Because darker skinned blacks never owned a position of priviledge within or outside of the total "black" group based on that fact. Light skinned people did & continue too, though to a lesser extent, depending on who you talk too. Though there are studies that have linked complexion to economic success within the black community. There are exceptions to every rule yes, so lets not go there.

We like to pretend these days that certain realities don't exist when we all know they did & continue to do so. Ignoring colorism won't make it go away.

They don't tell your mama is so light jokes for a reason. Nor do they tell your mama's hair is so long or your mama nose is so keen or your mama's lips are so thin jokes either. Why? It wouldn't be funny...those attributes have not & are simply not hated on.

Jill's statements may have been taken out of context, I don't know. But given that she considers herself "lightskinned" - which is funny and speaks volumes - ANY type of understanding of why colorism works in a color caste society might have prevented her from making that statement being that she considers herself lightskinned and understands all of the baggage that comes with that title (like their is baggage that comes with the darkskinned title). TTHAT understanding would have assisted her in understanding & whatever jealousy (based on real & perceived anti-darkskinned sentiment) caused whichever "blacker" looking people to scapegoat her if indeed that is what happened.

The black community would be more unified if:

1) darker skinned people stopped assuming that every lighterskinned person believes themselves to be better than. And stops internalizing the idea that lighter is better than and being jealous of not having that asset.

2) if lighter skinned people admitted that there are priviledges associated with that fact in a racist society and took that into consideration when trying to deal positively with their peers who happen to be darker. And if many of them stopped internalizing the idea that ligheter is better and expect & encourage jealousy for having that asset.