IDK About You, But #BlackLivesMatter to Me!

I have to go ahead and admit that I am completely fed up. Absolutely sick and tired. Every single day as I scroll through my Facebook feed, I am overwhelmed by the inundation of videos capturing racism and police brutality. Over the last few years, I have simply lost count of all the victims that lost their lives or were unjustly abused. I’m totally livid about it. AND YOU SHOULD BE TOO.

The murder of Freddie Gray which sparked the Baltimore riots earlier in the year hit home for me, although each and every case never ceases to disgust me. Everything from the undeniably innocent Eric Garner being choked to death in NYC to the teenage girl getting manhandled in the Texas pool party incident. However, the recent death of Sandra Bland particularly bothered me. I’m sure this case needs no introduction so I will not even get into the facts. I truly do not believe she committed suicide, but I know the chances of more evidence being released to prove this is highly unlikely. Regardless of the sad outcome, there is NO doubt that she should not have been arrested in the first place. Even if it was a suicide, which is highly unlikely, it could have been avoided. No one should get verbally abused, physically assaulted, and arrested for a simple traffic violation. Did she have an attitude? Sure. I would have too, and many do when dealing with asshole cops or getting pulled over for nonsense. But guess what? Having an attitude is NOT against the law or any cause for arrest!

What I’m most mad over is how so many people can deny what is blatant and justify unacceptable behavior by police or the prevalence of racism in our society. I am left with so many questions. Where is the outrage?! How come everyone glossed over the slaying of nine innocent people at the historic AME church in Charleston?! How come there was no media coverage for the many other churches burned down afterwards, and the disgusting display of hatred and prejudice by people defending the Confederate flag?! Why have so many reports of people dying in their jail cells emerged since Sandra Bland’s death?! How come police are still using excessive force for minor infractions and how many more were NOT captured on camera?! How come American citizens aren’t angry over basic human rights being violated?! Why are we dealing with this in 2015?!

One video I saw today truly amazed me. An Australian guy witnessed police murder someone, then heard them proudly admit it, and he was absolutely stunned. He questioned why they couldn’t use mace or a taser instead of shooting them dead. Another good question! Even if someone is a criminal, they don’t deserve to die or be beaten mercilessly. They have constitutional rights to a fair trial like anyone else, which won’t happen when they’re dead! It’s so astounding that people don’t even seem to value human life anymore. We’re so desensitized that when another mass murder or police killing happens, we don’t even care. It’s apparent to me that we’re taking huge step backwards in the U.S. Other countries are watching and they’re horrified with how we treat our own citizens. No other advanced nation has such a high percentage of its citizens incarcerated, or has video proof of corrupt and racist police yet do nothing.

I guess the reason so many people don’t care is because they feel it doesn’t affect them, which is wrong. Your privilege will NOT save you every time. In one video I saw the other day, a white woman was severely beaten up by police for talking on her cell phone while driving. Though it’s usually racially motivated, it’s getting to the point where anyone can be a victim. Should we all fear for our lives when we get pulled over or interact with the police? God forbid you say the wrong thing. You could end up as the next hashtag.

Oh and please understand one thing. I have the highest respect for law enforcement.  I know that a majority of them are good people who truly do risk their lives to serve their communities. However, there’s just way too many that are power hungry and sadistic, and we’re not doing enough about it. These people are required to take an oath to serve and protect every single one of us, not to beat us, murder us, and violate our rights. It’s just now starting to be more visible due to cell phone cameras and social media, but this has been going on for far too long. Killing someone should always be the last resort. That is just undebatable. It’s just really gone too far and become too common and almost expected. Who do you call on the police when THEY break the law? Who is going to police the police??? Pretty scary when you think about it.

It makes my blood boil that people care more about the fucking Kardashians than countless innocent lives being lost right here in our backyards. The media certainly doesn’t help with distracting people from what’s important. Yes, I was sad over Cecil the lion too, but it blew my mind how people seemed more upset about that than they’ve ever been over black people dying. Even worse is how I see people leaving ignorant comments or saying "they need to get over it" which only illustrates how divided we are. I have to reason with myself that some just don’t get it and never will. It’s painful to witness a time like this and to feel so helpless. I guess most people who don’t have to deal with racial profiling or worrying if their family member will die in the street will just never understand.

What's worse than racism being denied is that it's still not even fully understood by so many. We’ve advanced in so many areas, yet just don’t seem to want to acknowledge the facts. I guess the truth hurts.

Here is what people seem to miss when it comes to racism. It’s NOT just about the millions of people murdered and mistreated over the centuries, although that should be enough. But what’s just as bad is the exploitation of an entire race that still benefits the very people who deny this to this day. The white man would not be what he is today without the genocide of Natives and the enslavement of Africans, who were not only physically building this country into what it became, but whose labor (i.e. cotton and tobacco plantations) became the backbone of the American economy. This allowed generations of whites to prosper and generate wealth to bequeath to their heirs, including those who have white privilege today. They would not be who they are or have what they have without the pain, suffering, murder, and robbery that their ancestors took part in and directly profited from. All while the African American community has only been given basic rights in recent history, and yet STILL is not even treated according to those rights. Their communities were designed to fail, while the blood of their ancestors has lifted up the communities of their oppressors. 

Now African Americans face unbelievably grave figures when it comes to the likelihood of them being racially profiled, arrested, and sentenced to longer jail time compared to any other race in the U.S. I actually took a class on this in undergrad that absolutely changed my life and open my eyes to some very alarming info. Believe me I could go on and on when it comes to this subject, but I'll attempt to keep it brief. Basically, 1 in every 3 black males will go to prison in their lifetime, mostly for petty crimes that whites get a slap on the wrist for (if that). Yet statistics show they're not the leading race in committing crimes, they're just the ones who are more frequently caught and prosecuted. This is a direct result of police being trained to target and stereotype. So the ending of the age of slavery did NOT mean freedom, it simply created the beginning of the age of incarceration. Black people in this country went from slaves to prisoners. I consider this a new form of slavery. It pains my heart, but it’s reality.

While I know many people who feel so passionately about this issue and want to make a difference, sometimes I wonder if the damage is done and if it’s too late. How do we fix systemic racism at this point? There are a lot of things wrong with the world today and American society in particular. Greed, corporate and political corruption, environmental irresponsibility, the poisoning of our citizens via GMOs and food/pharmaceutical companies, inequality, and of course racism. However, I think the attitude that each of us has no power in this is what got us here. We should all stay informed at the very least. It’s more critical now than ever to take an active approach on spreading awareness, protesting when needed, and using our rights to vote and be heard. For those that turn a blind eye and focus all their energy on other trivial things like the Meek vs Drake beef, instead of important things that actually matter, you’re just as bad as the oppressor. History is bound to repeat itself if we ignore it, and that’s exactly what I see happening now. A little blog post like this may not be much, but hey if me ranting and sharing my opinion has expanded even just one person’s view, then my mission is accomplished. Now is the time to keep these discussions and dialogues going, even if just so the lives lost will not be in vain. Let’s make their lives matter.  

XOXO ❤️

Baltimore Riots

I wrote this post for my Facebook on April 27th, 2015. I will never forget this day. It was the day when the nation watched in horror as the city of Baltimore was rioted and looted due to the outrage over the murder of Freddie Gray at the hands of the Baltimore City Police Department. As many know, I lived, worked, and attended college in Baltimore from ages 16-22 and this had a profound impact on my life. Making friends with, living next door to and regularly interacting with citizens of this very unfortunate city allowed me to understand a new perspective so foreign for me, though only 20-30 miles away from where I grew up. Here I witnessed struggle, racism and oppression up close and personal. So when I saw shit hit the fan on national TV and the people of Baltimore villainized and condemned, I was absolutely crushed. What bothered me the most was the stark differences of what was reported by the media and fed to the masses, versus what people I knew personally were reporting via social media. I was in tears and severely upset, all made worse by the extremely ignorant comments I was hearing from coworkers at work and friends/family via social media. The lack of empathy and the distortion and manipulation tactics used by the media truly just had me fed up. I usually try to stay away from social debates or any political sides, and keep my Facebook pretty squeaky clean. But no. This time and I had to speak out and post my unpopular opinion in the hope of opening even one set of eyes. So I posted some real photos of Baltimore (shocking but the exact sights I drove by all the time as a Baltimore resident) and a passionate rant, as follows…..

Let's not forget that these pictures are what the streets of Baltimore looked like before all these riots. Absolutely devastating and depressing. The exact opposite of what this country is known for and proud of. It's no exaggeration because I personally lived in the midst of it myself for years. Regardless of your opinions, PLEASE just try to imagine being born and raised here, into this kind of struggle that is found to be entertaining to the world via a hit HBO series, yet is still an everyday reality for many citizens of Baltimore. Their politicians have been corrupt for how long? The murder rate has been at the top of the national list for how long? An already failing education system keeps getting cut for how long? The poverty rate has been ridiculous for how long? Boarded up houses have lined countless blocks for how long? Racism from the police force that is supposed to serve & protect them (which I have witnessed firsthand) is common for how long.... ??????????? How the hell are they supposed to succeed??? And how hopeless would YOU feel??? You have to understand that many people from this city have a different mindset because of the environment they've grown up in, one that most of us are fortunate enough that we can't even begin to relate to. The city is pretty much still segregated. Drugs and crime in their neighborhood are a normal part of life. Everyone has experienced some form of racism, and police brutality is just accepted. How is this okay? There is a lot of poverty in the U.S. that we turn a blind eye to but to be quite frank, this city is like no other in our nation, and the rest of the state and country has turned their back on Baltimore. And if you don't agree, then please tell me you would go live on one of these blocks in the pictures above and call that HOME. You wouldn't? Oh. Maybe because it already looked like a warzone or a third world country to begin with. Well imagine having no choice because that's where you grew up. Maybe now you can understand why some people are not behaving rationally, because they've never even been given a fair chance. I'm just trying to find a way to paint this picture clear for you.

Now let me make this clear, I don't condone violence, nor do I agree with harming innocent people or destroying communities at all! I believe it's gone too far, and will only accomplish more harm than good. But instead of condemning, I choose to at least try to understand their perspective on why they're outraged. The statistics are astounding. The odds are just not in the favor of black men, and there's no denying it. The black community was already systemically designed to fail, and yet has come a long way and seen so much progress, only to be totally discouraged every time one of their own is unjustly slaughtered at the hands of those they're supposed to trust the most. So yes, people of all races across the nation are getting fed up by seeing black men killed by law enforcement as a regular occurrence, and rightfully so. This boiling point was inevitable regardless of the very sad Freddie Gray situation. When it happens in Baltimore, a city that's already facing more than its share of problems and whose system has truly failed its people in EVERY WAY, yes you can expect things to get out of hand. People are lashing out because their voice is not taken seriously, so yes it got out of control... But don't let the media blind you to only acknowledge the unfortunate actions of some, when so many more are working peacefully to fight for justice and equality. Because believe me there is just as much evidence that tens of thousands are doing things the right way and trying to make a difference. But that never gets the same media attention, so it never gets them very far, does it? Sadly it never even gets much attention until things get this extreme and violent.

Again, all I'm trying to say is there is so much more to the picture than most of you realize if you've never lived in Baltimore or any other city like it. You say "these people" are destroying their city but it's honestly already been destroyed for years. If you have never had to worry about your child being racially profiled and possibly killed then you have no right to judge people fighting to end what they have to actually live every day. Being a person of mixed race, I have to say that most of us are so unbelievably lucky that we don't get racially profiled, and if we are arrested we WILL get a fair trial as promised by our constitutional rights, unlike some others who never got the chance because they're freaking DEAD. When did we lose value for human life, regardless of race? How can we stand by and let this go on? Some people just don't get it because they will never know how privileged they are or have to experience what it feels like to be discriminated against. The ignorant comments I've seen today on both sides shows me how divided everyone is and will always be, it's heartbreaking. I see both sides and as anyone who knows me knows, I am a huge supporter of our amazing heroes in law enforcement and the military. But I do think plenty who are granted power abuse it and that we need to stand up to this more often to make it right! This country was founded upon a spirit of revolution for basic freedoms and rights, and our system is supposed to be one of democracy and justice. In fact, rioting for these values is what actually led to this country's formation in the first place. So at this point if you still can't acknowledge that it's time for change then you're part of the problem. Anyone who can see right for wrong should be able to get this and empathize. I have friends of all races and ethnicities who fight passionately to spread this and open people's eyes, and I usually try to stay out of it. But this time, I had to open my mouth so excuse the long rant. As this quote I read today so beautifully summarizes it, "People do not seem to realize that their opinion of the world is also a confession of their character." All I want you to think about is, if it were happening to you how would you feel?