It’s been a very slow week on The B Werd and I do apologize. To be quite frank, my thoughts have been in a haze as I overwhelmingly kept up with this weeks tragedies. I’ve gone from feeling enraged, to feeling hurt, to feeling complete helplessness repetitively over the course of the last few days. I’ve gone from spending an entire work day arguing on social media platforms with blatant racists, to being speechless. There was no way that I would have been able to post about fashion details or career advice in the midst of the unconcealed hate that’s taken over the American conversation.
The conversation that we’re having in regards to social injustice for minorities, black lives mattering and police brutality is not one new to me. It’s a frequent dialogue that I remain aware of, as the relevancy of the topic comes and goes for many of you. Last week, when I posted about six things that I hate come with this conversation, I had no idea what would follow and no clue the capacity. Honestly, I didn’t watch either video of the murders of Alton Sterling or Philando Castile. I couldn’t stomach watching something so horrific, but I thoroughly read the details. Reading a baby girl witness a police officer shooting a man that she adores still having enough compassion to comfort her mother by saying “it’s OK mommy, I’m here with you” was enough to bring me to tears. How ANYONE could watch those videos and fix their lips to respond with “but…” baffles me. “But“, nothing. I do not care what your record looks like, I don’t care that you resisted being tackled to the ground and tasered, I don’t care that you didn’t do exactly what the cop told you to (because as an American, you have the right not to), you do not deserve to frivolously and gruesomely die at the hands of police.
Let’s be clear; my statement is not anti-police. I personally know policemen who leave their homes daily in efforts to better their community and uphold the oath that they took to protect and serve. However, I’m not naive. I spent hours on a Facebook thread going back and forth with over two dozen police after Alton Sterling’s video surfaced, and not a SINGLE one of them said “you know what, I watched the video and it was wrong”. In fact, many of them were insulting. Not only to Alton, but to those on the threads who weren’t siding with police and it was disturbing to watch. It’s obvious that too many police are police for the wrong reasons. Those that were hateful racists before they ever had a uniform only intensify their stance once they can “legally” kill the same people they already hated prior to their profession. These kind of cowards should not have authority. Be mindful that many of these people with authority already have an idea of who they think you are, regardless of what you show them to be true.
I have black nephews who will encounter police one way or another in their lifetimes, so I would never encourage them to disrespect police or behave in a way that may threaten their lives. Yet I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think it was ridiculous that we have to have conversations with them about how to survive a police encounter. Why should they feel endangered by someone paid to serve them? Why should they have to react in a way that often infringes on their rights just so they can make it home alive?
Actions need accountability and it’s incredibly discouraging when our justice system allows black lives to be taken without sentencing. Police are protected. While the alleged suspect for the Dallas shootings was blown up, the police officers who shot both Philando and Alton are relaxing at home on paid vacation. I’m not categorizing what’s right and what’s wrong; I’m highlighting the difference and saying it’s not equal. When we say Black Lives Matter, we mean it’s a slap in the face for us as a race to be undeservingly shot, choked and beat to death only for our questions to go unanswered, for families to go on empty, for justice to go unserved and for killers to walk free.
“Let me say one thing, a police officer being murdered isn’t any more of a shame than anyone else’s life being taken. So if you don’t see the wrong in murder on all accords, you’re apart of the problem. I find it odd how people are able to watch innocent men, women and kids get slaughtered by police time after time without consequence, yet it draws NO emotion or words from many of you. But when innocent officers get killed, you’re SO compelled to speak up about how heartbreaking it is, how senseless killings are and how justice must be served. You can’t pick and choose which wrongs to support. If all of you could acknowledge wrong doing outside of what fits your people preference and professions, we could at least take steps in the right direction. You selectively speak up, selectively stand up. You’re selectively hateful. You are obliviously the problem and I have no problem telling you.” – A year old Facebook post of mine that’s still relevant
This thread is not to address anything other than a broken system that does not defend minorities the same. Now is not the time for “but’s”. Black people, I love you – unconditionally, even when I don’t like the things that you do. I need you to love you and I need you to love others, the way you love your mothers, brothers and children. Now is the time for change. For direction to a simple start, click here.
“Quit killing us” – Signed, fed-up Americans
This!! I have tears in my eyes because this is what I’ve been trying to convey…..I don’t wanna hear anymore “but’s” ….BUT nothing……stop killing us!
Brooke, thank you for reading! It was really a topic I could not keep quiet about.
Thank you for sharing this post! I spent an entire day crying followed by bits of rage and disparity. I also checked my social media to find supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement while also viewing posts of hate and disgusting justifications of murder. What really infuriates me are the people that blame the Black Lives Matter rhetoric…we must not stop talking about this matter! We need to continue the conversations even if others are uncomfortable. “But….” Nothing. Black lives matter.
Ashley, that’s exactly my plan. I’ve experienced first hand how people who disagree with us go out of their way to let us know we’re idiotic and our views are ridiculous. Let’s make sure we do the same. Keep pushing! <3
The thing that I hate most is when people try to turn the victim into a villain. “He was smoking weed,” “he had a gun,” “he had 52 prior traffic violations.” So what?!?!?! Since when were any of those things a death sentence?
The thing I hate almost as much is the fact that we never get an apology. I’ve stopped hoping for justice. We may not even see charges, let alone a conviction, for the officers that killed Sterling and Castile. But are they even sorry for taking an undeserving life? That’s the whole reason why we say “Black Lives Matter.” Because the fact that we don’t even warrant an apology means that we obviously don’t matter.
It’s sad and sickening and infuriating…and it needs to stop.
Jessica,
As you can see – people on this post share exactly the thoughts you were saying should not matter. Some people will just never get it. We must continue to spread the word to people whose minds we can change, and leave the others in their ignorance.
The problem with the BLM movement, is that it is meant to make the racial divide even larger. Did two more gentlemen get killed without judge or jury, sure. What about the white people getting murdered everyday by police? Chances are you don’t even know it happens. The issue should not be whether black lives matter or not. The issue IS the increase in militarized police that are trained to shoot first. Another reason the BLM movement is a joke, they are not even addressing the largest killer of black individuals. ABORTION. Thousands of black children are killed every year by their own parents. So when BLM starts actually caring about black lives, instead of promoting their own racism, then I’ll actually give them some credit. ALL LIVES MATTER.
You lost me at abortion. Thanks for reading Darrin!
All Lives Matter equally… stop promoting racism.
If All Lives Matter equally, it wouldn’t bother you that I’m saying Black Lives Matter. Thanks for reading!
I totally agree things are out of hand with police brutality.
Practically every cop and I know I’m painting a broad stroke never sees their colleagues in the wrong. There could be clear as day evidence and the cops are like we don’t know what was going on or there could be missing footage and we have to wait for all the evidence to come out.
But as soon as it is one of their own they are the first to implicate and are the loudest requesting reform and everything is an affront to the uniform.
It’s very sad.
Obama is not doing enough as President he is hiding and afraid to speak out despite being a black man himself. Taking the nuanced approach and placating to the police breaks my heart.
You can fly Air Force One to Dallas but you can’t travel to Baton Rouge or Minnesota.
My view is civilians didn’t wake up thinking they could die especially at the hands of those who are to protect and serve. Whereas a police officer puts on a uniform and knowingly and willfully faces danger because they signed up for the job.
People forget this all the time.
Plus what the cops do if any civilian would do they would be in jail immediately.
An analogy.
Imagine a civilian gunning down a police officer and the civilian works in retail. The civilian punishment would be you have to work in the back of the store with pay so that you don’t interact with any customers until management finishes their investigation.
This is exactly what’s happening with police who kill and you should be very angry and want legislative reform.