I don’t have a pretty picture for today’s post. I don’t have a witty title. I don’t have it in me to do all of that because it feels like I’m in a never-ending cycle of senseless murders. I really wanted to write about this yesterday, but I couldn’t find the right words to express my thoughts. I needed time to process that this was happening again. It didn’t help that the video of Alton Sterling’s murder was everywhere I turned. The local morning news, GMA, MSNBC, CNN, and all through my Twitter and Facebook feed. Thank you to whoever turned on the feature warning people that it was graphic and didn’t let it auto-play on Facebook; I just wish it was possible on Twitter. I’m sure that people were sharing that video because they wanted to share the proof that Alton’s arrest was mishandled and that it led to his murder. But at the end of the day that video doesn’t mean anything. There’s been video footage for dozens and dozens of the innocent Black men and women slain this year and their aggressors still didn’t face charges. I feel like this same video of brutality has been on repeat all year and I’m ready to press stop.
No more innocent men and women being slain for selling CDs outside of a corner store. For walking around their neighborhood. For asking why they were pulled over. For selling loosies. For breathing. For existing! We just celebrated the most American of American holidays on Monday; celebrating the freedom that goes along with being in this country but at the end of the day that freedom doesn’t apply to everyone. Like Jesse Williams said “…looking at the data and we know that police somehow manage to deescalate, disarm and not kill…people everyday”. We KNOW it can be done, but time and time again it isn’t. Time and time again I’m being force fed these images of men who look like my brother, my uncle, my cousin slain for just existing! They’re being painted as thugs or criminals to make their assailants out to be saints. Children can’t play in the park or sleep on a relative’s couch without having to worry about making it to tomorrow. What am I supposed to tell my nephews and nieces? How do I explain this to them? How do I explain that because of the color of their skin they’re automatically perceived as threats or participants in illicit activities? How Sway?!
So we’re in this endless cycle again. This never-ending Groundhog day that I just want to end. This system of racism needs to end. It has to. We cannot add another name to this list.
Alton Sterling
Freddie Gray
Tamir Rice
Eric Garner
Sandra Bland
Jamar Clark
India Kager
There are so many other names I could add to this list, but I won’t. I refuse to let it continue to grow and you should too. I saw so many posts about Harambe being killed to save that toddler, entire pieces on why Cecil the lion’s murder was a horrific tragedy, but when it comes to the slew of innocent Black lives taken on an almost daily basis mums the word. It’s time for all of that to end. It’s time to speak up and change this broken system. It’s time to recognize that ‘Black Lives Matter’ doesn’t mean that they matter more than other lives, but that they matter as much as other lives. I think that’s what is confusing people. I don’t understand how we as a country totally understand and agree with people differentiating support for diseases like breast cancer, testicular cancer, ALS, AIDS, etc but can’t do that for groups of people who are treated with injustice.
You wouldn’t go to a breast cancer research fundraiser and shout “all cancers matter”, because we all know this. All forms of cancer are terrible and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. The people who support the BLM movement are aware that all lives matter, we’re not saying that our lives matter more than anyone else’s. Just like the people who support breast cancer research aren’t saying that that cancer deserves a cure more than others. It’s about awareness and the hope for change in the future. People didn’t vehemently oppose the ice bucket challenge because it only shed light on the terrible disease that is ALS and say that all diseases matter, but that’s being done left and right with the BLM movement. People will jump behind and support the Stanford rape and Orlando massacre victims (as they rightfully should) but won’t stand up against racial injustice. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. BLM is the most vocal movement out now, but it’s by no means the only one. This country was built on the backs and from the blood of slaves (not just African ones) and indigenous people and it might’ve taken years for people to speak up about it but it’s happening now.
So speak up. Protest peacefully, share your thoughts on social media, on your blogs, with your loved ones. It’s time to talk about the racial and social injustices that plague this country. Call out the bigots and racists, let them know that they’re wrong. Use your voice and exercise your right to vote. Elect officials (local, state and federal) who will help change policies to make this nation a better place. Long gone are the days of silence on issues like this.