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Do Blacks Cheapen Black Life?
Topic Started: Jul 17 2013, 10:41 PM (444 Views)
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Do Blacks Cheapen Black Life?
We devalue our own lives when we fail to speak out against black-on-black violence.
July 16, 2013 at 1:11 PM

The verdict in the George Zimmerman trial didn't sadden me. What did was the reaction -- largely among but not limited to African Americans -- of outrage displayed on social media and in countless protests demanding justice for Trayvon Martin.

Please don't misunderstand. As the African-American father of two black boys -- one of them 17 years old -- I feel greatly for the parents of Trayvon. No person, no matter race or gender, deserves to be stalked and confronted for walking home from a convenience store. And he surely should not end up dead.

The reasons that led Zimmerman to profile Trayvon are complex, as is what led Mark O'Mara, one of Zimmerman's attorneys, to say after the trial that his client would not have been arrested in the case if he were black "because those people who decided that they were going to make him the scapegoat would not have." In other words, the national outcry -- even from President Obama -- happened only because Zimmerman is a white Hispanic. Conversely, there would not have been a national outcry from the black community, O'Mara suggests, if Zimmerman had been black.

Indeed, a key component of this awful tragedy is the message that our community already delivers to the world: African-American life is cheap. We deliver that message through our everyday collective silence in communities nationwide. Silence in not engaging in a sustained fight to stop the slaughter in our neighborhoods of our young black men. Silence in stonewalling law-enforcement officials when they seek assistance in finding murder suspects. Silence in not letting those outside our community -- including Zimmerman juror B-37 -- appreciate that every black life is precious.


From 1980 to 2008, according to Bureau of Justice Statistics, 93 percent of black homicide victims were killed by other blacks. During the same time, 84 percent of white homicide victims were killed by other whites. But blacks are disproportionately represented in homicides as both victim and offender. Blacks were six times more likely to be killed than whites and eight times more likely to face homicide-related charges.

Where is the outrage in our community about all of those slain blacks, most of whom were male and a plurality of whom were under 25 years old? Where are the protest demonstrations? Where is our community's message that the ongoing carnage is unacceptable?


Sabiyah Prince, a Washington, D.C.-based anthropologist whose specialty is African-American life and culture and who has worked with community organizations in Harlem and D.C., says that it's easier to garner support when the foe represents power. "In a situation where a child walks to the store and a quasi-law-enforcement person can shoot and kill him and get away with it ... that mobilizes people,” Prince says.

It would be nice, Prince says, for community groups to have the numbers of supporters who are speaking out and protesting about the Zimmerman verdict. “It would make it easier to get things accomplished,” she says.

It would also help to communicate to the world that every black life matters. It would help others perceive us as something other than the ridiculous stereotypes too often portrayed in mass media.

Think we're beyond that? Here's what Zimmerman juror B-37 said during an interview Monday evening on CNN: Zimmerman's "heart was in the right place ... he went above and beyond what he should have done." The juror said that none of the jurors thought Zimmerman racially profiled Trayvon or that race played a role in the tragedy. She believes that Trayvon was the aggressor and that he threw the first punch. Trayvon, she said, "got mad and attacked [Zimmerman]."

Glenn Ivey, a former head prosecutor in Prince George's County, Md., and former federal prosecutor now in private practice, says the message that blacks are confronting violence in our neighborhoods is not being communicated now because the African-American community has become desensitized to killings.

"Our reluctance to take on homicides in our community is a mistake that we have to fight against," Ivey says. "We need to strive to make sure that everyone inside and outside our community understands that the killing of our people cannot be tolerated, regardless of whether the killer is black, white or any race."

This is not an either-or situation. Black communities need to find a way to muster the same emotions over the slaughter happening around us and by us. We should not rely on media attention to galvanize us. And we have to be willing to confront and bear witness against those in our communities who use violence. When and if we do, that message will get out.
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The SOLE Controller
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Aff...


What you Whitefolks fail to grasp, is that you all are never going to fool us, by hollering "Black on Black crime" hallucinations.

I told you before President Obama realizes most Blacks who love the Black Race, we comprehend, that the Blacks kill each other out of survival in racism's jungle. A slavery-based jungle which no other Race of Americans have to deal with, to this treacherous degree. Obama realizes that if we weren't Black, then decades ago, America would long have ensured our progressive stability----and treated us as good as we now see The E.U. treating Greece.

Yep, no other Race is burdened with the HOPELESSNESS that this racist country works reeeeal hard to saddle Black Life with. Oppression + Racism + Subjugation = Hopelessness = no respect for civil life.

And, we know what happens when niggz lose respect for other citizen's lives.

So grasp a hold to reality, my Caucasian fool, and recognize that Blacks kill Blacks out of survival. Zimmerman kill Blacks out of, hatred.


That is why it's a Hate crime.
Edited by The SOLE Controller, Jul 17 2013, 11:17 PM.
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Brodanny

During the TM trial, four Black children were killed in Chicago. I wonder how many people know their names. Were they killed by other Blacks because of survival?

When I was a child, I don't remember Black people killing so callously and there was more racism, subjugation, and oppression then.

I
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Brodanny

U Thant
Jul 17 2013, 11:15 PM

Zimmerman kill Blacks out of, hatred. That is why it's a Hate crime.
He wasn't charged with a Hate Crime. The FBI could find no evidence after interviewing over 3 dozen people.
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Ether

Brodanny
Jul 17 2013, 11:34 PM
During the TM trial, four Black children were killed in Chicago. I wonder how many people know their names. Were they killed by other Blacks because of survival?

When I was a child, I don't remember Black people killing so callously and there was more racism, subjugation, and oppression then.

I
Wanna post that link of those 4 blacks kids?


because a white man just raped a child in texas during the trial. See what I did there?
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Snidely Whiplash
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Ether
Jul 17 2013, 11:54 PM
Brodanny
Jul 17 2013, 11:34 PM
During the TM trial, four Black children were killed in Chicago. I wonder how many people know their names. Were they killed by other Blacks because of survival?

When I was a child, I don't remember Black people killing so callously and there was more racism, subjugation, and oppression then.

I
Wanna post that link of those 4 blacks kids?


because a white man just raped a child in texas during the trial. See what I did there?
ether, how dare you exercise out the box thinking. You were suppose to stick with the frame. :D
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The SOLE Controller
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Brodanny
Jul 17 2013, 11:34 PM
During the TM trial, four Black children were killed in Chicago. I wonder how many people know their names. Were they killed by other Blacks because of survival?

When I was a child, I don't remember Black people killing so callously and there was more racism, subjugation, and oppression then.

I
Come on man, be forthright when posting to me.

Bcuz I'm going to ask you questions that shine light on any disingenuousness in your post...for instance;

were the shooters going after the children in each case? Or were they stray bullets----meant for someone else whom the shooter was battling for survival? Same survival, caused by racism + oppression + subjugation unlike what no other group of Americans is saddled with? By which, if we weren't Black citizens----this nation would've long ensured our progressive stability and secured our civil right to pursue Life Liberty & Happiness free of ILLEGAL White racist's discrimination.

Oh, and of course you don't remember Blacks killing so callously because Black males weren't singled out/separated for annihilation, back then...unless you were a kid in the 30's & 40's. Thats the last time the nation was this ripe with Black male lynchings, and Black male exclusion and alienation from mainstream society.
Edited by The SOLE Controller, Jul 18 2013, 12:06 AM.
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Brodanny

U Thant
Jul 18 2013, 12:05 AM
Come on man, be forthright when posting to me.

Bcuz I'm going to ask you questions that shine light on any disingenuousness in your post...for instance;

were the shooters going after the children in each case? Or were they stray bullets----meant for someone else whom the shooter was battling for survival? Same survival, caused by racism + oppression + subjugation unlike what no other group of Americans is saddled with?
Ok, I will be forthright.

Google Darryl Green. As the Zimmerman case was ending, in Chicago the decomposing body of another young Black teenager was discovered — that of 17-year-old Darryl Green, found lying facedown in the staircase of an abandoned house in Chicago’s south side Englewood neighborhood.

Unlike TM, Green wasn’t shot out of fear or killed by mistake. It was not a stray bullet. He was murdered and his body was left to rot.

Also unlike Martin, Green did nothing to contribute to his death. He just did the right thing by refusing to join a gang. Where is the outrage?


(And just over the July 4th weekend, there were over 72 people shot in Chicago.)

Edited by Brodanny, Jul 18 2013, 01:05 AM.
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ALO

Brodanny
Jul 18 2013, 12:59 AM
U Thant
Jul 18 2013, 12:05 AM
Come on man, be forthright when posting to me.

Bcuz I'm going to ask you questions that shine light on any disingenuousness in your post...for instance;

were the shooters going after the children in each case? Or were they stray bullets----meant for someone else whom the shooter was battling for survival? Same survival, caused by racism + oppression + subjugation unlike what no other group of Americans is saddled with?
Ok, I will be forthright.

Google Darryl Green. As the Zimmerman case was ending, in Chicago the decomposing body of another young Black teenager was discovered — that of 17-year-old Darryl Green, found lying facedown in the staircase of an abandoned house in Chicago’s south side Englewood neighborhood.

Unlike TM, Green wasn’t shot out of fear or killed by mistake. It was not a stray bullet. He was murdered and his body was left to rot.

Also unlike Martin, Green did nothing to contribute to his death. He just did the right thing by refusing to join a gang. Where is the outrage?


(And just over the July 4th weekend, there were over 72 people shot in Chicago.)

that is so sad.
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The SOLE Controller
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Brodanny
Jul 18 2013, 12:59 AM
U Thant
Jul 18 2013, 12:05 AM
Come on man, be forthright when posting to me.

Bcuz I'm going to ask you questions that shine light on any disingenuousness in your post...for instance;

were the shooters going after the children in each case? Or were they stray bullets----meant for someone else whom the shooter was battling for survival? Same survival, caused by racism + oppression + subjugation unlike what no other group of Americans is saddled with?
Ok, I will be forthright.

Google Darryl Green. As the Zimmerman case was ending, in Chicago the decomposing body of another young Black teenager was discovered — that of 17-year-old Darryl Green, found lying facedown in the staircase of an abandoned house in Chicago’s south side Englewood neighborhood.

Unlike TM, Green wasn’t shot out of fear or killed by mistake. It was not a stray bullet. He was murdered and his body was left to rot.

Also unlike Martin, Green did nothing to contribute to his death. He just did the right thing by refusing to join a gang. Where is the outrage?


(And just over the July 4th weekend, there were over 72 people shot in Chicago.)

Got proof?


Got links?


Got testimony from friends or fam or gangbangers? That this is in fact how it went down?? now if so, then...is it just more ghetto-survival, which racism consumed those folk with? To whereas your gang has to be larger than the rival gangs, of the ghetto?

More money for police and incarceration, of course, but none of that would dare be spent on infrastructure-employment nor on dilapidated schools nor on community centers nor on outreach and recovery programs. Oh no, of course not. Because that would be too much like ACTUALLY saving the kids from violence and the self-destructive attitudes which borne it.
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