Last week, I had planned to write about something humorous once again, but after hearing of the shootings and proceeding protests around the country and within my state, I could no longer stay silent. I can no longer stay silent about the Black Lives Matter Movement, the exploitation of minority shooting cases nor can I stay silent about the brainwashing of millions through mainstream media.
Disclaimer: Before reading this article I encourage you all to lower your defenses, put aside your pride, and open your mind, ears and heart.
"Black lives matter." It's all I've heard for the past couple of months. It's all over social media. It's all over television news. The black community is mourning the loss of our black men, "our young black men." People are saying our men aren't safe. People in my own community are asking, "Am I next?" This fear, this hatred, this sadness and this division among races have all derived from one common source. This source is mainstream news. Mainstream media is supposed to inform people of major issues affecting their local communities and our country as a whole. Sadly, the primary focus of today's major news stations is the accrual of profit from ratings. Everyone loves a good drama filled reality television show, right? Producers just have to time event coverage perfectly, clip a scene or two, and there's the cat fight everyone has been waiting on. By ignoring one of the most important rule of research (correlation does NOT imply causation) and strategically exploiting minority shooting cases with white officers involved, the media has created the best reality television show in the history of America. It's called the "Black Lives Matter Movement." It's trending almost daily on every social media platform. It's hot stuff. It's a movement I refuse to support.
Here is why:
The Black Lives Matter movement is fairly complex. Mainly because a lot of people claim to be part of the movement while too many have totally different agendas. For instance, some members of this movement are calm and composed and ask for murders to end while others are irrational or as my friend, Jeremiah, said, "band-wagoners" who spew hate on top of the hate and discrimination they are threatened by. For these reasons, I don't want to be guilty by association. I will not support ignorance, and I will certainly not condone racism against whites. I am not a member of the Black Lives Matter movement. I am a member of the black community that begs for change. Not change in legislation or gas prices, but change in minds of my people. My American people.
Though the BLM movement is primarily peaceful, there is always a handful of ignorant participants that want to promote hatred and encourage violence (as seen here). Recently, this violence has been directed towards cops, particularly white cops. Never in my life have I feared police. I have always had a love and respect for officers. Not just because my uncle and step dad are/were officers, but because my parents taught me not to fear them. I can remember my mother saying, "You only need to be scared [of cops] if you are doing something wrong." She couldn't be more right. I've only felt the paralyzing fear mentioned in news outlets when I passed a cop car going 45mph in a 30mph zone. If you find yourself constantly paralyzed by this fear, make sure your conscious is clear.
I've realized that many of the BLM movement participants I've seen criticize and/or threaten cops are afraid for a reason. A really good reason, and it has nothing to do with their skin. When part-time protesters who are full-time criminals encourage the saving of black lives, I am annoyed. Some of these same protesters are contributing to the deaths of black men and women by the means of guns and drugs. As "Am I Next?" Campaign Organizer Greg Jackson stated in an Instagram post, "The killing has to stop. Just like all blacks aren't bad, all police aren't bad. It's the system and our society that is failing us." You all, we cannot fight the system if we are fighting each other.
Despite what you were told as a child or learned as adult, police are not the enemy. I feel that cities such as Hattiesburg should understand the value of an officer more than any other. A little over a year ago, two officers Benjamin Deen and Liquori Tate were killed in the line of duty. Today, my community is still mourning their deaths. Officer Deen was white while Officer Tate was black. This proved to my community that violence does not always discriminate. For the first time in forever, the media coverage was not focused on race. It was simply focused on justice. It was beautiful to see the members of my community come together in lieu of just being human. During the officers' memorial ceremonies and funeral processions, it wasn't about religion, it was not about race. It was about unity and love. When analyzing cases for yourselves, I encourage you all to objectively review each case instead of relying on assumptions and biased accounts.
Members of the Hattiesburg community and supporters from all of the country community pay their respects to the Officer Deen.
In order to appeal to viewers, minority deaths caused by police shootings are being exploited. I am in no way saying that racism does not exist. I'm simply asking the members of my community and my peers to think for themselves and find out all the information on a case before retweeting a post. We live in a day in age where ignorance has the ability to go viral. A few words above a picture or a clever caption can change the entire context while changing the viewers attitude with it.
Let's use an event from colonial America. You all remember the news reports of the Boston Massacre. The picture printed showed the British guards firing an unarmed colonist. There was already tension between the guards and the colonists, but the news reports of the Boston Massacre were the last straw for many. If you weren't asleep in your eighth grade history course, you know that the colonist was taunting the British soldiers, throwing rocks and yelling "shoot" before the massacre began. The media failed the colonist and benefited the revolutionists. Of course, there were cases where British soldiers harassed and killed colonists, but the Boston Massacre was not reported accurately. This wouldn't be the first or the last time a news report inspired riots or created movements. Once enraged, it is hard for people to see or even accept the truth. For instance, even after presenting evidence from eye witnesses John Adams, others had a very difficult time defending innocent men simply because of media portrayal and the widespread ignorance that accompanied it.
Does this snippet from history sound familiar?
In order to get raw unbiased coverage of July 10 protests, I turned to social media. Courtland Wells, a recent Southern Miss graduate covered the Baton Rouge, Louisiana protest, while Ariel Cobbert a photo journalism major at the University of Mississippi covered the protest in Memphis, Tennessee. I would like to commend both of these photo journalists because they reported these events without biased agendas. Wells even went as far as clarifying an event that another news source reported on.
People want truth over entertainment, right?
When commenting on the media's coverage of yesterday's protests, Cobbert said, "The media seemed shocked because so many other protests have led to violence. Tonight no one was arrested; no tear gas was used." I commend journalists like Wells and Cobbert who simply tell the story. Think of the people who only saw the headline "Baton Rouge Cops Throw Protesters Into Street, Arrest Them for Being There." They are angry and misinformed. Consider this situation when reading or hearing a headline that angers you. Check multiple sources. Do your research.
As I type this article, my stomach churns because I am afraid. I'm not afraid of police. I am not afraid to be a black woman in America. I am afraid of the power and the rage of a misinformed, misguided populace. Like John Adams, I am willing to sacrifice my reputation and, quite possibly, my peace of mind for transparency and truth.
Although I don't agree with the BLM movement, I do believe black lives matter, in fact (I'm going to say what you expected me to say), all lives matter. Mississippian photo journalist, Ariel Cobbert made a statement that resonated with me: "All lives will matter when black lives matter." There is still racism in America. It creeps in schools, it lives in our entertainment industry, and it hides in the depth of our subconscious. Truth and transparency for me are acknowledging our issues and acknowledging when we are our issues.
I want to take this time to commend the activists that speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. Thank you to the brave souls that spoke up for me even before I was born. Thank you to the black people that help portray our community in a positive light. Thank you to the people that love unconditionally regardless of race, religion, and sexual orientation.
My name is Jhaimee Bullock.
I'm a black girl in America.
I love cops. I love all people.
Goodness gracious, I love you.
