What's this blog about?
This is about the things that I see and interpret locally, nationally, internationally and spiritually. Sometimes photos, drawings and sketches and such. But not necessarily in that order. What you will find is some statements, but more importantly questions to think about.
An interpretation on the current escalation in tensions between the Black community and certain divisions of law enforcement may lie on a series of questions that we have to consider when we see an officer or need to be represented in the judicial system.
Which authority/law are you seeking to enforce?
Is their some underlying belief of an innate authority/superiority granted by your ethnicity that you feel I should abide by?
Is it the law of the nation that you are enforcing?
Is the extent that the law is upheld and executed determined by my race?
Let's start with a few questions
1. Are you a racist?
Let's first look at the definition of Racism : I'll use Merriam-Webster's which defines Racism as this :
a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race.
Well let me actually rephrase the previous question :
In some circumstances are you an expounder of race based decisions?
From my personal experience I have had very good relationships with different races. My primary education was in an urban school setting in which I was in the majority from an ethnic standpoint while my secondary education was in a predominantly white suburban school. I was very fortunate to have a set of teachers, coaches and teammates throughout those secondary years to allow me to have a references to draw on and avoid polarization. The love however started at home. More on that another time.
A key question :
Am I asking for acceptation, exemption or consistency?
The paper trail. Of course documentation can be provided, but has everything been written down consistently for all known infractions for all parties within the corporate structure? It's like football (American) lineman and holding. You can call it on almost every play, but it's not. Why?
1. If your daughter who is not of African decent brings home a young man of African decent do you feel the need to have a "Talk with Her?"
2. 1st time at a basketball court - you have the next game and have never seen any of the participants waiting to play the break ethnically is this : there are 8 White guys, 5 Black guys and 3 Hispanic to pick from for your 5 on 5 team - all of similar size, build and age - what does your team look like?
Think about these following questions carefully - use the initial image that is created from your imagination.What does your fighting criminal look like? Think about who you would picture for for crimes against women? Crimes of robbery? Corporate crimes? Police violence? School shootings? On government assistance?
3. What does your companies management staff look like? Do you tend to see a congregation of individuals of African decent at the Assistant position? Are they typically assigned to the Urban settings for sales positions? If a picture was taken how would it look? Does your black owned company feel the need to hire all of the black talent to prove a point?
4. Do the recent police brutality videos make you respond differently to your parenting?
As a father of 3 young males of African decent, I am firmer now because of watching the videos of young black men being assaulted and even killed. Add on to that some of the law enforcement being acquitted while receiving 6 figure fund raised accounts for their families. (Which has a feeling of an endorsement) That's scary as a parent if you really think about it.
I am interested to hear well thought out responses. These things continue to exist because they aren't really discussed. Discuss these with warmth in a non polarized way, intensely, sympathetically and compassionately.
