America’s Constant Lack of Respect For Black Life

I have a question – Why is Mr. Al Sharpton always the one black person called onto the scene of violence against blacks, but doesn’t seem to ever do a damn thing!? I am not implying that he has never done anything at all for blacks; I believe he has done a lot up until a point, but I also believe that the mainstream media seeks him out to come and pacify or quiet down black people’s rage when the justice system has abused them. He does so by using the same old civil rights jargon of nearly 50 years ago, to numb the minds of protestors. He is still using the same old tired ass non-violent marches – while singing church hymns and negro spirituals – that he did back in the day with MLK. I am not crucifying Mr. Sharpton here, that isn’t the point of my post. I don’t know him personally, and as I said, I do believe he has fought in the past, but I also believe he has now been bought. I say this because it is common practice to have an inside (or spies) “policing” of a people by its own people. (Click Here To See Trailer for Mississippi Spies). We have not gone forward in terms of race relations, we have gone backwards!

I digress…I simply don’t agree that his approach is relevant in today’s fight against racism, as it is a very different fight than it was back then. That approach is played, brother! We don’t need any more peaceful protests, peaceful marches, peaceful nothing. What made the Black Civil Rights Movement so potent was relentlessness! When white America realized that if they killed two of the freedom fighters, five more immediately stepped up ready to die…kill that five, seven more took their place. It was that “we ain’t going nowhere until it stops mentality” that forced them to install legislative changes to make things more equal for blacks. This also forced them to find a new way to enforce Jim Crow When they realize they had a serious war on their hands that wasn’t going away easily. THAT is when things truly began to change and they decided to compromise and change the face of racism and the treatment toward ppl of color. But it only changed costumes, don’t get it twisted. Thus is why protesting publicly is so important. It shows resolve and resiliency that cannot be ignored. Looting is an act of war. Throughout history, looting has been done by opposing troops in order to weaken the state of the enemy and strengthen your own. When a country decides to go to war with another, one of the first things to happen is a disarmament of their foe by seeking out known military supply yards and destroying it. In this destruction, they will salvage what they can to use against them.

So this is how we solve problems in America? We are on camera to the entire world, and as one who projects itself as the world’s leader and peace preserver, we can’t even preserve peace within our own borders; from South America to Central America, to the North. Prayer doesn’t seem to be cutting it either, as the number of senseless murders of young black men is steadily rising. While you are on your knees praying for Michael Brown, another 25-year old black male – a known mentally disturbed one – was murdered in Los Angeles, less than 48 hours after the Ferguson shooting! Shooting an unarmed person is a complete act of cowardice, in my opinion. In many cities around the United States, these young black people are being profiled, and police are being trained to identify and select them as targets by the way they walk, talk, and dress. They are being run down like dogs in the streets in broad daylight, murdered in cold blood by the people who we as taxpayers compensate to protect them! They have rights, too! Most of them are unarmed, and NOT dangerous. It is a “shoot first, ask questions later” mentality that our law enforcement are being brainwashed with; showing very little respect for human life/black life, and civil rights – and that is bullshit! Additionally, the shooters are rarely justly punished for the crimes they commit! Just because a kid has on baggy jeans doesn’t mean he’s a thug or threat to you! Because his hair style doesn’t fit your description of what is conservative, civil, humane, or in alignment with your idea of the status quo, doesn’t make him any less human or deserving of such brutal treatment and disrespect. When we show no resistance to this type of behavior from our law enforcement, we are in essence saying that we are OK with it. So if you are not OK with it, you must not be afraid to speak up and speak out loud!

I am all for Peace & Love, but there comes a point where you have to stand up and make it clear to the oppressor that what is going on around you just is no longer acceptable or tolerable. You must display that you are willing to fight (and die) to make it stop! WE must stand together to show them that this is NOT the kind of world we want to live in, and together create the one that we DO want. Big Ups to the Ferguson, MO residents, and the supporting St. Louis, MO black community for standing vehemently against yet another senseless slaughtering of an unarmed, young black male. Stand by and watch if you will, while your local police forces practice military tactics on civilians here on your home soil; the black male seems to be the primary “lab rat” at this point in the experiment. Not all police officers are bad, but if you are one and are unwilling to stand up against what you know is wrong, then you are no better than the rest of them. They are practicing in preparation to use these same tactics on YOU in situations of mass hysteria and any protest to whatever kind of police state they are trying to set up here. It is complete fear tactic that is designed to send a message of, “this is what could happen to you if you resist police force – you could find yourself at war in your own neighborhood”. You may or may not know, but many small town, local police forces are receiving millions of dollars worth of military grade protective gear, weaponry, and other war-ready technology from the United States federal government. This is the equipment they are using to deal with civilians in our communities. We must ask the question, “Why?” Why is such heavy artillery needed to control a population, some of which are armed, yes, but in no way comparatively? Most of the people in these neighborhoods are harmless, hard-working, and innocent, so why in the world would you need to possess such barbaric utility?

I don’t care what race, ethnicity, or color you are, if you have a job, must work every day like most of us in order to feed and support yourself or your family, and you refuse to fight in some way for those who can’t fight for themselves, then don’t be alarmed when you find yourself unable to protect your own rights and freedoms in the future. We must learn to see these victims as a part of our collective selves. In order to see an end to this insanity, this entire country must some day stand hand-in-hand, and rise up against these hate crimes against black America, and all people of color who have earned a right in blood to a share of this soil. Until then – and without racism – there will be no true peace in America.

~R.I.P. Michael Brown~

20 BradfordSpoke  14

Bradford Speaks is a Life Architect, Coach & Youth Speaker, who desires to wake up the world to see one that it could exist in if only it could employ more love and less hate and war. He seeks to speak to and inspire our youth to live at a higher level of consciousness, to see themselves as their brother’s keeper. He is also an author and self proclaimed philosopher. You may visit his company’s site, Bradford Speaks Life Management, LLC to learn more about his work, and to schedule individual sessions or book him to speak to your youth organization.