Are we going forward or backward in race relations as a nation? That is one of the important topics of 2016. What I am personally thinking about is are we going backward toward the same rioting and looting that happened in the 1960’s or have we moved forward in race relations? That is the question that I think needs to be addressed since the assassinations of Dallas Police officers and the deaths of two black citizens last week.
An organization has sprung up called Black Lives Matter and following is what they are all about: “Black Lives Matter is a unique contribution that goes beyond extrajudicial killings of Black people by police and vigilantes. It goes beyond the narrow nationalism that can be prevalent within some Black communities, which merely call on Black people to love Black, live Black and buy Black, keeping straight cis Black men in the front of the movement while our sisters, queer and trans and disabled folk take up roles in the background or not at all. Black Lives Matter affirms the lives of Black queer and trans folks, disabled folks, Black-undocumented folks, folks with records, women and all Black lives along the gender spectrum. It centers those that have been marginalized within Black liberation movements. It is a tactic to (re)build the Black liberation movement.”
What they seem to want (at Black Lives Matter) is for those who have been marginalized to be brought to within the fold per say. That sounds fine but for the fact that these people have been advocating against the police. Yes I know that there are racist police personal within too many police departments here in the United States and they need to be routed out. But, it is shocking that people ignore that facts of what we know about Mr. Philando Castile who was shot in St. Paul by the police for seemingly no good reason and that Mr. Alton Sterling of Baton Rouge was killed while being pinned to the ground by a number of police officers. We the public as of this time do not have all the facts that surrounding these shootings. Any one person or group that assumes they know exactly what happened is fooling themselves and those they influence.
Are these incidents combined with other shootings an indication that there is an open war on Black people or is it a sign that our police need better training and/or better relationship building within the Black community needed? It seems that some, hopefully not many police officers have been showing signs of (possible) racism throughout the United States. These officers need to be weeded out and retrained or let go. But the black community needs to also remember that when an officer stops them for no good reason they should register a complaint with the proper local authorities and if they do nothing then tell the feds. There is no such excuse for what people call “Driving Black,” no one has the right to discriminate in any such way and when they do they need to be removed from their publicly funded job.
The police are here to protect us and enforce the legal laws of the land, not to indulge in racism or prejudice. We all must realize that the police have fears just as all of us do and sometimes these fears override their training. When this happens someone suffers for it, be it us or them.
We can not change the past and we do not know what the future will hold, but we do need to understand that we are not a country of Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, etc. We are a country of equals no matter what race, creed, color or religion. To be otherwise is un-American. There is no excuse to break the law when protesting and killing the police is not going to make things any better. To live by what Dr. Martian Luther King Jr. said in his famous ‘I have a dream’ speech is a much better choice- “But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.
We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny and their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone.” These should be your guide posts; listen to his words and learn from one who gave his all for racial justice and freedom.
So in summing up we must not go backward and always move forward. Rest in Peace those who have suffered an injustice be you a civilian or a police officer. And be a force for good and healing, not hatred and disunion.
That is my opinion- Jumpin Jersey Mike
