Every week I hope to pitch a new story idea, one that isn’t as controversial, one that won’t paint me as an angry Black writer, and one that doesn’t depict me as a writer who only has substance when the issue is built around race.
However, I am willing to be all of that if I’m shaking tables, making people upset, and waking up those who are sleep to the odds stacked against our brown skin.
We have Stephen Paddock who killed 58 people, Dylan Roof who killed 9, James Holmes who killed 12, Adam Lanza who killed 28 people and Omar Manteen who killed 49 people.
Dylan Roof said he was hungry while he was in police custody and they got him a free meal at Burger King. Stephen Paddock was described as a ‘country music fan’ James Holmes was apparently a ‘brilliant science student’. Adam Lanza’s reasoning was because he had Asperger’s Syndrome which is a form of Autism. Those in the media who provided coverage of Omar Manteen thought it was important to note the day he registered to vote, which was July 19, 2006.
Yes, Omar Manteen is Muslim, but peep what they chose to include while covering the mass shooting at a nightclub. They wanted you to know that he was a stand-up shooter who clearly respected America enough to place a ballot.
Philando Castile was 32-years-old, Rekia Boyd was 22-years-old, Eric Garner was 29-years-old, Oscar Grant was 22-years-old, Mike Brown was 18-years-old, Aiyana Jones was 7-years-old, and Tamir Rice was 12-years-old when they were killed by police.
Philando Castile was licensed to carry and was shot in front of his daughter while reaching for his license as asked by the police. Rekia Boyd was walking home and was shot 5 times in an ally. Eric Garner was choked to death for selling loose cigarettes outside of a corner store. Oscar Grant was killed on New Year’s Day in handcuffs. Mike Brown was shot after having his hands up walking AWAY from the police in broad daylight. Aiyana Jones was shot after her house was wrongfully raided by police. Tamir Rice had a pellet gun and was killed by police.
You can’t convince me that this country is built on, “for liberty and justice for all,” when we have Black bodies being slain and the media covering their stories as, “troubled teen, dude was buying cigarettes, suspicion of a criminal past, looked like a thug,” BUT justify terrorism by giving positive attributes of their history or their grades in high school. Whether you got straight A’s or Straight F’s you are a killer! Just like these Black boys and Black girls have to live with a wrongful death and negative perception being placed on their character, so should white people.
It’s wrong to have guns when you’re Black. It’s wrong to defend yourself when you’re Black. Kalief Browder went to jail for three years over allegedly stealing a backpack and tried to commit suicide 4 times at age 16 and no one did NOTHING!
Every day I am reminded that I am Black, whether we lose one of us due to police brutality. Whether a white mass murderer kills innocent people and gets labeled as someone who, “was a good student or enjoyed country music.” Whether they cover our stories or kill our people nothing is done right when you’re brown.
But when your privilege goes hand in hand with freedom, America protects you.