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“It’s amazing why we keep loving this country, and this country does not love us back,”
– Doc Rivers, LA Clippers head coach
When I wrote my blog post, America: I’m Tired, I made a plea on behalf of my people to get people to understand the pain and plight that black people have faced in this country since its existence. After months of protests and calls for police reform in this country it seems nothing has changed and in fact the thoughts & beliefs of some people have only gotten worse.
The latest reminder that the lives of black people don’t matter came this past Sunday in Kenosha, WI. Police responded to a domestic situation and found 29 year old Jacob Blake trying to break up a fight. An altercation ensued with Blake and police ended up shooting him 7 times in the back while Blake’s 3 children were in the car. Blake miraculously survived but is in critical condition and paralyzed from the waist down.
Almost immediately, reports started coming in suggesting Blake was resisting police officers and had a weapon with him. Enter former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly:
Why is it when a black person is excessively harmed by police, the first inclination from people is to find dirt to somehow justify the shooting? Why are they looking for criminal records or pictures that depict them as menacing? Why can’t they be treated as innocent until proven otherwise? It is the job of the police to protect life and de-escalate situations. They are not supposed to be judge, jury and executioner.
The reason black people are not treated as human beings is because America has NEVER treated black people as human beings. Since the “founding” of this country we have been categorized as violent, menacing, destructive savages incapable of being as thoughtful, intelligent and humane.
Now juxtapose that mindset for those who aren’t black that get into altercations with law enforcement. Take these two examples:
Bringing this point closer to home, 2 nights after the Jacob Blake shooting, 17 year old Kyle Rittenhouse went from his home in Antioch, IL to Kenosha with an illegal firearm under the guise of “protecting property” from protesters. While “protecting property” he gets into an altercation and kills 2 people while seriously injuring a 3rd person. Was he arrested on site by Kenosha police? No, in fact he was allowed to leave the scene of the crime and go home and wouldn’t be arrested until the following day by Illinois authorities. Was he quickly demonized? Not only was he not demonized, pictures went up on social media showing him washing graffiti and he’s being hailed as a patriot:
https://twitter.com/CassandraRules/status/1299110641576357890?s=20
Let’s also remember Dylann Roof who walked into a Charleston, SC church in 2015, opened fire and killed 9 people. Did police go in with guns blazing? No… he was peacefully arrested and reportedly driven to Burger King because he was hungry. Was he demonized right after the shooting? Reports portrayed Roof as “not all bad.”
Three months ago I wrote that I was tired. I wondered how long this system of hatred and discrimination would continue to rear its ugly head. A part of me wanted to believe that the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others would spark a change. What I am discovering is that America has no intentions of changing yet America wants us to love her regardless. I’m tired of seeing my people suffer & die. I’m tired of seeing a system that’s supposed to support us continue to dehumanize us. I’m tired to being told to “just comply”, “just obey the police and shootings won’t happen”, “pull yourselves up by the boot straps”, “stop having babies out of wedlock”, “stop being so violent & angry”, etc. I’m tired of having to put on a smile when I’m not ok and my people are hurting. I’m done with being that guy. You will get the unvarnished truth and nothing else.
Allow me to say this with my chest: AMERICA DOES NOT LOVE OR CARE ABOUT BLACK PEOPLE.
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