"You Could Be The Next Candace Owens" Uh, NO THANKS

I like being me.

I like being me however I want. There is no other way to be that will make me happy.

Would you want someone to have an idea of who you should be and expect you to measure up to that idea? Most people would say no. I feel this way as well. I don’t want to live in others’ shadows or expectations of how I should present my values and convictions. It seems that Man vs. Man is the ongoing theme of my conflict. I realized that even leaving the cage of conditioned thinking, there is a whole other layer of ideological commitment that can be expected, but I choose to reject it.

My mission is not to convince people to leave one political ideology and join another. I bought into that at first as I openly rebelled against extreme Liberal ideology and practices. I have felt betrayed by them over the years. I have also made it no secrete in social media posts that I have a disdain for overall Democrat Party methods, mindset, and idealism. This does not make me any more prone to go to the Republican side of the house. Greed and self-interest have infiltrated that party as well, and they are also responsible for the economic and social manipulation that has occurred in this nation for decades. Many Black Conservatives would argue that you must pick a side because there are only two political parties to choose from. It is clear by their rhetoric and even practices what they are really on the mic for, the grift. Many front face Black Conservatives that commentate on the social realities of Blacks most times speak from recycled talking points and the frustrations of ignorant or ill-informed Whites that don’t get the arguments of Blacks in modern American times and are tired of being stigmatized by them.

Since I started sharing my perspectives about social and political topics, many have compared me to other conservative commentators like Candace Owens, and have even expected me to message like her. I cringe at such things. I’m not a political puppet, nor do I seek to “save Black America from the Democrats.” This is from the heart. My mission has always been to offer a broader perspective on social arguments beyond the usual suspect rhetoric.

I don’t want to be, nor am I trying to be anyone else but me. I am inspired by many. I have been inspired by Candace Owens when I first learned of her, but as her commentary with George Floyd persisted, I began to feel that vibe that something was off with her, and she began to irk me more than inspire. I started looking more closely not at the things that she was saying, but at how she was saying them. I don’t like being compared to that. Once you escape the cage of irrational Democrat thinking, you realize that things are possible, and I don’t take away anyone’s intelligence from them, but I know organic intelligence from trained intelligence or bandwagon thinkers.

When I had that “Come to Jesus moment” in 2020 and realized all was not what it seemed, I went to prayer first. I relied on God for guidance and so I prayed frequently when the pandemic hit and even when the social justice season of love began. The extended lockdowns led me to desire to expand my knowledge. As I was studying for financial exams, I was stumbled upon Milton Friedman, who enhanced my understanding of economic policies and their social recourse. From Friendman, I was led to Thomas Sowell. I think I must have obsessed over his irrefutable insights for months. Their sensibilities mixed with other layers of acquired knowledge during lockdown were validating to what I have always felt but suppressed because those sensibilities were not promoted within the Black community/segment. When I realized that the system is rigged and riddled with psychological manipulation and fascism, I made the decision to break away from systemic idealism about individuals in society and openly rebel. I have always been an anti-conformist, I suppose I did have to get free and brave to really show it. When I realized why that was, I couldn't suppress my disdain for such ideas any longer. That process had nothing to do with Candace Owens and everything to do with individual observations and acquired knowledge.

People like Joe Collins, Tim Scott, Maj Toure, Vicki Dillard, as well as Candace Owens were more validating that there were others that could see the manipulation for what it was and call it out all the same. Black Conservatives have been the silent minority for a variety of reasons. Many have been scared or just disinterested in swaying the opinions of Liberal Blacks. I have entertained debates between Black Conservatives and Black Liberals since the 60s on YouTube. Hours after hours hearing different generations from both sides talk about the issues. The arguments for the most part have been recycled. That’s why when I hear people like Candace Owens, I’m not in awe like some of her conservative non-Black fans. I have had to correct many that follow me because they think I am Candace and will buy into going in on Black people with those recycled arguments. I choose to hit them with a broad perspective. Liberal Blacks are not so irrational as to not be able to scope out a Conservative Al Sharpton. Many Republican Conservatives that think Candace is the greatest thing that has happened to Blacks since fried chicken and Frank’s hot sauce are constantly making the statement “I don’t get why other Blacks don’t think like Candace Owens.” Because you are only focused on one type of face of Black Conservatism, and that face sounds just like the others, but with a dogmatic approach to appease a certain segment. I will give Candace props for influencing millennials to the conservative movement and emboldening the newer generation to think independently and openly. As I have learned in the last two years, it does take skin like an armadillo to have to respond to some of these passionately ignorant individuals in cyberspace. You have to maintain emotional intelligence and you can’t appear bandwagon.

Just like Democrats have their Black-face ops, Republicans do as well. Many can speak to or on the issues of Blacks in America but also seem to have a disdain for their own people. I am not saying that Candace Owens and all Black conservatives like her hate their people, but they have projected such hatred through their side-ways rhetoric; many Blacks have concluded this. I have noticed lately some taming in the rhetoric after the Chauvin trail because mainstream Black Conservatives continued to get it wrong and irritate Black liberals. I’m happy to see more conscious Black Conservatives getting a mainstream platform because we do resonates with Blacks more organically than clout chasing grifting Black Conservatives. It’s all about the messaging, and many conscious Black conservatives disassociate with many mainstream Black Conservatives, just so that we can have an effective message to the segment/community. I don’t like being compared to Candace Owens. No shade to her, I just don’t. I purchased her book and gifted it to my niece after scheming through it. After reading Jason Reily’s book ‘Please Stop Helping Us’ reading ‘Blackout’ was a bit redundant. I even gave her a shout-out during Women’s History Month before she just kept on being reckless with her commentary of George Floyd.

Not all Blacks in America think the same, down to Black individuals associated with political or social ideologies. Just because we are two Black women with Conservative views, does not mean that our styles and deliveries are the same…they aren’t. Candace seems to have political ambitions, I prefer the private sector. I think people who are open-minded can like both of our content all the while conceding that we are different individuals with different styles and characters.

I don’t want to be a public figure, I just want to take care of business, do what I want, and not have my civil liberties infringed on. I don’t care about profiting from a grift or saving people from a political party. I choose to be a revolutionary of sensible thought, understanding, and freedom, that’s it. I actually don’t want politics to be such a fabric of my life like it has. So no, I’m not like Candace Ownes, don’t want to be the next one. I’m like me, and real cool with that.