The Indoctrination....

Young black women are taught to follow a strict code of conduct in the BC, and punished severely if
they dare venture outside the bounds of presumed 'normalcy'....

The following story demonstrates the tremendous fortitude it takes for one to resist the pressure to 'conform' in the BC. Even people who do not care for you will expect you to meet their expectations and live your life in a way that benefits them... The fight for the souls of our young women in strongly underway, and we must do everything in our power to support them in their quest for autonomy, strength, and resilience to resist the indoctrination and covet self love...

( beep! beep! Beep! ) Cassandra rolled over in bed and sighed. That was the 3rd time the alarm had gone off and she had not gotten up. She knew exactly what the problem was. Ever since her school had been found to have dangerous levels of radon gas, She had known this day was coming. She, and all the other students from Westwood high now had to go to Eastside. Just the thought of it made her cringe. People in Westwood were not wealthy, but they were comfortable, sociable, and friendly. They had all known each other forever, and all felt comfortable around each other. Eastside was another world altogether. It was very much an avoided place by the Westwood residents. It was dirty, strewn with garbage, and desperately poor people who had given up hope, and obviously did not want anyone else to have any either. Every resident of Westwood who could afford it, black, white or other was sending their kids to Morgan West. But at a cost of 1000.00 per month per student, Cassandra knew her mom could not afford it. Her father's pension and life insurance paid for the necessities and some comforts but not that much! And ever since he had died in the line of duty, they had learned what skimping and saving was all about. And 1000.00 a month for school was not in the cards at all....

All this ran quickly though her mind as she bathed and got ready for school. Why did she have to go to Eastside the rest of the year? It was so unfair! There were nothing but hood rats in that damn school and everyone knew it. She brushed her long hair so hard, her head began to throb. Then grabbing her school bag, she headed toward the steps. Her big brother was waiting for her at the staircase. He gave her an encouraging smile, but there was something behind it she could not put her finger on. "You'll be alright sis,-you call me if you have any trouble, you hear?" Cassie looked up into his handsome brown face and recognized the 'something' as fear. He was scared of what they would do to her at this raggedy school.
Cassie gave him a falsely confident smile and hugged him before heading down. He was heading back to the military in one week, she was not about to have him go back being worried about her.

Downstairs, her sister, Madeline was pretending to eat, but Cassie could tell she was chomping at the bit. Maddie had never liked Westwood, she found it far too confining. She didn't think it was safe and secure like Cassie did. She found it boring and stale. She could not wait to see Eastside, it was written all over her face....

30 minutes later, Maddie bound from the SUV excitement all over her face. While it was all Cassandra could do to make her feet move toward the tall, dark, ugly building. Her mom smiled at her gently. "Baby, it'll be ok -just relax and take it slow, ok?" Cassie nodded and headed into the fray...
She found the class without too much trouble, and handed the slip to the teacher. Then she steeled herself as the teacher announced her to everyone. The class was racially mixed, mostly black and Hispanic, with a sprinkling of Asian and white. Cassandra's nerves were jumping around like live wires. Could the teacher just give her the slip so she could sit down! Everyone was staring like they never saw pretty, dark skinned, middle class girl before. She felt like a science experiment with everyone looking at her. The teacher handed her the slip back. but in her haste to take it, Cassandra dropped her new books.

"um... looks like somebody was out drankin las night!"

some boy drawled. Everyone laughed. Cassandra felt her face redden, and was very grateful her dark skin kept anyone else from seeing it.

" Maybe if she didn't think she was so damn cute, she could make it to her seat without droppin sh*t " A boy in the back added.

"yeah, y'all know them Westwood girls think they better'n us! -we need to make her ass feel right at home by showin her , she ain't sh*t"

Two boys left their seats under the guise of helping Cassandra, but instead they bent and tried to look under her plaid skirt, as she tried to gather her books. The class laughed harder.
"That's enough!" Mrs Regetti waved her arms as she struggled to get control of the class. She ordered the two boys back to their seat and shot Cassandra a sympathetic look. The way one looks at a lamb among a pack of wolves.
Cassandra bent down to get her books, willing herself not cry in front of all these ignorant people. She had not done a damn thing to them and they were just attacking her for no reason! A shadow fell over her as she struggled to grab all the books. Slowly she looked up into the bluest eyes she had ever seen. A tall white boy knelt down and reached under the nearest desk and grabbed the remainder of the books. His dark hair and startling blue eyes reminded her of Christopher Reeves in superman. He was gorgeous! She was lost in his beauty for just a moment until a girl nearby snapped " what is you starrin at? - you want his arm to fall off?" Cassandra shook herself from her reverie and took the book from his outstretched hand. His smile was confident and assuring. "first days are hard huh?" Cassandra sighed. "you don't know the half of it!" She answered. He rose up easily, then taking her hand lifted her to his side.
"well, I'm Paul, and if you need any help or whatever- give me a call ok." To his astonishment, Cassandra let her eyes rove boldly over his physique and then come back to rest on his handsome face. "you're last name wouldn't happen to be walker, would it? " she asked, a coquettish tone in her voice. His eyes widened in surprise, and his smile was almost laughing. "and to think I thought you were shy!" He shook his head, as he guided her to the vacant chairs in the back.
Cassandra followed him to the back of the room, ignoring the furious glances and under breath remarks that followed her. Eastside wasn't looking so bad after all!!! she thought smugly. As soon as she sat down, the girl on her left side, turned to her in shock.
"I can't believe you're disrespecting our good black men like that by flirting with that...that white boy! Are you nuts!"

Cassandra looked around the class letting her eyes come back to rest on the girl. "what good black men?" she asked simply. "The ones who were trying to look under my skirt or the ones who made fun of me because I dropped my freaking books? - which ones were GOOD?- enlighten me" The girl pursed her lips in anger and turned away....

When the bell rang, Cassandra quickly gathered up her books. OMG! I can't wait to get out of here! she thought, happily. ' This school is stifling-and not just from the lack of air conditioning!' Paul slowly gathered his books and headed for the door. No one was more surprised than him when the beautiful new girl tapped his wide shoulder. He swung around to her lovely brown eyes, but he was also fully aware of the 25 pair of surprised eyes in the background watching everything. Remember you said if I needed help to call? " she was smiling as she swung her shiny hair back, completely oblivious to everyone watching. "yeah, I remember" he murmured, fighting with his lips not to smile at her. His lips won. She was so adorable like a chocolate barbie doll.
"well, I need help" she was saying. "I just don't know where any of my classes are and.... well...will you help me?" He nodded. "Of course I will, - I told you I would -didn't I?"
He turned to exit the class. Cassandra moved in next to him and reached for his arm. An audible gasp of shock ran though the starring class as she actually took his arm. "she tryin t'get killed! " a girl named Mica whispered to her friend, Stacey. Stacey nodded, wishing silently she had the guts to do it, and starring at Cassandra with a mixture of admiration and envy.....

End of chapter one of : The Indoctrination

I think the indoctrination of young black girls happens from a very young age. When young women are taught to be compliant and docile, It dulls their sense of self rule. It is extremely damaging to for young girls to be taught to rely on the judgement of others outside of themselves. Most people do not have the best interest of these young ladies at heart at all. And are only trying to fit them into their own agendas, as human assets. It seems this indoctrination begins with teaching a young woman that she cannot rely on her own eyes to tell her what is before her. She is taught to see through rose colored glasses or (magical thinking -as Evia calls it) Self abnegation becomes the order of the day. She is told repeatedly that she is not seeing what she thinks she is seeing, and that others have her interest at heart. She is taught not to believe her lying eyes. She is not seeing misogyny, she is seeing self expression. She is not seeing self hatred being manifested, dark women are simply not as pretty as light ones. She is not seeing a double standard, she is seeing black men be men. Yet she herself is repeatedly told to stay within her race, because that is what a good black woman does. Even the females around her are likely to berate or mistreat her if she tries to buck the trend. They don't want her to have excitement and betterment if they can't! Everyone seems to be telling her she is wrong, she is too demanding of her 'brothers' she should cut them some slack, stay true , wait and pray-and things will turn around. Her discerning facility becomes dull from lack of use and soon ceases to work at all. As she reaches adolescence she is likely to encounter two roads. This will either make or break her life. If she chooses the road of her own consciousness, and decides to go for what she wants in her life be it career, men, a style of life, etc. She will be labeled a sell out and ostracized emotionally from the community (Good Riddance). If she chooses to abide by the status quo and try to be happy in spite of horrendously marginal opportunities and potential mates, then she will be uplifted and rewarded with pats on the back, but never help in time of need. And since she has set herself up as the community mule, she will be given a greater and greater load until the cumbersome weight has broken her back (spirit). I think it is imperative that we catch young girls early and teach them to follow THEIR OWN MINDS, AND THEIR OWN PATHS, and that in the immortal words of Shakespeare 'To thine own self -be true, Then thou canst be false to any man!' I think it's time we taught young women to fight for their right to live as they wish, to love as they wish, and be the person they wish to be ....