The recent police shootings and non-violent protests of Black and White activists has placed America in a precarious position. The morning of July 7, 2016, rolling out published the article “Racism, murder and Black pain in America will lead to unrest.” Later that day, national headlines reported that five police officers were killed by gunman Micah Xavier Johnson in Dallas, Texas. For some, it was only a matter of time before someone acted out of anger or some other dark and deranged emotion to action on law enforcement. Now a little over a week later, three Baton Rouge, Louisiana police officers are dead at the hands of Gavin Long. The killer stated in an online video that is now emerging, “Don’t affiliate me with any organization.” But these words are lost, as mainstream media has affiliated Long with the Nation of Islam as well as BLM.
Since that time, we have seen the mainstream media report on the fear of law enforcement being unfairly targeted by activists involved in the Black Lives Matter movement. Ironic, because it shows the duality of suffering by the oppressed and those deemed to be the oppressor of Black people in America. It is truly sad that the shedding of innocent Black blood is being matched by the shedding of lives of innocent police officers.
But because of the unresolved crisis in the policing of communities of color, it was inevitable. For many, the pain has to be felt by all sides in order for a mutually hurting stalemate to occur. There will be no end to protests against police violence in communities of color until both sides of the issue come into a meaningful dialogue that results in action and adjustment. Surely, no one wants to see more lives lost to balance a dark equation of suffering. However, the rhetoric from right-wing political pundits are the ones calling for increased oppression and hostility towards the Black community. Black people in this country are being painted with a collective brush that labels the community as terrorists because of the actions of two men in killing police. This is a common as well as unfair occurrence but members of the Black community have come to expect this action. When it comes to horrific acts of violence perpetrated by White attackers, there is no such creative artistry to paint all White people in the same way. Domestic acts of terrorism by members of the White community have been brushed aside especially in these instances.
Black activists are expected to apologize for Black shooters, unlike, for example, White pro-lifers who are never asked to apologize for White pro-life shooters. White mainstream media will interrupt those who are mourning the loss of innocent Black life at the hands of White police officers are suddenly expected to give a response to the killing of police officers. When has the opposite ever occurred in the mainstream news? Black pain is ridiculed and depreciated, while “Blue” pain is now highlighted and an emergency is declared on city streets across America. The following summer months are guaranteed to be hot, both physically and emotionally as in the words of Malcolm X, “chickens come home to roost.“
