No Justice, No Peace
He was accused of making inappropriate advances towards a married white woman.
He was found in the Tallahatchie River, three days after being beaten, mutilated, and shot in the head by the woman's husband and brother-in-law. They were never convicted for their acts, even after admitting to killing Emmett - years later - thanks to double jeopardy.
Many, many years later (2008), the woman admitted that she had fabricated parts of her allegations.
No justice for a 14 year old boy, who spoke to a white woman in segregated America.
Emmett Till. Say his name.
A couple of days ago, I shared a post on Facebook, pointing out how white privilege is very real, by showing a *not-comprehensive) list of names of POC after the preceding activities that directly impacted their unjust treatment, and deaths.
Freddie Gray was a 25 year old man in Baltimore in 2015, who was arrested for alleged possession of a knife. Witness reports told of police using excessive force in a manner of ways (beating, aggressive restraint). This resulted in injuries to his spinal cord, and Freddie fell into a coma in the back of a police van.
He died in a trauma hospital a week later.
Freddie Gray. Say his name.
Eric Garner was a 34 year old man in New York in 2014, arrested for allegedly selling single cigarettes. An officer put Eric in a choke hold, and held him that way, while several other officers restrained him. He repeated the phrase, "I can't breathe" 11 times, while being held on the ground. Eric was pronounced dead at a hospital an hour later.
The officer who choked him was never indicted for the death.
Eric Garner. Say his name.
Walter Scott was a 50 year old man in North Charleston, pulled over for a burnt-out tail brake light. Walter ran from his car during the stop; was pursued, tased, and shot 5 times by the officer. He died due to a bullet that hit his heart and lungs.
Walter Scott. Say his name.
Amadou Diallo was a 23 year old man in New York, who "matched the description of a serial rapist" from a year earlier - according to one of the officers involved. Pulling his wallet out of his pocket, officers fired 41 shots at Amadou, hitting him 19 times. He was completely unarmed.
Amadou Diallo. Say his name.
Yvonne Smallwood was a 28 year old woman in New York, who was arrested on assault charges. Over the course of 6 days, Yvonne was shuttled between Rikers Island, courts, and hospitals before she died of a blood clot in her leg. It was claimed by her family, that Yvonne had been beaten by police during this time, causing bruising; her death caused by complications due to the blood clot.
She was taken into custody because she protested her partner's receiving a summons from the police outside of a cheque-cashing store.
Yvonne Smallwood. Say her name.
Randy Evans was a 15 year old boy in New York, who was shot point-blank in the head, after speaking to an officer who was responding to a report of an armed individual in the neighbourhood. The officer was acquitted of charges by reason of insanity.
Randy Evans. Say his name.
Claude Reese was a 14 year old boy in New York, who was decorating the cellar of an apartment building for a party, with a group of friends. A resident of the building called the police, suspecting a burglary. When the police arrived, the teenagers fled, and Claude was shot in the head. The officer thought Claude was holding a gun. The officer was cleared of charges.
Claude Reese. Say his name.
Clifford Glover was a 10 year old boy in New York. He was walking with his stepfather, when they were approached by undercover officers. The officers believed that Clifford and his stepfather were guilty of robbery. Frightened, they fled; fearing that they were about to be robbed, themselves. One of the officers shot at them as they ran; Clifford was hit in the back, twice. The officer was declared not guilty of murder.
Clifford Glover. Say his name.
Keith Scott was a 43 year old man in North Carolina. While reading a book in his car, he was approached by officers who were at the apartment complex on an unrelated matter. They suspected that Keith had a gun, and had him exit his vehicle. While walking away from his truck, an officer fatally shot Keith. The officer was not charged.
Keith Scott. Say his name.
Terence Crutcher was a 40 year old black man in Tulsa. He was experiencing issues with his vehicle, and was shot and killed by an officer. The officer was charged with manslaughter, but was later found "not guilty".
Terence Crutcher. Say his name.
John Crawford was a 22 year old man in Beavercreek. Shopping at a Walmart, he picked up an unpackaged BB gun and carried it while he continued shopping. Another customer called police, claiming that John was pointing the gun at other shoppers. Surveillance footage showed John holding the gun while talking on his cell phone, but never pointed the BB gun at anyone. When officers arrived at the Walmart, John was shot twice, causing his death. He was shot while talking on his cell phone.
John Crawford. Say his name.
Corey Jones was a 31 year old man in Boynton Beach. He was having car trouble and pulled over on an off ramp to call for assistance. He was approached by an officer who shot 6 bullets, hitting Corey with three of them. Corey died from a bullet hitting his aorta. The officer was charged and convicted of manslaughter and attempted first degree murder.
Corey Jones. Say his name.
Philando Castile was a 32 year old man in Falcon Heights. He was pulled over by an officer, while driving with his partner and 4 year old daughter in the car. When asked for and retrieving his license and registration, Philando advised the officer that he was in possession of a firearm. The officer told Philando not to pull out the firearm. Despite both Philando and his partner saying that he was not pulling out the gun, the officer shot at close range 7 times, hitting Philando with 5 bullets. The officer was acquitted of all charges.
Philando Castile. Say his name.
Sandra Bland was a 28 year old woman in Waller County. She was pulled over for a minor traffic violation. She was pulled from her car, forced to the ground, and arrested for assaulting the officer, allegedly having become argumentative and uncooperative during arrest. Three days later, Sandra was found dead in her cell, officials believing that she had hanged herself. Sandra had previously attempted suicide twice; and ought to have been placed on suicide watch - being checked on every 15 minutes. Further investigations showed a discrepancy of at least an hour between the time officials stated Sandra was last seen alive, and the time she was found deceased, in her cell. Sandra's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit; no charges were laid.
Sandra Bland. Say her name.
Oscar Grant was a 22 year old man in Oakland. On his way home early new year's day 2009, Oscar was thought to have been involved in a fight on a train. Police were called, and an officer held him face down on the platform, and shot him in the back. He died later that day. Although the officer was charged with second degree murder, he was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter. He served 11 months in a protected cell, before being released on parole.
Oscar Grant. Say his name.
Sean Bell was a 23 year old man in New York. On the night of his bachelor party, he and two friends were shot at in Sean's car. Five officers shot about 50 bullets at the car. Though Sean's friends were seriously injured, both survived the shooting. Sean was killed. Three of the five officers went to trial. All three were found not guilty of first and second degree manslaughter, assault, and reckless endangerment.
Sean Bell. Say his name.
Trayvon Martin was a 17 year old teen in Sanford. Walking home from a convenience store one evening, Trayvon was followed and shot by the coordinator of the neighbourhood watch - George Zimmerman. Zimmerman called police to report a suspicious individual in the area. After placing the call, Zimmerman pursued Trayvon. An altercation ensued, and Zimmerman shot Trayvon - who was unarmed - 65 meters from where he was staying, visiting family. Trayvon died. Zimmerman was acquitted of murder at trial, citing "self defense".
Trayvon Martin. Say his name.
The Charleston Nine; a group at a bible study in South Carolina.
- Clementa C. Pinckney (41)
- Cynthia Marie Graham Hurd (54)
- Susie Jackson (87)
- Ethel Lee Lance (70)
- Depayne Middleton-Doctor (49)
- Tywanza Sanders (26)
- Daniel L. Simmons (74)
- Sharonda Coleman-Singleton (45)
- Myra Thompson (59)
They were murdered by Dylan Roof; a 21 year old white supremacist., who targeted the particular church these folks attended because of its history. Emmanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church is the oldest AME church in the southern US; a historically black congregation.
Roof attended the bible study that day, and opened fire on the group - killing 9 of the 12 others in attendance. Roof is currently serving a life sentence for each victim; and may eventually be executed.
Clementa C. Pinckney, Cynthia Marie Graham Hurd, Susie Jackson, Ethel Lee Lance, Depayne Middleton-Doctor, Tywanza Sanders, Daniel L. Simmons, Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, Myra Thompson. Say their names.
Tamir Rice was a 12 year old boy in Cleveland. He was in a park with a replica airsoft rifle when police were called. The report was that a male was pointing a pistol at people. The police arrived, and Tamir was shot in the torso, almost immediately. The car was still coming to a stop when Tamir was shot. No charges were laid, no indictments, no convictions.
Tamir Rice. Say his name.
Michael Brown was an 18 year old man in Ferguson. After leaving a corner store with a friend, Michael was approached by police officers. There was an altercation, resulting in Michael being shot 6 times; he died on the street. No charges were laid; it was concluded that the officer shot in self defense.
Michael Brown. Say his name.
Aiyana Jones was a 7 year old girl in Detroit. After the shooting of a high school senior, police raided the wrong house looking for the suspect. Aiyana was shot in the head by an officer's gun. At the end of the trial process, all charges against the officer were cleared.
Aiyana Jones. Say her name.
Alton Sterling was a 37 year old man in Baton Rouge. After an anonymous call advising that someone was selling cd's and waving a gun, officers restrained Alton on the ground. He was shot 6 times, at close range. No charges laid.
Alton Sterling. Say his name.
Jordan Davis was a 17 year old teen in Jacksonville. He was at a gas station with some friends when an argument started with Michael Dunn - over the volume of the music playing in the SUV the teens were driving. Dunn pulled a gun out of the glove compartment of his car, and shot at the SUV. He hit Jordan in the legs, lungs, and aorta.
Dunn was convicted of first degree murder, and three counts of attempted second degree murder.
Jordan Davis. Say his name.
Jordan Edwards was a 15 year old boy in Balch Springs. While fleeing from a party where things had become unsafe, Jordan was shot in the back of the head by a one of the police officers who had arrived at the party. The officer was found guilty of murder.
Jordan Edwards. Say his name.
Stephon Clark was a 23 year old man in Sacramento. Two officers fired 20 rounds at Stephon while he was in his grandmother's backyard - reports alleged that he had been breaking car windows. Stephon was shot 8 times; officers stated they thought he had a gun. He was found to be unarmed; holding an iPhone. The officers were not charged in the matter of Stephon's death.
Stephon Clark. Say his name.
Renisha McBride was a 19 year old woman in Dearborn Heights. After experiencing a car accident, Renisha knocked on the door of Theodore Wafer, presumably to ask for help. Wafer shot Renisha in the head with a shotgun; claiming he thought his home was being broken into. The verdict was second degree manslaughter.
Renisha McBride. Say her name.
Jonathan Ferrell was a 24 year old in Charlotte who was similarly killed after experiencing a car accident. He knocked on Sarah McCartney's door, and she called the police. Once police arrived, Jonathan was shot 12 times. He was unarmed. The shooting officer was charged - but not convicted of - voluntary manslaughter.
Jonathan Ferrell. Say his name.
Botham Jean was a 26 year old man, at home in Dallas. Amber Guyger (off duty officer), entered his apartment; thinking it was her own. Seeing Botham in the living room, she shot him. Botham was completely unarmed, and died in hospital of his wound.
Botham Jean,. Say his name.
Atatiana Jefferson was a 28 year old woman in Fort Worth. After receiving a call reporting that her front door was open, officers approached Atatiana's home. When she stepped up to her window from the inside, an officer shot Atatiana through the window, killing her. The officer was indicted for murder.
Atatiana Jefferson. Say her name.
Breonna Taylor was a 26 year old woman in Louisville. Police entered her apartment under a "no-knock" order - using a battering ram. After a confrontation, police shot Breonna at least 8 times. Breonna's boyfriend, who was in bed with her, shot an officer in the leg, and was initially charged with attempted murder of a police officer. The charge has been dropped, at least for now. Investigation into Breonna's killing is ongoing before a final decision is made.
Breonna Taylor. Say her name.
Amaud Arbery was a 25 year old man in Brunswick. While out jogging, Amaud was followed and shot, with a shotgun, by two men in a truck - Travis and Gregory McMichael. This action on Amaud's life was deliberate - a lynching. The shooting was captured on a neighbourhood resident's cell phone. Amaud died from three gunshot wounds. The men who killed him were charged with felony murder and aggravated assault. Trial is ongoing.
Amaud Arbery. Say his name.
George Floyd was a 46 year old man in Minneapolis. George was accused of using a counterfeit $20 bill at a market. Police were called, and George was arrested. Claiming that he was resisting arrest, George was handcuffed, beaten, and held on the ground by three officers; one who kneeled on his neck for nearly 9 minutes; 2 minutes and 53 seconds of that time was spent kneeling on George after he had lost consciousness. One officer watched on, nonchalantly as the event took place. George's body was limp and unresponsive when he was loaded onto a stretcher and into an ambulance. The entire incident was recorded on bystanders' smartphones, and was streamed live on Facebook. The officer who kneeled on George's neck has been charged with third degree murder and second degree manslaughter. It will be some time before we know how that ends; since George was killed last week.
George Floyd. Say his name.
Minneapolis has been on fire since. Many cities in the US are on fire, and it's a clear message.
Stop killing Black people.
I am white. My family immigrated to Canada from Portugal. My child is white. My husband is an immigrant from Sweden. We are white. I do not get the opportunity to speak out on Black issues, I certainly do not get a say in how Black folks ought to be handling the 400 years of mistreatment and abuse they have suffered.
That would require a heavy reminder to check my privilege. That privilege that is awarded to me solely because my skin is white. That white privilege - that I have heard so many white people try to refute.
But facts are irrefutable; and the fact is that, if you are white, you are statistically less likely to:
-be unemployed/underemployed
-live in poverty
-be under-educated
-have limited access to adequate healthcare
-be mistaken for someone who "fits the description"
-be arrested
-be incarcerated
-be killed at the hands of a law enforcement agent/body
White privilege exists, and it has killed countless people throughout history.
White people, we are failing our relatives.
Their blood is on all our hands, whether we held the guns or not. Silence ALWAYS takes the side of the oppressor, and too many of us have been silent.
I admit that I was oblivious to my white privilege. Sheltered, not understanding what impact I made when I did nothing to perpetuate racism.
But I was perpetuating it. I live in a system that is inherently racist. I would hear family members use bigoted language, and I wouldn't call them on it. I stayed quiet. I didn't know about intersectional feminism. Silence supports the oppressor. I knew racism was wrong, but I did nothing to stop it when it was around me. Once I learned that my impact was contributing to the problem, I had to change. I accepted that I was a shitty person. I didn't mean to be shitty, but I wasn't being "not shitty". I apologized; I started to relearn history. I learned about minority groups in Canada; in Manitoba; in Winnipeg. I became passionate about effecting change. I started calling out family members who speak with racism on their tongues. They don't like it. Tough shit. And yes, Christmas is the right time to yell at my siblings about ethnic slurs.
I became involved.
So, what do we, as white people, do to support our BIPOC relatives? My answer is to ultimately, burn the fucking white supremacist, patriarchial, capitalistic death machine to the ground. Not the easiest to do though.
So, instead of one huge bonfire, we start with matches. I don't have a coomprehensive list of things to do. I don't know most of what to do. I do have a handful of matches, though.
Here are ways that I am lighting my anti-racism fire:
-I ask my BIPOC relatives to correct me when I am wrong. This happens. I apologize, ask how to do better, and then I do it.
-I read. Right now, I'm reading "So, You Want To Talk About Race?" by Ijeoma Oluo. I'll be reading "White Fragility" by Robin DiAngelo, and "White Rage" by Carol Anderson. I will be reading these with my son; who is 10, and doesn't understand how unarmed people can be killed by police, and the police are not held accountable.
-I talk to my 10 year old about being anti-racist. I talk to him about opportunities to stop racism when we see it. I talk to him about it. We must raise our children to be anti-racist. Simply understanding that racism is wrong, is not enough.
-I share what I learn. It's so easy to say that social media is a lazy avenue for social activism; and if all we're doing is throwing a hashtag up for the day, then it is very lazy. However, if we are using it to actively spread knowledge support and to speak out against injustices - all the time - then it can be a valuable tool. Representation is so important.
-I join my voice to those of my BIPOC relatives who are calling out for help. For justice. Showing support at rallies is one way; but speaking out in all spaces is important. Confront racism where it happens in your everyday life. Hear a racial joke at work? Ask why it's funny. Ask the people around you why using racial slurs is acceptable for them.
-Be compassionate! It truly takes nothing to be a decent human. We all have BIPOC relatives. Listen to them. Don't minimize their experiences. Don't ask them what you can do to help - we have endless resources at our fingertips to do that without retraumatizing our loved ones. Just be reliable. Don't engage in optical allyship (this is where you support a cause for the sake of looking like a good person). Be a true ally; which means showing up, not showing off.
This is by no means any kind of comprehensive list. If one of my BIPOC relatives reads this, and finds fault in it, please, please, please tell me. I will post an edit with the correction.
Thank you.
Hail yourselves,
S
Comments
Post a Comment