I wrote this on my phone as I was reading… I hope it makes sense, and I have a feeling this book though it is full of questions I myself cannot answer, I have a feeling it will be sparking many more posts similar to this. It starts with,
“Are you scared?
Where do you as a Black American feel safe?
Where do you feel threatened?
Why are we still afraid?
Haven’t we been afraid long enough?”
This is just the beginning of an amazing book and already the questions posed I feel are vital to knowing oneself and to ending the evilness of white supremacy. I am honored to be reading this, and I want to utilize this books questions with the precious children I work with, whom I know are afraid… Perhaps in digging deeper into their fears and showing them reasons also to be proud and brave, it will counter some of the racist cruelty that has been forced into their innocent minds?
I fear doing this however and this is my biggest problem… It breaks my heart to hear my friends/family tell me they are afraid anytime they see a cop, I understand WHY I just hate that this is reality. So when little children tell me the same thing, it breaks my heart that much more, it also makes me angry. White people whom say there is no racism from cops and that it’s directed at them and they are ignored (load of bs) simply are upset because they want to be the center of attention now and always, in ever matter.
But if any of those sort read this, I ask, how many white people ESPECIALLY white children do you know who that are afraid upon seeing an officer or knowing one could be around? I have yet to meet a white kid that is afraid and I’m talking 3 years old and up. So no; there is nothing they are “wrong” they are doing to provoke violent and too often fatal responded by police, which is a reply I see too often and I don’t know why as it is beyond logic or any other form of credibility.
In fact, a few years ago I asked one white child in my group what he wanted to be when he grew up.
“A cop!” He replied after a couple of seconds. I was a bit taken off guard because that’s the last job I expected, so I asked him why. This is word by EXCITED word what he said:
“So I can shoot people!”
That was his answer. He was barely 5 years old. What does that answer say about white cops and the American police department in general? What does the difference in his response vs the Black children’s response to police say? Never have I had a Black child give me that response.
That isn’t to say I’ve never had Black children that didn’t want to be a cop; in fact in one of my first cases a 15 year old wanted to be a cop. He suffered from mental illness, and during one of his episodes his mom called the cops, thinking of how he respected them I am sure. Even though he was hurting no one but himself with a knife to his face when they arrived, they took his life. (See video on this post).
I know my writings are depressing; they are real, though, and instead of letting it make you sad or feel hopeless rise against that and feel anger! Don’t let depression take hold; sadly that’s not a luxury available that I see. It is sad and I wish I didn’t have this page but I do because if I don’t speak what I know then in just as guilty as them.
Back to the response these children gave me, years apart the white never knew anyone in my current group of course. Both of these innocent souls have been tarnished by police racism, bigotry and brutality. The white child thinking it’s not only “cool” but ACCEPTABLE to kill; while the Black children are afraid of hearing that answer because a part of childhood has been stolen.
How many times I’ve heard someone say one of the following or something all too similar makes me sick to my soul:
“That could have been my father,” or “my son,” “my brother,” “my nephew,” “my husband,” or that could have been “me”…
I’ve not had anyone other this non-white children and adults confide this horrific fact, and it’s a fact I grew up hearing my friends/family talk about and it enraged me as it does now because I don’t have to worry; and that is not right! If the people I am with have to worry, so should I! Until non-whites have the right to not worry, then no one should have the right that white and light skin people do.
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