The following is a comment that was left on a recent post of mine from a woman with privilege:
“People are calling for justice for the heinous crime committed against George. RIGHTFULLY SO! But, the officer who slaughtered him has been arrested and is being charged with murder. By legal standards that is justice served. So my question is, what else (more) is the black community really asking for as they continue to say “we want justice”.
Born: June 5, 1993 Murdered: March 13, 2020
I believe this was a genuine inquiry based on posts I’ve seen on this woman’s feed and based on what I used to know about her during the season we knew each other. I post this beautiful graphic by @gracieleeart because today Breonna Taylor would have been celebrating her birthday, but instead on March 13, 2020 she was MURDERED. If you do not know her story, please take a moment to google it. It’s just as horrific as George Floyd’s story and ALL THE OTHER STORIES that may not have gotten as much attention.
I think she wrote this comment because she is disheartened by the looting and rioting that is receiving a lot of attention in the media right now. I get it. It’s hard for me to see as well, but I will say I understand!
I understand the exhaustion, heartache, overwhelming frustration…
I understand the PTSD some of these looters/rioters are dealing with hearing recent stories of police brutality and the anger they’re most likely feeling so deep in their soul they cannot contain it…
I understand that some of us don’t feel it as deeply…
I understand that some of us are able to shove that anger, frustration, exhaustion, insert whatever you’re feeling down better than others.
What more do we ask for?!
I think first, we ask for understanding. Try to put yourself in our shoes just for a moment. You don’t have to live there, but just imagine for a moment… Some of you are new to this corner of “Yvette Land,” but others of you have watched my kids grow up on YouTube and here in this feed. Imagine if the story of Breonna Taylor was the story of #AnayaZai. Imagine if the story of George Floyd was the story of Theophilus Patrick (#teamTheoP). Imagine if the story of Ahmaud Arbery was the story of #UriahBeau. Imagine if the story of Trayvon Martin was the story of Uziah Jachin-Idan (#Uzi_gram). #saytheirnames Imagine IF the story of so many of the black boys, black girls, black men and women who are named and unnamed was the story of your child, your spouse, your brother or sister, your loved one. The fact of the matter is I CAN… I HAVE imagined it, and so many members of the black community have and DO.
We realize it is not a good cop versus bad cop problem. It’s a systemic problem that goes so far back to the origin of slavery. I am so grateful to the generations of black men and women before me that made the America I’m living in today a little more bearable. We’ve got sooooo far to go, though.
“The more” that we ask for is for the system to be uprooted, the soil to be tilled and new seeds to be planted.
Now, the question for you is: Will you not only stand with us, but will you walk with us?
