By: Frank James, Special to the Milwaukee Times Weekly Newspaper

The No Kings protests that have taken place across the USA have dominated the news. The protests were relatively peaceful as demonstrators voiced concerns over the state of politics in the USA. There were plenty of African Americans who lent their voices to these protests. African Americans need to be wary and careful in these turbulent times. African Americans need to look at the history of the USA as it pertains to them. The safety and well being of African American people should be the main concern in African American minds.
African Americans are in a tenuous place in the USA. For decades they have been taking the brunt of scorn and hatred from all races in the US. The gains that African Americans achieved in the 1960’s Civil Rights Movement have been beneficial to other races. These same races that benefit from the laws, supposedly passed to benefit African Americans, have not shown any great love towards African Americans. Oh, they will sleep with them occasionally. Some of these other races open stores and sell beer, wine and liquor to African Americans. Yet, none of these races have shown any true care, or unity, to African American people. Many of these other races view African Americans with barely concealed disdain. African Americans need to keep this in mind before they rush out and join any protest.
How can a person living on the brink of disaster help someone get their cat out of a tree? This is the accurate comparison to the state of African Americans in 2025. African Americans have so many issues in their own community, households, until they have no time to protest. The African American family have been decimated to the point where African Americans in their 30’s are confused about gender. How can people who do not know who, or what they are help anyone? It is simple. The African American can be used as cannon fodder to draw the ire of the powers that be. African American heads will roll once the protests die down. Other races will enjoy whatever benefits the protests achieve. African Americans will pay the penalty while these other races join in the abuse of African Americans.
Are politics in the USA in a state of flux? Yes. No matter the state of politics in the USA, when have African Americans not been in a jacked up situation? It doesn’t matter who was the President, what party controlled Congress, African Americans have lived in a version of hell in the USA. African American existence in the USA has been one of exploitation and fear. The African American has been used on many different levels: slavery, integration, even being traded and drafted in pro sports. How will these new protests eventually affect the African American people as a whole? Will African American existence change from one of being the butt of every other races scorn if these protests succeed? Or, will it return to business as usual, and African Americans go into a deeper level of misery? These questions have to be asked by every African American as they watch events unfold before they commit to any protest.
African Americans want to be a part of the productive side of the USA. Yet, African Americans need to understand the situation they are in. Sick people can’t help anyone. The assistance needed to solve African American misery may not be in protesting out loud, but changing the mindset of each individual. African Americans can change their situation by changing their minds. If each house on a block cleans their yard, the block will be clean. African Americans need to clean their own yard/minds before they do any protesting in the streets. If African Americans need a place to protest, they should look in the mirror. That protest may pay greater dividends and be much safer than protesting in the streets.
Frank James IV © 2025
beingfrankwithfrank@gmail.com
The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the writer and not of the Milwaukee Times Weekly Newspaper or HT Group, LLC, its staff or management. “Being Frank” is a bi-weekly column exclusive to the Milwaukee Times Weekly Newspaper.










