Peace loved ones. As always, I hope and pray you all are well and experiencing joy and peace and all wonderful emotions. This blog post is not going to be like any of the other posts I have ever made before but I feel it is necessary because the issue is pertinent in our community but is often swept under the rug.
Molestation and other sexual abuses of our youth is an issue within our communities and we desperately need to deal with it. The most recent case that has been showing up in multiple online news sites, YouTube, etc involves Afrika Bambataa. Numerous men have raised accusations against him and it is down right sickening. We all are aware of R Kelly and many others who have seemingly gotten away with this very disturbing crime.
I personally was molested as a child—once by an older childhood friend and on another occasion by a friend of our family who was like an uncle to me. I was raped at age 20 by a childhood friend. It has taken me years to speak those words or allow myself to acknowledge what really was done. Initially, I denied the feelings of insecurity and ugliness I felt. I denied those things have even happened. I drank terribly and numbed myself to the buried memories. But, I realize that I needed to deal with it. I needed to cry, scream, to feel. The predators who took away my preciousness and exposed me to their disgusting desires deserve punishment, not protection.
The bravery of all of those who have been through these situations is very encouraging. I realize that their courage has inspired me. But, I also realize that we as a community must confront this issue. We cannot continue to speak out about oppression and liberation if we are not honest and brave enough to deal with the ugliness that lives under our own roof. Many of these predators live in our communities, some in our own homes. They attend the mosque or the church. They are uncles, aunts, cousins, sisters, brothers, fathers. I personally do not care what position they hold, what their reputation is, how popular they are, how much money they have. They need to be exposed and dealt with—point, blank, period. And those that are victimized, should be supported, loved, and never intimidated for their truth. Children are the reward of life as the old African proverb says. We have failed as a community, leaving the blameless emotionally scarred and sometimes they even become abusers themselves. Let us be accountable. For the brothers and sisters who have spoken out, much love and respect to you and to those who protect the predator, remember that Karma will find you. Let’s break this vicious cycle and end this wickedness once and for all!
Ankh, Udja, Seneb (Life, Health, & Prosperity),
Ashaki Ma’at Mirembe Ali
The Tru Lioness
Photo cred: Michael Ackerman
Musings of Ashaki 