I'm
gonna put my post up again that I made yesterday. I deleted it because I
felt wrong about what I wrote... we are often taught that the terrorism
and murders that occur in our community are normal and since it's
"black on back", it's invalid. It's business as usual. Black folk simply
don't care and white media brings up the victim's background and searches
high and low for "proof" that we are suffering, even if the event and
HISTORY was recorded on paper and camera. "Because we are taught that
brown people killing brown people is not senseless; it's expected and
it's normal." So many of us have really opened our eyes the past few
days and I was relieved to see people across all my networks that have
been saying the SAME THING.
I stayed up until about 3 am on November 13, 2015. All I read was panic, heart break, and sorrow across my social networks. But I said nothing. I said nothing because my thoughts immediately raced towards a notion that the public will most likely dismiss or even shun. Then, I started seeing posts made by the people I follow that are outspoken advocates for Black rights and social justice… as well as “regular people”. Throughout the day, I only saw two posts that got to the point without sounding insensitive and harsh, and they captured my very feelings toward the tragedy that occurred in Paris. The first one by my friend “M”:
“When will Facebook allow me to have a temporary profile picture that pays respect to the African Americans we’ve lost? Not knocking Paris and the unfortunate circumstances people are facing there (and I am most definitely praying for them) but there’s a war on African Americans right in front of our eyes and half of you changing your profile pictures didn’t flinch when my brothers and sisters were killed #GoAheadAndUnfriendMeIfThi
And another friend, “K” passionately wrote;
“Changing background pictures in support of Paris, but I NEVER see them post/change anything for any other acts of violence…I am sad that Paris seems to get more support from Americans than people who reside in this country and suffer from the actions of other Americans. #blacklivesmatter”
Yasiin Bey, fka Mos Def spoke to Vibe mag:
"Yasiin Bey also encouraged those who are currently mourning over the Paris attacks to also mourn for the deaths happening stateside, including that of Tamir Rice and other unarmed victims of police brutality.
“The state kills children and say that they’re justified in murdering children. They kill unarmed people and say that they’re justified in doing it. I need everybody who’s sad about Paris to be just as sad and angry about Tamir Rice and all of these young, innocent people dying over nothing.”
I hope those who are reading this understand that these messages from the heart are no way, shape, or form dismissing or downplaying what happened in Paris, Lebanon, Japan, Mexico, Kenya in April, and everywhere else in this world… No one’s saying it’s not important/tragic or not as important/tragic. People were murdered. PEOPLE were EXECUTED. Lives were taken away. What happened was savage and disgusting…
And this is not a criticism towards those who think people can’t focus on one topic at a time. People can suffer and mourn various different tragedies that occur around the world simultaneously, so let’s trash that notion. Yes, there are times where certain events do get more attention than others. But odds are you know about various events but the media tends to push just one or two stories in your face. This is why we urge people to look towards independent media and media created and catered to the people that represent them.
These messages here are talking about how it saddens, no, ANGERS us that lots of (Black) people, online or in person, NEVER or SELDOM mention anything about the terrorism and oppression Black and Brown and Indigenous bodies face here every day, on all fronts whether it’s due to poverty, racism, police misconduct, violence within the community, environmental racism etc… not one word of acknowledgment in solidarity, understanding, or even support towards the issues we face regionally, nationally, and globally.. and then turn around and ONLY “support” others outside of the community. Just sayin…
I'd like to add another comment that a gentleman, "A", wrote on someone else's post, that ties to my last paragraph:
"This was my thought process: I felt the same exact way. Then I thought to myself... I sound like the #Alllivesmatter people. Then I thought again... No, I dont. Because Alllivesmatter people ignore people of color and a legitimate racial bias where as I fully understand and believe that all lives matter but some are treated worse than others. Just as in this case. Larger death tolls and more devastation but ignored because its poor black and brown people."
I'd like to end on this.
Prayer and faith without works is dead. So yes, if you pray, PRAY, but see how you can take action as well. Go harder with your works so you can make a difference in any way you see fit.
End selective grief and outrage.
Anti-Blackness is global. White supremacy is global, and it is the problem.
Heal the world. Peace
I stayed up until about 3 am on November 13, 2015. All I read was panic, heart break, and sorrow across my social networks. But I said nothing. I said nothing because my thoughts immediately raced towards a notion that the public will most likely dismiss or even shun. Then, I started seeing posts made by the people I follow that are outspoken advocates for Black rights and social justice… as well as “regular people”. Throughout the day, I only saw two posts that got to the point without sounding insensitive and harsh, and they captured my very feelings toward the tragedy that occurred in Paris. The first one by my friend “M”:
“When will Facebook allow me to have a temporary profile picture that pays respect to the African Americans we’ve lost? Not knocking Paris and the unfortunate circumstances people are facing there (and I am most definitely praying for them) but there’s a war on African Americans right in front of our eyes and half of you changing your profile pictures didn’t flinch when my brothers and sisters were killed #GoAheadAndUnfriendMeIfThi
And another friend, “K” passionately wrote;
“Changing background pictures in support of Paris, but I NEVER see them post/change anything for any other acts of violence…I am sad that Paris seems to get more support from Americans than people who reside in this country and suffer from the actions of other Americans. #blacklivesmatter”
Yasiin Bey, fka Mos Def spoke to Vibe mag:
"Yasiin Bey also encouraged those who are currently mourning over the Paris attacks to also mourn for the deaths happening stateside, including that of Tamir Rice and other unarmed victims of police brutality.
“The state kills children and say that they’re justified in murdering children. They kill unarmed people and say that they’re justified in doing it. I need everybody who’s sad about Paris to be just as sad and angry about Tamir Rice and all of these young, innocent people dying over nothing.”
I hope those who are reading this understand that these messages from the heart are no way, shape, or form dismissing or downplaying what happened in Paris, Lebanon, Japan, Mexico, Kenya in April, and everywhere else in this world… No one’s saying it’s not important/tragic or not as important/tragic. People were murdered. PEOPLE were EXECUTED. Lives were taken away. What happened was savage and disgusting…
And this is not a criticism towards those who think people can’t focus on one topic at a time. People can suffer and mourn various different tragedies that occur around the world simultaneously, so let’s trash that notion. Yes, there are times where certain events do get more attention than others. But odds are you know about various events but the media tends to push just one or two stories in your face. This is why we urge people to look towards independent media and media created and catered to the people that represent them.
These messages here are talking about how it saddens, no, ANGERS us that lots of (Black) people, online or in person, NEVER or SELDOM mention anything about the terrorism and oppression Black and Brown and Indigenous bodies face here every day, on all fronts whether it’s due to poverty, racism, police misconduct, violence within the community, environmental racism etc… not one word of acknowledgment in solidarity, understanding, or even support towards the issues we face regionally, nationally, and globally.. and then turn around and ONLY “support” others outside of the community. Just sayin…
I'd like to add another comment that a gentleman, "A", wrote on someone else's post, that ties to my last paragraph:
"This was my thought process: I felt the same exact way. Then I thought to myself... I sound like the #Alllivesmatter people. Then I thought again... No, I dont. Because Alllivesmatter people ignore people of color and a legitimate racial bias where as I fully understand and believe that all lives matter but some are treated worse than others. Just as in this case. Larger death tolls and more devastation but ignored because its poor black and brown people."
I'd like to end on this.
Prayer and faith without works is dead. So yes, if you pray, PRAY, but see how you can take action as well. Go harder with your works so you can make a difference in any way you see fit.
End selective grief and outrage.
Anti-Blackness is global. White supremacy is global, and it is the problem.
Heal the world. Peace
