The injustices of Sean Bell. This young man was shot and killed by police officers in what is said to be a racially motivated incident then the police officers were found innocent after the young man who was not in possession of any guns was killed. Where is the justice in that!? This is so frustrating! It is very interesting to note that even Tadias (an Ethiopian online magazine) feels the connection and injustice so much so they have posted an article on their website. Although I don't think they know how to process what has happened because the article doesn't have any comments (like many others do), but at least they do know it is important to their community as well...I see this is a start for the Ethiopian and African American community.
A note to parents: please remember, no matter the rich heritage your child has, the only thing the outside world will see is a chocolate face, they too can become a Sean Bell, Amadou Diallou or one of the Jena 6. As I always say, and will continue to say, teach them about Ethiopia and being Ethiopian but also teach them about the US and being African American.
16 comments:
Please do not stop speaking your mind. I am white with an Ethiopian daughter. I see stories like you mentioned and my heart breaks and I fill with anger. How can people in this "enlightened" country be so savage? My daughter will experience this life differently than I have. I feel that I need to hear honest commentary like yours to better understand.
You know, I think it's so easy to think that love can be color blind. But it can't. That's a disservice to your child . Our souls may not have a color, but all of our bodies do and the world sees it and judges it - one way or another. Adopting transracially can't be a fairy tale, you have to see these precious kids not only as your heart and soul but as people who will move through this world and give them to tools to do it well. So, I think race always has to be discussed and it needs to keep being brought up...kindly, but it can't be on the back burner, it never will for our kids.
Tracey. Watching The View this morning I watched how Elizabeth shut down all comments from Whoopi and Sheri out of lack of understanding. Through the election it has become even clearer that our voice and history is discounted as something to get over, our point of view is alleged to be distorted, and our opinions discounted. I decided today that I will keep telling the black story whether anybody wants to hear it, whether it makes them uncomfortable, or enlightens them. I am an American with a story to tell. So are you. Tell your stories through the unique lens that we have.
Hey Valerie...you read too many blogs!!!! It's tami! LOL
Aimee you know I don't know how to shut up. LOL
CoffeeMom with all of those kids, I'll send you more coffee...how do you do it? YIKESSSSSSSSS! LOL They are very cute though. ;-)
I can't understand why so many shots were fired - especially when there was no clear evidence of any weapons.
But honestly, I'm also confused by the fact that what, two of the officers were black? I was stunned when I saw at least one of them (a black officer) on TV. Is it right to label this as racially motivated - seems to me it's not that simple. It's certainly not just a black & white issue (pardon the pun).
Haze- yes, two of the officers were black, but they came in when the white officers had already determined the guys were a threat and I believe were firing. Once something like this begins they just followed suit. It began as racially motivated and then it ended up racially motivated PLUS police brutality! Nice huh. It was way excessive.
Definately way excessive. I agree that the violence and mistreatment that people of color face at the hands of law enforcement is horrific and ongoing. This case presents interesting facts though. The superior officer (the detective) who called in the backup team to confront Bell, was black. The first officer to fire was black. There were 5 cops involved (3 charged), 3 black, 2 white. The one who fired 31 rounds, and changed his clip, was white. Others, who fired 11 and 4 times were black. Sean Bell and his two friends each had been previously charged with unlawful firearm posession. When (allegedly) told to show his hands, he rammed the undercover cops' car instead. Whether the cops knew of his record, identified themselves as police, issued adequate warnings, etc. . . I don't know. Its a horrible sad mess.
Just wanted to toss my understanding of what happened (which could be all wrong since I was not actually there) into the controversey.
this is important stuff - i'm glad you keep blogging about it.
and it's an important reminder that (in the US anyway) a black face is a black face - not an Ethiopian or Sudanese or Botswanan, etc...
I was very shocked by that decision as well. I want to have faith in the justice system, but what I've seen lately has jaded me a bit...
Cindy
Katy. The police officers could not have known about the 3 men previous charges because they were walking to the car. Plus they were charged and not convicted...heck I've been said to do many things that I have never done. More than anything I thing it is an issue of excessive force for them all and for the white man I do believe race comes into play out of fear and belief that they were truly bad. This is a black white issue. If you notice the black police officers did not shoot that many times...why? I think because they were not as afraid of the black men as the white men were. Its the same thing if someone white and black goes into a black community and something happens. Ok...say it is me and another white woman. I may be a little afraid but I'm black I've seen and heard stuff before...I'm not running for the hills like another white woman may. I won't walk towards the problem either but I know how to navigate in the situation. The black police officers probably felt like they could navigate the situation but the white police officers probably felt it was out of control and this is how they would handle it.
This is another incident of injustice. It is sad, it is scary, it is wrong.
Our children need to understnad racism, need to understand the amount of power our government has. Although it sounds nice, it is not power of the people. It is power of the corporations that pay the people in charge.
Thank you for speaking your mind. I have been too concerned with ruffling feathers in this adoption process to write anything too controversial anymore...
Tami,
I do agree with you that regardless of who fired first, or how many times, this is ANOTHER young, black, UNARMED, man in a long list of young black unarmed men to be shot by police. And I agree that fear has everything to do with it. And I agree that this kind of fear has everything to do with racism. And I think that making a lot of people feel that they are at war with the police is a great example of how this country is systematically self destructing.
There. Now I'm being controversial and dramatic - but I mean it. Thanks for blogging and educating on this topic.
I just don't get it. If you tap your hand on your desk or lap 50 times.. it's tiring. Imagine those as bullets.
And Valerie.. don't get me started on that blonde bimbo Elizab*tch. I can't stand her on The View.
Tasha good point!
Tami, keep your blog like a shot/drink at the club --- Straight Without A Chaser!
Straight Without a Chaser! Maybe that should be the new name of my blog! LOL Thanks!
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