“The Black Party”
Tennis great Naomi Osaka along with fellow Black tennis star Taylor Townsend decided to throw a party for fellow players before the start of the French Open tennis tournament.
The party was called the Black Party and was for other Black tennis players.
Naturally, some online trolls had something to say.
Some examples:
“They don’t want equality, they think they should be treated better because of their skin color, they are RACISTS and obviously as 2 very rich women, no prejudice is happening no matter how much they SCREAM about it!! So F them!!”
“Coco Gauff said she was proud to represent Americans that looked like her after she won last years French Open. We now learn that Naomi Osaka held a party for just Black players. Why are these players trying to divide us? We are all human beings, we should be promoting unity.”
“I don’t know what the motive was behind this gathering, optically.. it looks like an invite to a certain type of people and not an inclusive one. The world has come to this, you have to please everyone to stay in good books.”
Osaka, who has been an outspoken advocate about race and mental health issues facing athletes, responded to the criticism:
“I love everyone for who they are, regardless of race or ethnicity (I am half Japanese, lol).
I can only speak from my own experience, but growing up in tennis, I didn’t see many people who looked like me. And I think it’s important to highlight and celebrate them.
It’s also worth noting that there are already dinners or events reserved for white people. So I don’t see why this would be a problem. I’ve always seen them without it causing any debate, and it never bothered me.”
“To those asking, I also want to ask: what makes you uncomfortable about racialized people coming together?
I grew up watching my father face discrimination, including having the police called on him multiple times on tennis courts.
There are many things I will apologize for in my life, but not for celebrating being Black and being proud of who we are.
I feel sorry for those who don’t understand that this isn’t about exclusion, but a way to celebrate how far we’ve come.”
Osaka and Townsend should remain unbothered by the reaction to the Black Party.
The uproar was unnecessary but utterly predictable.
Black people can never say or do anything to satisfy prejudiced White people.
If we attempt to integrate ourselves into society, we are criticized for being substandard.
If we segregate ourselves, we are criticized for not being inclusive.
Inclusivity only matters to some White people when they are the ones being excluded.
Otherwise, they are unburdened to be inclusive.
It is our duty as Black people to live free and as easy as possible, because every day brings a struggle.
If we live our lives based on the whims of White society, we will never know peace or happiness.
Our actions always engender a negative reaction.
America’s fragile state and the precariously fragile state of the world is because many American Whites could not countenance having a Black president.
Barack Obama was a calm and collected.
He was cool and polished.
He was refined.
He possessed intellect, humor, and compassion.
The exact opposite of the current White president.
Obama’s greatest sin was being Black.
He didn’t say or do anything to antagonize White people.
His mere existence was antagonizing.
Every day, Black Americans wake up to the reality that our mere existence antagonizes White people.
If we complain, we’re playing the victim card or being racist.
Even when a Black person acts as an ally to White Supremacists, their actions are lauded, but the person is not afforded humanity.
Prejudiced White people love Black people like Clarence Thomas and Candace Owens, but they don’t accept them as human beings.
They are convenient Negroes, Blacks who are “exceptional,” but still Black.
Still lacking humanity.
Still beneath White people.
White people love to appropriate our culture because they can imitate us without being treated like second-class citizens.
They can dress like us, talk like us, and listen to our music because their skin color doesn’t adjust to culture.
Prejudiced White people never see the humanity of Black people.
My advice for Naomi Osaka, Taylor Townsend, and the other Black tennis players is to party on.
Since it doesn’t matter what we say or do, we must take it upon ourselves to live our lives the way we want to live because living to satisfy White people is a no-win situation.