almost feel ashamed that there are well-off famous black people in this country who don’t think we need this observance anymore simply because no one is targeting them. I’m proud of anyone, black, white, and otherwise who is able to live the American dream, but that’s not a good reason to pretend like the rest of the country is living it with them.
I also feel ashamed when other black people use this observance in a negative way and spread strife and animosity. When I hear a black person say, “black people can’t be racist”, my blood boils and my eyes turn red. Racism isn’t unique to a particular group of people. Just because someone happens to fit the demographic of a minority, it doesn’t mean they aren’t capable of judging someone purely by how they look and how they happen to be different from them… It’s still important to talk about race in the United States because there are still too many people who aren’t quite colorblind enough for the issue to go away.
On a slightly lighter note, Valentine’s Day is coming up and for those who observe it, I hope they use it as a time to spread love and not drama. It’s also American Heart Month and giving to the American Heart Association is always a good call, I think (haven’t done my research, but it sounds good). Also, Presidents Day is coming up. People will either sit back and educate themselves about the presidents good and bad along with the history of this nation or they will complain. I for one would never want to be President. It doesn’t matter how much good one may accomplish, someone will always have something bad to say about the President, because in this country, we’re allowed to.
Lastly (if you’re still hanging around), I’m trying to spread a bit of love myself with the release of my first ever, contemporary romance. The title is It’s Like the Full Moon and is released under the name Glorie Townson. Be sure to stop by the Alex J. Cavanaugh blog today for the usual IWSG stuff and a few words from me about this release.
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Sorry if I was a downer today.
What does February mean to you?
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After hanging out with Alex, be sure to stop by and visit this month’s co-hosts:
Allison Gammons,
Tamara Narayan,
Eva E. Solar,
Rachel Pattison, and
Ann V. Friend!
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Click here to visit other IWSG blogs and sites to receive and share more inspiration and support. (This month, I’m #84).
Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords
