The Betrayal Within: How African Americans Turn Against Their Own

African Americans have a troubling tendency to turn against their own, often with little hesitation. Consider how quickly many abandoned Bill Cosby once allegations resurfaced—never mind that his son was allegedly murdered because Cosby sought to purchase NBC, nor that the accusations stemmed from decades-old claims. Despite his philanthropic contributions to HBCUs, not a single college president came to his defense.

We saw the same pattern with R. Kelly and now Sean Combs. The justification is always, "Well, he’s guilty of this or that." Yet, compare this to figures like Hugh Hefner, who faced no consequences for his exploitation, or the current president, whose controversies have done little to hinder his political career. The disparity in accountability reveals a deeper issue: our collective failure to protect our own.  

This self-destructive impulse is a legacy of chattel slavery, but it persists because so many African Americans remain ignorant of their true history. Without that knowledge, we are doomed to repeat the same cycles of betrayal and disunity.  

Even more insidious is the psychological grip of Christianity on the Black community. From birth, we are conditioned into a belief system that was never ours—one that pacifies and controls.

As Chris Rock once said,

"If you're Black and call yourself Christian, you must have a very short memory."

Barbara Hillary went further, declaring,

"Christianity is the greater shackle, the greater rape of the Black mind than slavery ever was."

These words sting because they hold truth. Many Black Christians suffer from a form of Stockholm Syndrome, clinging to a faith that historically served as a tool of oppression.  

In recent years, some have tried to distance themselves from the label "Christian," opting instead for terms like "follower of Christ" or "believer in Yeshua." But this is mere semantics—the underlying doctrine remains unchanged. I once encountered a devout adherent who, when confronted with the evangelical roots of her faith, insisted, "His name is Yeshua." She missed the point entirely. Until we break free from this mental captivity, we will remain trapped in the same cycles of subjugation.  

The path to liberation requires not just historical awareness but a rejection of the ideologies that keep us bound. Without it, true collective progress will remain out of reach.