The Wrong Thing

Dear readers,

We have all made a grievous mistake – including me. We were so fired up after the brutal murder of George Floyd that we let our emotions get the better of us. Sometimes, we need to look at the whole picture.

There are two parts to what I’m about to say.

Firstly, we’re fighting for the wrong thing. Yes, Black People in America have been oppressed for years and it’s right for them to want their own pound of flesh but when all is truly said and done, what will we, as a whole, have accomplished except for more bloodshed, tears and a burning hatred?

Yesterday I watched a movie called American Son on Netflix (I think we should all watch that movie). It put my whole perspective on George Floyd’s death and racism upside down. As I’ve said before, fighting won’t get us anywhere.

And we’re partly to blame for some of the racist issues. While not all policemen are the moral figures that they’re portrayed to be in storybooks, they are policemen for a reason. A policeman is backed by law and government. So however you treat a policeman, is basically how you’re saying you would treat the President.

Why we’re partly to blame is this: PREJUDICE

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In simple terms, prejudice is like an idea or a thought you form towards a person or a group of people most times before even meeting them. For example, you haven’t met a white police man but now because of Floyd’s death you assume all policemen are brutal killing machines.

Back to what I was saying. I feel that we have caused prejudice in the mind of SOME white policemen.

Why?

Let’s look at it like this. We’re not sure how or why exactly racism started but there’s already seeds of mistrust and distaste planted in the hearts of both black and white people. This of course, causes some bad feelings among all of us, so are interaction with them becomes awkward, strained and tense. Now, I’m sure we’ve all heard of how whenever a black person is stopped, they either refuse to come out of the car or they act all ‘don’t put your hands on me, m*therf*cker!’. Now, remember, these policemen aren’t killing machines or monsters. They also have wives, children, pasta Fridays and all. Do you think they’ll be nicer to you when you act all rude and pushy in their faces or treat them like they got some raging chronic disease?

Of course not.

Especially as now, I’m not sure whether this is necessarily a good or bad thing, we all watch movies where crime rates are low, so policemen are left sipping tea and eating donuts. When confronted like that, they’re going to want to assert their authority and show you whose boss. Don’t forget who’s got their back.

I’m  not saying that you should be all passive and meek. No. But there’s something we’re all getting wrong here.

I’ve done various researches and look-arounds and we technically have NO rights when pulled over. Okay…. Amendment. We have some rights but not in the way you think. Although the laws may differ in various countries, they all have a foundation.

When we’re pulled over, we DON’T have to answer any incriminating questions (questions that assume we’re guilty)  but we do have to answer factual questions for their database ( like our name, where we are coming from, our date of birth etc).

Sometimes we may match the identity of a BOLO ( Be On the Look Out) who just shot up a school or a car that was reported fleeing a crime scene. However, once a policeman detains you and/or decides to take you down to the station for a check-up on your story, you do have the right to SHUT UP!

Hollywood has messed up our perspective of the Police Force. We don’t have the right to start claiming you want to see your lawyer because once the policeman has told you what to do and you do anything else but that, he can ARREST you for resisting with force.

Now we’ve gotten a fill of the truth, let’s move on.

Yes. We are fighting for the wrong thing. And as I’ve just finished explaining, fighting will get us nothing but pain, hate and bloodshed.

By insisting blacks fight back, we’re simply digging ourselves a deeper hole to fall into. Cause to be honest, although you’re not killing them, you’re being exactly the people you’re trying to fight against.

What we should want is EQUALITY. Don’t think on the racism aspect alone. Think about it globally. Why should there be people who earn 350 million dollars a year and some people are looking for what they’re going to give their 5 children for breakfast, to talk less of themselves.

There’s going to be a Part 2 because I feel that we’ve barely scratched the surface. So please, let’s get our facts right and do the right thing.

Signing out (for now),

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