You Can’t See What I Can See. You’re Blind, Baby

Today wasn’t good. I’ve seen enough racism in my life to last a lifetime but the dose of reality the past couple of days have been especially gut-wrenching.

I’ve lived in the South for a couple decades now. It’s not difficult to find racist sentiment where I’ve been, from the Capital city even down to sunny Florida. I’ve seen it even back home in different shades. I’ve seen police brutality up close and personal. I’ve felt the force of a policeman’s fists and looked down the barrel of a policeman’s gun. I still see unfair hiring and lending practices. I still see decision-makers who don’t have black and brown people’s best interests at heart. I’ve been let go from jobs in “at will” states because I was too….”urban” or “aggressive”, not a “yes man” or I wasn’t “a good fit”. (In every case, I was the only African American male on staff or in the company. I’m sure that was a coincidence.) The passive aggressive posts on social media (from my real life friends who only revealed how they really felt about black and brown people when something happened in the news nationally) only adds fuel to an already raging inferno.

I don’t know if it’s being self quarantined and having my life stripped down to the bare minimum but I’m tired of this. Scrolling past it or turning the channel is an option. Maybe this’ll never touch your household so you’re not forced to care. Maybe SMH’ing and praying hands emojis are the best you can offer. People in our midst wouldn’t mind an America that is completely homogenous. I don’t have an answer but just a suggestion: Love intentionally. Model it publicly and privately. How would you want to be treated if roles were reversed? What would you want to hear or see from your friend? If you don’t care or this doesn’t affect you, take some needed time to assess why. At the end of the day, this is a human condition and not just “their” issue.

Here are some simple human things we all should be able to do without dying.

Jogging (#AmaudArbery).

Relaxing in our own homes (#BothemSean and #AtatianaJefferson).

Getting help after being in a car crash (#JonathanFerrell and #RenishaMcBride).

Owning a cellphone (#StephonClark).

Leaving a party (#JordanEdwards).

Playing music (#JordanDavis).

Selling CD’s (#AltonSterling).

Sleeping (#AiyanaJones)

Walking home from the corner store (#MikeBrown).

Playing cops and robbers (#TamirRice).

Going to church for bible study (#Charleston9).

Walking home with Skittles (#TrayvonMartin).

Leaving our own bachelor party (#SeanBell).

Celebrating on New Years Eve (#OscarGrant).

Getting traffic ticket (#SandraBland).

Lawfully owning and carrying a weapon (#PhilandoCastile).

Having car problems (#CoreyJones, #TerrenceCrutcher)

Shopping at Walmart (#JohnCrawford) .

Reading a book in your own car (#KeithScott).

Taking a walk with your grandpa (#CliffordGlover).

Decorating for a party (#ClaudeReese).

Ask law enforcement a question (#RandyEvans).

Cash your checks. (#YvonneSmallwood).

Take your wallet out of your pocket. (#AmadouDiallo).

Run away from a threat. (#WalterScott).

Breathe (#EricGarner).

Live (#FreddieGray).

We’re tired. Tired of trying to convince you that black and brown skin is not just cause to die.

To all my forward thinking friends and family, you don’t have to follow me and you definitely don’t have to read, share, or consider this. But every time you read one of my articles or posts, and you enjoy it or are inspired by it, or helped in any way to grow, remember it was written by a human just like you. I have a family. I have goals and dreams. I cry. I suffer loss. I persevere. I bleed. I fear. I hope. I pray. I love. I just happen to have brown skin.