There has been so much negativity as late and it’s all just becoming a bit too much. I’m not one to get emotional and political about things, but it’s becoming quite difficult not to. What exactly am I talking about, I’m talking about the recent shootings and more concerning the whole Black Lives Matter controversy.
I can not believe that people are so offended by the fact that black people are now starting to care about themselves. I read the article about ‘We the People, who seek for the BLM organisation to be deemed a terrorist group. They want to categorise BLM in the same light as ISIS, please tell me you see how this is wrong and completely inconsistent.
If we take a look into black history, a few key words pop up such as slavery, abolition, civil rights, neglect, abuse, racism, segregation, criminal, violent. So many negative connotations amd experiences attributed to all that is black. For many years we as black people have been deemed as a secondary race, if that..the same way women had to fight for equality because of a factor they couldn’t change, black people had to do the same.
It is a fact that black people take up the majority of the prison system. However, it is also a fact that black people get higher sentences for crimes than say there white counterparts. Not relevant yet. I have come across several articles over the weeks about the shootings and Black Lives Matter and I have seen so many negative comments, people saying that black people deserve to be shot, if they stopped resisting, if they stopped back talking, then these police wouldn’t fear for there lives and have to shoot them. Shall we address some of the crimes these people have been apprehended or shot for…
- Visiting their father in a suburban neighbourhood
- Wearing a hoodie
- Busted tail lights
- Changing lanes incorrectly
- Selling CDS
The list goes on, these are just a few of the reasons black people have been arrested or shot and killed.
OK let’s be real, there are many black people who have been engaging in wrong doing and have been dealt with appropriately. However, I do not believe shooting to kill should be an option, shoot first, ask questions later should not be a way of policing. There are ways in which people can be debilitated, as police you would expect that in there training. However, when you see the videos and the way in which these police deal with people and restrain them and beat on them seems completely inappropriate to me.
People have rights, people from all backgrounds have rights. No one deserves to die for going about their daily lives and no one deserves to die simply for the fact that they are black.
I find that when it comes to dealing with police it’s necessary to be cautious, especially when you are black. I don’t mean in a way that prevents them from doing there job. However, with all that’s going on you can understand why black people are often apprehensive when dealing with the police, because they know a simple encounter could result in death.
I watched a video the other day where a white man was being arrested by the police, he was resisting with a passion, he was punching, kicking,spitting etc, everything to get away from these two officers. They struggled to reprimand him yet at no point did they reach for there gun (or even a taser )and attempt to shoot him. Now some would say it was in his right to resist, others would say it’s white privilege.
Is white privilege really a thing.. ermm YES, yes it is. People may wish to deny it but unfortunately it just is. It’s not there fault and no one is blaming them for it, it’s something you were born into lol. White privilege is just as real as racism. Yes, RACISM is real too. OMG!!!
Black Lives Matter as a terrorist group… really, do people see how stupid that sounds. For years black people have been pit against each other, they have been fighting against each other, they live in poor socio-economic conditions, they are less advantaged in schools etc etc.. but hold up this is some not all, that must be made clear. For years black people have been fighting for equality and to us our lives have always mattered, it even mattered to other races to at some point. Who fought with us to free us from slavery, who fought with us to give us our civil rights. Our lives have always mattered and that is a direct result of the way in which black people have been treated. I digress slightly.
I’m not sure if it’s down to the fact that people are scared about the fact that black people are learning how to unite peacefully (for the majority). There have been a few minor incidents which have not helped the cause, such isolated incidents have become the forefront and face for the Black Lives Matter campaign. When the majority of the incidents have been peaceful, silent and eventless yet nobody is talking about it.
This is how it’s always been though, it’s a fact that the way in which black, brown and white people are portrayed in the media is very different. When white people make noise, their passionate, when black people make noise there loud and criminal. This already seeks to put a negative image of black people at the forefront of everyone’s minds when it’s nothing like that.
We all have a right to protest, it’s a constutional right. So why does the fact that we are demonstrating this right have to be deemed as a terrorist movement. It makes no sense.
There has been a lot of support for the BLM movement and it’s come from people of all walks of life and this is what life should be all about. UNITY. I don’t understand why it’s not OK for our lives to matter. Are we not humans to. It’s not to say that all lives don’t matter, it’s just to say that a this moment in time there is a crisis a visible crisis in which Black Lives are at risk and it is for that reason we seek to emphasise that our lives do matter and we would be extremely grateful if for a second you could realise that to. The fact that you are so upset that it has been suggested that our lives matter means that there is a serious problem and this problem needs to be addressed.
How can it be that in 2016, nothing has changed. I mean people don’t get angry when women are protesting for equality pay and rights, or when the LGBT community protests for equality and to be treated fairly. So what is really the problem, that is the question I would like answered.
It has also been commented that ‘they bring it on themselves’. I will accept that is true but only because they can’t change the fact that they are black.
Have you ever been in a store and been followed around simply because your black and it is assumed you will steal. Have you ever had something taken away from you because it’s not for you and then handed over to the white child in front of you. Have you ever been told you can not do something, because your people don’t do that. Have you ever been told you can’t be something you want to be and maybe you should stick to being an athlete. Have you ever been excluded for the colour of your skin, have you ever been called a ‘NIGGER’, blacky, coon.
I have and to be honest with you it’s difficult, it’s disheartening and upsetting and it makes you angry. We all know the stereotype of the angry black man and woman, well until you’ve experienced it , you wouldn’t or couldn’t understand.
Black Lives Matter means something to me because one day I might have children and they will be black children. I shouldn’t have to be fighting the same fight my parents and grandparents fought, things should be different now, easier now and it’s not so much that my life matters (well it does) but my children’s do and all we are doing now is for the future.
We are fighting for a better future for everyone but why is that so difficult to understand. I think its because Racism, prejudice and discrimination is still as prevalent as it has ever been.
I really hope that it is clear to everyone that we accept that ALL LIVES MATTER, but at this time BLACK LIVES MATTER and will continue to matter until such time as something is done to prevent their lives being at risk.
Just my two pennies.
#blacklivesmatter #weneedchange #onelove
soulfullyblack 