Still Life: Black Lives Matter
Dear Ollie,
I am a white, college educated, privileged woman. Your dad is a white, college educated, privileged man. We both came from white and very successful families. You, my dear, are a white and privileged boy. What this means is that you are in either a very lucky or very challenging position in the world.
On February 23, Ahmaud Arbery was jogging, just like your dad and I do. He was chased down and shot by two white men for no reason. Police made no arrests until May 7, after a video of the murder went viral. Mr. Arbery was 25 years old, Black and unarmed.
On March 13, police entered Breonna Taylor's apartment in the middle of the night without a warrant, searching for suspected drug dealers. These suspects didn't live near the premises and turned out to be already arrested. When Miss Taylor's boyfriend, who legally owned a firearm and fired a shot (thinking that the police were intruders - after all, he had just woken up), the police opened fire and shot Breonna 8 times. Drugs were not found in the vicinity. The police officers have not been charged. Miss Taylor was 26, Black and unarmed.
On May 25th, George Floyd was in the process of being arrested for allegedly using a counterfeit $20 bill. The police officer knelt on Mr. Floyd's neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, despite his pleas, witnesses' shouts, his mind losing consciousness and his body lying still, and killed him. All four officers were fired the next day, but it wasn't until four days after the event that the main police officer was charged - and a few days following that when the three other police officers involved were charged. Mr. Floyd was 46 years old, Black and unarmed.
Ollie, these aren't even close to the only instances of heinous murders of African-American or Black people, in fact, people could argue that they're becoming the norm. That's why "Black Lives Matter" is an important movement - it means that yes, though all lives matter, racism and white supremacy EXIST and Black lives are being disproportionately killed, with their murderers often getting off scot free. This has been going on for hundreds of years, but BLM began only recently in 2013 when Trayvon Martin, a beautiful, unarmed Black 17 year old, was shot and his murderer was acquitted.
You already know about Ruby Bridges, Dr. MLK, Jr, and Rosa Parks. You have heard "I Have A Dream" and believe that slavery was wrong. You know that all people, despite race, ethnicity, gender identity and sexual orientation are important, but that's not a thought you give when choosing friends. The only thing that seems to matter to you is kindness and whether people laugh at your jokes. I hope that sticks. Your father and I are doing all we can to show our ally-ism to our friends and communities of color. But there's more we have to do; there's more we need to teach you to do.
I've already spoken on this blog about fighting for your beliefs, and explained to you that there will be difficult times when you have to speak up. In order to understand what to do when those times come, your father and I pledge the following:
We will listen and learn and hold space for those whose voices need to be heard. And when they call on us to help, we will do whatever we can - sweep up ashen businesses, form defense barriers, feed, clothe and purchase supplies - anything that will strengthen and amplify their voices. We're going to make mistakes - oh, honey, that's really all we ever do and some will be huge - but we're not going to fear judgement. We're going to pick ourselves up, learn from our errors, and show everyone how privilege can be a good thing.
I am a white, college educated, privileged woman. Your dad is a white, college educated, privileged man. We both came from white and very successful families. You, my dear, are a white and privileged boy. What this means is that you are in either a very lucky or very challenging position in the world.
On February 23, Ahmaud Arbery was jogging, just like your dad and I do. He was chased down and shot by two white men for no reason. Police made no arrests until May 7, after a video of the murder went viral. Mr. Arbery was 25 years old, Black and unarmed.
On March 13, police entered Breonna Taylor's apartment in the middle of the night without a warrant, searching for suspected drug dealers. These suspects didn't live near the premises and turned out to be already arrested. When Miss Taylor's boyfriend, who legally owned a firearm and fired a shot (thinking that the police were intruders - after all, he had just woken up), the police opened fire and shot Breonna 8 times. Drugs were not found in the vicinity. The police officers have not been charged. Miss Taylor was 26, Black and unarmed.
On May 25th, George Floyd was in the process of being arrested for allegedly using a counterfeit $20 bill. The police officer knelt on Mr. Floyd's neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, despite his pleas, witnesses' shouts, his mind losing consciousness and his body lying still, and killed him. All four officers were fired the next day, but it wasn't until four days after the event that the main police officer was charged - and a few days following that when the three other police officers involved were charged. Mr. Floyd was 46 years old, Black and unarmed.
Ollie, these aren't even close to the only instances of heinous murders of African-American or Black people, in fact, people could argue that they're becoming the norm. That's why "Black Lives Matter" is an important movement - it means that yes, though all lives matter, racism and white supremacy EXIST and Black lives are being disproportionately killed, with their murderers often getting off scot free. This has been going on for hundreds of years, but BLM began only recently in 2013 when Trayvon Martin, a beautiful, unarmed Black 17 year old, was shot and his murderer was acquitted.
You already know about Ruby Bridges, Dr. MLK, Jr, and Rosa Parks. You have heard "I Have A Dream" and believe that slavery was wrong. You know that all people, despite race, ethnicity, gender identity and sexual orientation are important, but that's not a thought you give when choosing friends. The only thing that seems to matter to you is kindness and whether people laugh at your jokes. I hope that sticks. Your father and I are doing all we can to show our ally-ism to our friends and communities of color. But there's more we have to do; there's more we need to teach you to do.
I've already spoken on this blog about fighting for your beliefs, and explained to you that there will be difficult times when you have to speak up. In order to understand what to do when those times come, your father and I pledge the following:
- We promise to read to you and urge you to read books about and written by people of color. Whether it be fiction or nonfiction, history of Black, Latinx, Native American or other ethnicities, we pledge to learn together about different lives to develop compassion and empathy and to uncover the true history of our fellow women and men
- We promise to take you to protests and rallies, to broaden our friendship base, in order to aid and stand alongside those who are persecuted
- We promise to instill in you an urge to help with any resources you have available: your money, your time, your mind and your network
- We promise to foster in you the importance of community and civics. You will learn how to understand city councils, budgets and reform and you will vote strong and hard for your beliefs
- We promise to give you a voice, confident and leading, to use when you see injustice and when you must gather the troops to fight. We will help you learn when to speak up and when to be silent
- We promise to continue building in you a loving foundation of good vs. evil and right vs. wrong. We will support you in making difficult decisions when people challenge your beliefs
We will listen and learn and hold space for those whose voices need to be heard. And when they call on us to help, we will do whatever we can - sweep up ashen businesses, form defense barriers, feed, clothe and purchase supplies - anything that will strengthen and amplify their voices. We're going to make mistakes - oh, honey, that's really all we ever do and some will be huge - but we're not going to fear judgement. We're going to pick ourselves up, learn from our errors, and show everyone how privilege can be a good thing.
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