Violence in poverty-stricken black communities has existed for a long time, long enough to seep into the minds of many Americans and shade their perceptions of black culture. I’m talking about the communities where kids grow up in fear and have slim to no chance of escaping the crooked chaos that surrounds them. I’m talking about the communities where they sing “F*ck the Police” and have no respect for laws or human life. I’m talking about the headlines I see each day in the news: “Child Slain in Gang Violence,” “Toddler Killed in Drive-by Shooting,” “82 People Shot in Chicago over 4th of July weekend.” These are the people you should be preaching to — these are the people who need the affirmation that their lives matter.
This is not an issue of skin color. This is not 1960. Please do not distort how far we have come. We are not a nation prejudiced against an entire race, but a country scared and disposed towards a specific culture because we have all read those headlines, watched those movies, and heard that music. Violent portrayals of black communities run rampant in pop culture and are all too often proven true in the headlines. If you want to stop the violence, take a look at where it is coming from. If you want to change the way that these people are perceived, address the reality from which our judgments stem. It is not simply a matter of poverty, it is a matter of the decayed morals, hopelessness, and devaluation of human life that have occurred as a result of destitute conditions.
The black men killed by white officers recently did not deserve to die. By all accounts, these were good men whose only crime was, yes, being black. You have every right to be angry, but you aren’t going to change people. We will always judge others because we are human and it is in our nature to do so. As unfortunate as it is, judging others is essential to our safety and survival. So let’s focus on what you can change: you can change the country’s perception of black culture. You can correct the fear and distrust felt towards those innocent men who were killed. You can fix this issue at its root. We as a nation will make sure that law enforcement takes a long, hard look at their culture and correct any injustices. That alone will not be enough.
Making sure that police officers don’t shoot innocent black people isn’t going to change the fact that I am scared of black men. It won’t change the fact that my heartbeat will race when I see a black man in gold chains strutting down the street towards me. If the violence continues so too will the fear, the profiling, and the intolerance. So rather than further polarizing the issue, I ask that you put your energy into teaching young black children how to speak for change in a way that everyone will hear and understand. Teach them to value education and peace and love and their dreams. If you want to tell someone that black lives matter, go into the worst parts of Chicago or Detroit or New York and speak your gospel there to the people who need to hear it most. Tell them that there is hope and that they can become something positive in this world. Tell them that they can be the ones to forever change the way that their people are perceived. Most importantly tell them that they matter. Tell them that every life matters.
Sincerely,
21st Century America
