|
Listen to this article here
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The fabric of African-American history is woven with the relentless pursuit of freedom—a journey marked by struggle, resilience, and undying hope for equality. Today, this journey faces a new adversary.
Unlike the overt discrimination of the Jim Crow era, today’s challenges are cloaked in modern legislative actions subtly undermining the liberties our ancestors fought fervently to achieve.
With the proposed ban on TikTok that was overwhelmingly passed by the House of Representatives Tuesday, citing national security, we must recognize the gravity of this situation. This isn’t merely an isolated legislative move but part of a broader, disconcerting trend where the principle of ‘liberty’ is increasingly replaced with ‘ban.’Â
What was done today by Congress isn’t just about an app; it’s about a wider assault on our freedoms. It’s about the books by Black authors being pulled from the shelves of school libraries, erasing the historical voices and lived experiences that shape our identity and fight for justice.
These book ban crusades aren’t just acts of censorship; they’re acts of erasure, attempting to silence the narratives that challenge the dominant discourse and shine a light on systemic racism and inequality.
Tiktok ban highlights attacks on education and opportunity
The attack extends beyond literature into the very halls of education and opportunity. The dismantling of affirmative action and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in public colleges and universities is not just policy reform; it’s a direct assault on our presence and our progress in spaces that have long been gatekept from our community. It’s a message, loud and clear: our voices, our histories, our future and our rights are under siege.
Moreover, the assault on women’s reproductive rights resonate with a painful echo of our past, a time when Black women’s bodies were commodified, controlled, and exploited.
The fight for bodily autonomy is inextricably linked to our struggle for freedom and self-determination, harking back to an era when we were seen as property, meant to produce and perpetuate the labor force that built this country’s wealth — wealth from which we were systematically excluded.
This is the stark reality we face as “liberty” is supplanted by “ban”: a concerted effort to stifle our growth, silence our voices, and erase our presence. The proposed legislation against TikTok must be seen within this context — not as an isolated act of governance, but as part of a pattern that seeks to undermine the power of those with less economic and social capital to organize and resist.
Related Stories
Tiktok’s diverse users
The legislative actions, including the potential TikTok ban, threaten more than our digital freedoms; they signal an attack on our very existence. Recent data from the Pew Research Center, published on April 24, 2023, illuminates the significance of this platform within our community.
Approximately 81% of Black teens report using TikTok, compared to 71% of Hispanic teens and 62% of White teens. This disparity underscores TikTok’s integral role in the lives of our youth, serving not just as a platform for entertainment but as a vital space for cultural expression, social activism, and community building.
Platforms such as TikTok have emerged as the digital drumlines of our era, where our voices resonate, our narratives are shared, and our collective strength is mobilized. To strip us of this modern townhall and gathering space is to mute the vibrancy of our culture and the power of our protests.
A history of erasure before Tiktok ban proposal
This issue is intertwined with historical patterns of silencing Black voices. From 1619 to the present, our right to speak out against systemic injustice has been hard-won. The proposed suppression of TikTok—a platform powerfully embraced by our youth—reflects past attempts to stifle our ability to organize and dissent.
Moreover, this potential legislation that can ban social media platforms undermines our capacity to challenge, question, and hold our government accountable.
In an era when digital platforms have revolutionized advocacy, restricting access to TikTok or any social media platform impedes our collective ability to mobilize for justice and reform. This act of silencing is reminiscent of the historical censorship faced by African American newspapers, authors, educators and activists.
While national security is undeniably important, we must guard against its use as a blanket justification to infringe upon our fundamental constitutional rights. Our history teaches us that true security is rooted in the preservation of our freedoms.
We must remain vigilant, ensuring that protective measures do not devolve into thinly veiled attempts to dilute the influence of our voices and votes.
Silence is not an option
At this critical juncture, it is vital for us, as African Americans, to grasp this potential ban’s broader implications. This is not just an issue of the First Amendment, or the rights to privacy, choice, and liberty. It is a call to action—to engage with lawmakers, voice our concerns, and demand comprehensive solutions that safeguard our privacy online without compromising our digital freedoms.
As these multifaceted attacks on our freedoms and very existence continue to unfold, we cannot afford silence.
The legacy of our ancestors and civil rights pioneers—who fought for our right to speak, learn, and live with dignity—compels us to speak out and act. Every member of our community, especially our elected officials, must stand united and speak out against these encroachments on our rights. In the digital age, as in all prior ages, silence is not golden; it opposes the very essence of freedom.
The battle for our freedoms is unending, evolving with society and technology. By standing firm against attempts to silence our voices, we honor our forebears’ struggles and uphold the principle that in the fight for freedom and equality, silence is not an option; it is the denial of our very existence.
Comments are closed.