Tag: George Floyd

Two Americas

The time for cognitive dissonance, for denial, is past. It turns out Barack Obama was wrong. We are two Americas. It is true we are not separated by red and blue states. The contrast is far greater than that. Less superficial, more divisive and permanent. We are two hands. Two ambidextrous fists that keep slamming into each other unable to recognize that we are attached to the same body. One tattooed with the word “hate” across its knuckles and the other “love.”

We have denied the obvious for far too long. Handicapped ourselves by alternating which hand was tied behind our back for long stretches of our history. It is time to make a choice. To amputate an appendage and choose our country’s identity once and for all. To advance the dreams of our fathers requires we now pick a dominant side.

This is not a choice that can be prayed away. There are no alternative facts. One hand reflects the audacity of hope and dreams of our ancestors. It appends to those outraged by the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Trayvon Martin, Freddie Gray, Tamir Rice, Eric Garner and the countless other lives lost. Clenches in silent protest of those who kneel in defiance of the institutionalized racism that caused them. Points in condemnation of the prejudice rendered by Lady Justice that renders their deaths hollow.

It is the fist we used to smash through the bonds of slavery and defeat the grasp of Nazi facism. The hand extended by FDR, Susan B, MLK, Margaret, JFK, Ruth Bader and Barack as they took on world leaders and espoused the virtues of American exceptionalism. The fist we raise in pride for our immigrant heritage and in our standing as the beacon for hope and liberty to the world’s oppressed.

The other hand is no less powerful or prevalent in our nation’s history. It is the hand that draws false equivalents between those who protest for equality and freedom with those who represent hatred and ignorance. The one we use to point at and dehumanize people. The hand extended by those who kneel at the heels of Confederate statues and on the necks of our most vulnerable minorities. The one that cracks the whip and pulls refugees from our borders. That locks the cages on immigrant children as if they are less than human. As if they are “animals,” unworthy of the basic inalienable rights bestowed upon all men.

It is the fist that holds the tiki torches, burns crosses, and straps nooses and assault rifles to their bodies to intimidate. The one that targets our sons and daughters in their crosshairs and pulls the trigger as if they are of no more value than an avatar. The hand extended by Jackson, Lee, Cheney, McCarthy, Anton and Trump as they alienated world leaders and espoused the virtues of “America first.” The fist we raise in acknowledgement of white power and to build the walls that defend our borders.

It is time our citizenry choose a hand. The choice appears obvious to me. Love will always trump hate in the end.

Violence Is Not The Answer

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“Violence is not the answer.” The safe and typical common ground that both supporters of the protests and supporters of the status quo spout off in their media interviews.

They’re right off course, violence does beget violence.

When our uniformed officers use excessive force and act with apparent disregard for black lives, it begets violence.

When racist vigilantes shoot first and ask questions later, it begets violence.

When laws are enacted that excuse those who “stand their ground” for reasons borne of ignorance and hate, it begets violence.

When unarmed children are systematically caged and forcibly removed from their guardians, it begets violence.

When minority fathers are disproportionately cuffed and sentenced to multiple years in prison for victimless crimes, it begets violence.

The problem with the statement “violence is not the answer” is not that it’s incorrect, but that it is only used reactively to condemn the victims of violence instead of the perpetrators. It’s utterance the very essence of systemic racism. We need every police academy, every uniformed officer, every teacher, judge and elected official to be trained in this simple concept from the day they enter their desired vocation.

The fires in our streets today are not being fueled by protestors but by systemic ignorance and lack of training. The vast majority of European officers do not carry lethal force weapons on them for a reason. They are trained in non-violent deescalation and apprehension techniques first.

Violence is not the answer but save those empty words and condemnations for the perpetrators of that violence. Until then this country can expect to continue to see nights of violent unrest.