Facebook Publication Date: 6/1/2018 8:06

I’m going to say something here that’s a little bit controversial.

But as a working-class woman who springs from working class parents, this idea that it wasn’t okay because Valerie Jarrett comes from a good family it was really hurtful.

I’m the daughter of an airplane mechanic and a teacher’s aide.

I have worked for the county of San Diego for 23 years only recently as an officer, most of those years were spent as a clerk.

If that had been Valerie Jarrett’s background as well would we have been slower to defend her?

I think the answer is yes.

That is classism.

And a lot of us really need to sit with that.

I love when others achieve. On any level be it academic and intellectual or ensuring that a plane doesn’t fall out of the sky.

My father saved more lives with his wrenches and nuts and bolts on F-18 than I will ever save on the very best day with my very best essay.

And because he never ever ever not for almost 50 years was able to completely get the grease out of his hands is one reason that I can turn those phrases.

And also my father was no less of a pioneer than Dr. Bowman himself.

He fought hard in a newly integrated Navy his tools were hidden, he was spat upon so that there could be black Pilots today. We do him a disservice when we only recognize the quote-unquote elite.

What Roseanne said about Miss Jarrett had nothing to do with pedigree and everything to do with basic Humanity which we all share.

Bending over backwards to try to prove the humanity of ourselves asAfrican-American actually hurts us.

It hurts black people because white people feel justified in thinking that there is a standard of this Brew of where you come from and what you do now that determines whether or not they can validate who we are as humans. That’s a game I’ll never win.

It hurts white people because they will and have exploited the loophole that says that wipipo, you only have to recognize 1% of us so they don’t have to do the heavy lifting of generational and systemic oppression, how that plays out in the here and now.

I admire Miss Jarrett. But she is definitely a one percenter and hopefully we are not only here for the 1%.

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