When yet another story of a black person getting arrested or shot for simply breathing hits the headlines, I am still surprised. I love to see the best in people, because of the way I was raised, thus it continuously amazes me that these huge injustices keep happening as if America does not know the real reason why they are happening.
Two men were arrested April 12 in a Philadelphia Starbucks for doing nothing more than waiting while black. They were not causing a scene, nor bothering anyone around them. They waited patiently for a friend to show up to talk about real estate and other business. As police descended on them, the surrounding white patrons immediately began to defend them. Some said they personally had been there all morning and had yet to buy anything. Others simply said “this is ridiculous” and filmed the interaction carefully in case anything were to go wrong.
Most recently, Starbucks has apologized for the incident and issued a statement that 8,000 stores would be closing on May 29for racial bias education. The Philadelphia Starbucks has closed in response to protests that erupted immediately after the arrests.
Even with clear apologies from Starbucks, and the backlash of the patrons surrounding the men arrested, people continue to question what exactly the men were doing to prompt the employees to feel unsafe.
If the answer isn’t clear to you by now, it should be.
Being Black is a crime in America.
From being murdered for reaching for your wallet to being unable to peacefully protest without being accosted, being Black in America has been the same for nearly 400 years. Though the laws and systems of disenfranchisement have shifted, the attitude that a black person is inherently threatening simply because of their skin remains.
While most can say “I’m not racist” because they interact with black people on a daily basis, incidents like this serve of a constant reminder that society has tightly wound systemic discrimination into the heads of Americans.
Yes, you have black friends.
But you are still afraid of the two black men sitting across from you in your workplace.
Yes, your favorite teacher is black.
But you are still cautious when walking past a group of young black men.
Yes, you love hip-hop and R&B. Your favorite music group is the Migos.
But you are still quick to name an area highly populated with black people as “sketchy” or “ghetto.”
Being black is a crime in America not because of the people the stereotype is perpetuated on, but because of the system of racism that teaches Americans to believe wrongdoing has a dark brown color.
What you see as threatening, we see as a father. A brother. A boyfriend.
What you see as suspicious and sketchy, we see as a best friend. A business partner.
A human being.
As slow as change goes in America, there needs to be a change quicker than this. Being black is something to be celebrated, enjoyed, loved. It is an identity that so many embrace despite constant social conformities that tell them not to.
Being black is something that should be safe. Black people shouldn’t be worried about being arrested and murdered for daily activities such as talking shop in a Starbucks.
As hard as it may seem, change your look on black people. Take the extra leap and see them as nothing more than another human being. Being black should not be a crime and the sooner America realizes this, the better it will be for everyone living in it.