so I have this @wanderwomxngo account to connect with travel community + to build this travel brand w/ @meenazahra that centers cultural travel + supports locals. I go there sometimes when I need to check out overt politics and wanna chit chat. It's my "light" social media lol

i'm on there and someone responds to my tweet about not trying to be up in Disneyworld anytime soon. so we talk shit and then I ask where they are based and what's the scene like there. typical response: their gov't is on, less "sky is falling" media, not so much mask shaming...

i earnestly explained I want people to wear masks in my neighborhood as a respect for community and each other's safety, thinking 'okay lemme share my opinion without judgment...i know that there's levels to people not wearing masks and i'm righteous and shit, lemme listen'

then I happen to go back to the timeline and scroll, and this fool responded to our good Rep. Ilhan Omar who said that the cops who killed George Floyd should be charged with murder.

what did he say?

that the looters should be arrested too

me:

this trash ass argument ain't new. it's old and tired, so 2005 son. But because I HAVE NO CHILL i'm like lemme talk about how disrespectful white people are in my neighborhood and see what he has to say...

i didn't go all the way live. instead I asked if he's from Germany or from the States (i *was* actually curious) and just lives there because there's some things about race in the US he doesn't seem to understand. today of all days I'm not doing this with some stranger.

so i did a little research to see who this guy's followers were and the fourth person down had M*G* in his bio. automatic delete. that tells me everything I needed to know. instead i followed the person who called out his dumbass comment to the good Rep.

what's my point? you can't get away from racism. especially not on fucking Twitter for fucks sake. I know that's a basic truth but still my mind wants to pretend and shut off from how willfully ignorant people are. Passport Twitter as I'm learning its called is messy af

and people have a lot of fucked up views about Americans, especially Black Americans and even more especially African-Americans. People across the diaspora who are also members of the diaspora have been spoonfed the same negative images of us and it shows.

it's a mindfuck to feel so consistently angry and disappointed in your country while also feeling you have to defend yourself as an American especially a Black American. the world loves our culture but hates us.

anyway, that's my 22 cents about not being able to escape reality even through travel which has been my go-to surface reprieve. and s/o to me also for just blocking a fool instead of wasting energy. This should've been a Medium post but

Ok last thing for real, i better see the distinction between judgment and discernment. In my attempts to not “judge” people, I can negotiate away my discernment. We usually know some fuckery is about to go down. In this time, viciously guard your peace, health and sanity.

Really last thing-I can’t let shit go: this thread was a circuitous way of saying that trying to distract myself w/travel articles or other “light” content can’t soothe my spirit tonight bc I’ll always be a Black woman with opinions who wants justice for my ppl. Good night