Self Righteous Talk

self-right·eous/ˌself ˈrīCHəs/

adjective

1. having or characterized by a certainty, especially an unfounded one, that one is totally correct or morally superior.

I want to take this time and thank all of my family members and friends who have been so supportive in this process. Because it is a process. Especially those who understood why the conversation had to keep going. The ones who listened, learned and began to fight by spreading knowledge too. Just the other day my sister told me I have to be an activist too.

We have too. I have read so many comments and received so many messages but the one that always stand out the most is when they call me racist. Yes your read that right racist because I say black lives matter. Not all/ or white lives matter. If I say black lives matter it offends people then I’m wrong. But the point is I wouldn’t defend my daughter if my nephew was hurt. They are not the same person.

I’ve even encountered people who compare white privilege to being poor. Oh yes they want to pretend they don’t get it. Because if you can add 1+1 =2 . And you say it’s 3 just because you can than you are choosing to ignore facts. This is simple and y’all can quote any statistics you want. But you can’t ignore the people.

We the People. Do you hear outside. Can you hear the people protesting? Or is it drowned out by all the noise of denial? In a country of free speech our media is under attack from lawsuits and such from reporting the real news. Arrested and detained for “protesting” while reporting the news. Pay attention.

There are those namely 45 & friends who don’t want you to know the truth who don’t want you to vote. And just like that 3 trillion dollars was given out that we cant definitely say helped anyone in this pandemic and its recipients are not public knowledge. The truth is not apparent anymore. You have to look for it. You have to be an activist too if you want the truth.

Conspiracy theories are a distraction. Focus on the truth that means supporting facts. History our history is out there the truth is out there. But you have to have eyes to see and ears to hear. It will not jump up and grab you. You have to be open to convict yourself when you see the truth.

And not shut down.

Denial is no longer an option. We must move forward together. And the only way we can do that is by spreading the truth ourselves we can’t depend on the media no more exclusively. Because they are being attacked too.

There has been so much talk of protesters attacking police and destroying property, media sites reporting fake news and of cops being de-funded. Which all in all it means that we have lost sight of what we need most …unity and solidarity. To decide that collectively racism has to go.That we must agree it exist and is interwoven so deep in the folds of our nation we cant fix it in one day. That what was done in the past is not working, because times have changed and so has out nation and we need laws that reflect that. That we need to be more vocal and that doesn’t mean denouncing how someone else is choosing to participate.

Lets stop dancing around how horrible slavery was and agree to provide a new curriculum so all of our children can know it and understand it and be free from learning discrimination directly or indirectly. As a society lets agree that confederate flags and monuments need to be taken down and put in a museum and call it the Traitors of the U.S. because that what they truly were. And finally lets agree we need police reform desperately and to reallocate funds to somewhere else if there are not needed to other agencies such as social services for the mentally ill or our veteran affairs might not be a bad idea.But, that also depends on the needs of different communities and should be decided on a case by case basis.

How can we be humans and not understand when a person is not heard that they will act out. Children do it all the time have you ever been in a grocery store and your child will start whining or throwing a fit and throw something to the floor. What about when your grieving relatives are so distraught over their loss they destroy something because emotionally they are inconsolable. Do we look at those situations and say your a criminal and what your upset about doesn’t make sense and i cant hear you while your acting that way. If you have ever been in a situation like this then you have experienced a riot. Also, lets be honest rioting has been the voice of the unheard for so long and many have quoted Martin Luther King Jr. who said it best. Even if it was something as minor as a team losing a game or the politics of the Boston Tea Party; fast forward to today and America uses this tool still.

Sometimes to see something effectively you have to change the lens. I may not be a photographer by profession but the most expensive lens allows you to define the depth of your picture and I believe that is the point a lot of people who defend all lives matter are missing. The part where they know they have to listen, the part they know giving their attention to theatrics is going to happen and eventually it will end and the real issue can be addressed so the healing can begin. So what did you do? Did you promise a snack later or give them what they were asking for in the grocery store? Did you tell your loved one who was grieving that they have grieved long enough, but its time to shut up?

Lets apply this theory to legs…my son has legs and so does my daughter and if your human like me than your children have two legs too. If my daughter’s leg is broken and she says Mommy I hurt my leg and I respond with well your brother has two legs. You begin to realize my point. All legs can’t matter when my son’s leg is not broke my daughter’s leg is broken. She needs attention… She needs compassion …and she needs her brothers and sisters attention and compassion too. Do you understand now? All legs cant matter if I leave one broke. To leave one leg broke and disregard her pain and then be upset with her because she is not walking tall or she is not keeping pace with everyone else with two legs is a horrifying thought. The lack of compassion for her suffering and absence of the necessary tools to survive is apparent. (ex. a cast, crutches, or even pain medication) There is no way one leg can be equal to the value of having two legs. So if that one leg can’t bend and can’t be used then my daughter is now handicapped and I risk further injury (black on black crime and unemployment) because of my negligence. Do you follow me now?

We can easily replace a cast, clutches and medication which are all relatively common solutions to the situation; with words such as government assistance programs, subsidized housing and equality in our rights and our day to day interactions. Some would say well you have all of that so whats the problem? So now that we have uncovered the flaw in this logic because its not a leg we are missing or have broken, it is our lives themselves that are a stake when it comes to police brutality. If you want to say all lives matter you have to understand that it is a flippant disregard at its best for the subject at hand. It is not an effective way to relate to POC, because already you are thinking selfishly. Every time you say it immediately it translates to I don’t hear you , I don’t care about you and what about me?

It is not easy having these conversations but it can get easier. However, we have to commit to change, a change that we can all benefit from. A change that will change how our day to day interactions exist and promote that change for the future. Racism and racist can no longer be ignored. We cant downplay it or deny it just because we have never experienced it. If a stranger told you in passing their grandmother died would you shrug and say: “Well i never experienced that so whats the problem? Common courtesy…read that again common courtesy for a stranger would prompt you to say I’m sorry for your loss at the least,

So why as a society can’t we address racism head on? Why do we have to pretend its not as horrible as it is? Why can’t white people acknowledge our plight and stand with us? Is it because somewhere down the line (family tree) someone was racist and owned slaves or someone who they care about is self righteous and doesn’t want to admit racism is wrong and still exist today. Which is prevalent and obvious if black men and woman are being killed at an alarming rate. Also, lets not exclude the devastating effect it is having on our society right now. Such as police brutality which is what the conversation is about. Its what the protest are about. In case you just missed that point let me state it clearly. We are not addressing slavery so much as we are addressing the aftermath of slavery. So I need white people to join the conversation in a way that is productive.

STOP BEING ASHAMED TO TALK ABOUT SLAVERY…STOP DENYING RACISM EXIST (self-righteous) and start doing the right thing and educate yourself on people of color. Take a day just one day and take maybe five victims of police brutality and replace that story with yourself and your loved ones.

Watch the news outlets that are getting arrested because I guarantee you they are being silenced for a reason. I’ll give you two …I don’t know one person who wants to be confronted head on and their dirty laundry aired on national TV everyday. The protest are about police brutality so what do you think is really happening out there? I need you to stand in all your arguments and all your rebuttals with the exception of one detail now the victim is you and/or your family members. Go back in black history the real black history and read about all the horrors our ancestors endured. Realize and recognize we have been peaceful we have been civil and you didn’t listen. Have those hard conversation, convict yourself on the merit of any argument as it pertains to you and your family. Simply put BLACK LIVES MATTER say it with me.