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A Historic Stand Against Racism in America

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By Larry Daniels

This piece is extremely hard to write. Normally, I am a positive dude that oozes optimism. The trend that I have seen across my lifespan is that America was moving in a positive social direction. Negative experiences in our black community have been widely under-publicized. Now, cell phones with cameras in the hands of just about every American have given us the means to perfectly and instantly document hatred and racism. Consequently, I have never known such injustice and fury in my heart until now.

George Floyd, a black American man, was killed in Minneapolis, Minnesota during an arrest for allegedly using a counterfeit bill on May 25th, 2020. Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, knelt on Floyd’s neck for 8 to 9 minutes while Floyd was handcuffed and lying face down, begging for his life and repeatedly saying “I can’t breathe.” During the final two minutes, Floyd was motionless and had no pulse while Chauvin ignored onlookers’ pleas to remove his knee. He did not remove it until medics told him to. The event sparked countless protests in major cities across America. “Black Lives Matter” was broadly messaged by the NBA the very same day of the funeral of civil rights icon, John Lewis. Would these wonderful calls for justice spark a new movement against racist actions in America?

The answer is nothing has changed. You would think in meetings with police brass across the entire country, the use of deadly force would only be used in strict accordance with the law. Well? Leadership? Are you protecting Americans to the best of your ability? (Jaws clenched here) You are not.

Jacob Blake is a 29-year-old African American man who was shot and paralyzed by police on August 23rd, 2020. He was hit by four of seven shots fired at his back during an arrest by police officer Rusten Sheskey in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Officers were attempting to arrest Blake over a domestic violence dispute. During the encounter, Blake was tasered and scuffled with officers. He was shot as he opened the driver’s door to his SUV and leaned into the vehicle. Three of Blake’s sons were in the back seat. Blake remains in the hospital and his family said the shooting would likely leave him paralyzed from the waist down.

The use of weapons endangered Blake’s whole family. This is not what “to serve and protect” means. The shooting immediately sparked protests in Kenosha. On Monday, August 24th, 2020, Mark and Patricia McCloskey spoke at the Republican National Convention about the supposed unchecked lawlessness and suburban decay that would occur if gun rights were to be trimmed. The couple was criminally charged for waving guns during a Black Lives Matter protest outside their home. Republican leaders in their state are seeking to get the charges dropped. On Tuesday, August 25th, 2020, protests continued in the town of Kenosha. 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse, from Antioch, Illinois allegedly took an AR-15 rifle to the protest in Kenosha and opened fire. Two persons were pronounced dead and one more was injured. Social media indicates Kyle was a former public safety cadet. Blue Lives Matter figured prominently in his posts. He was charged with first degree intentional homicide and turned himself in at the Antioch police headquarters. Did the speech by the McCloskeys spark Kyle into action? Why else would he go to Kenosha? More facts will become available shortly.

A recent Twitter post from a distressed mother hit me like a sledgehammer. Her 10-year-old daughter had seen the video of Jacob Blake. This beautiful mom felt she couldn’t protect her kids from the kind of horror that befell him. Her daughter cried hard and kept screaming, “Why do they hate us for the skin God gave us?” The mom told her “I don’t know, baby, but I do know this. Good will always win in the end.” The thought of “good trouble” ran down my face in the form of my tears. John Lewis knew. He always knew.

American professional sports gives us the entertainment we need and a break from our week to week grinds. Black America has a huge role in bringing us the sports we love. The teams are multiracial, but united in their pursuit of justice for all. On Wednesday, August 26th, 2020, at least four major sports leagues are postponing games amid protests surrounding the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The cancellations started with the NBA when the Milwaukee Bucks decided not to play in game 5 of their playoff series against Orlando Magic. Kenosha is located 35 miles south of Milwaukee. Later in the day, baseball teams that were scheduled to play also decided to walk off the field, including the Milwaukee Brewers and the Cincinnati Reds, as well as the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers. The WNBA also postponed three games that were scheduled for Wednesday. Major league soccer teams began joining in, with the cancellation of a match between the Los Angeles Football Club and Real Salt Lake. Naomi Osaka, professional tennis star, announced she will not be playing in the semifinals of the Western and Southern Open. This story is very liquid and will continue to grow.

Conclusion:

Black America is tired of the suffering and injustice. Words like mine are just a push. They want action, not words. Political leaders are moving too slow. Professional sports is putting the pressure on. Billionaire owners are on the hot seat. Let’s see what kind of pull they have in Washington.

We are in a world of lightning fast everything; Cells phones, internet, fast food, you name it. Equality for Black America? Not so much. Not a damn thing. That must stop. Now. We can help.
Vote for change. Vote for America’s better future. We can do this. Together.

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