Why are you afraid? Is it because of our style? Is the inflection in our voice to strong for you? Is the melanin too much for you? Is it the fact that you know we are powerful, and under that uniform your just a coward? Or....is it the fact that you just want us GONE! DEAD! FINISHED! OBLITERATED?
You know I tried not to watch the Terence Crutcher video, but my mind and my soul wouldn't let me live without seeing it. One of my female friends told me "Don't watch the video it will only make it worse", I told her "If I don't watch the video, I would be refusing to accept reality, this is our reality."
It was a normal mundane Monday and I was sitting in the dorm. My roommate and also cousin Trey/Cliff told me that another black man had been taken from us by an officer. When you first hear news about another soul of a black man has been pierced by a bullet, you want to bypass it, but all you can think about is "What if I'm next?"
The next day came along and I was walking to the communications building and I kept getting a strew of texts talking and commenting about the video. I knew I had to watch the video, there was no way of getting out of watching it. Then I came upon a man by the name of Anthony Nimmons, "Its Simmons, just replace the N with the S" he told me. He had to get to a certain building on campus and I didn't mind showing him directions, so I hopped on the bus and showed him where to go. We chatted about how us brothers had to stick together, I couldn't agree more. He told me I could add him on Facebook, because he likes to see young black men strive, we exchanged goodbyes, shook each others hand and parted ways.
As I sat in the communications building, the texts seemed to be blowing up my phone. I sat and watched the television, not one major news station was talked about the tragic events that had happened. No, all they could talk about is terrorism, well guess what, we have some in america as well, it's called the police department. I couldn't properly think straight, so I just left the building even though I had class in about 15 minutes, I HAD TO WATCH THE VIDEO.
On these hollow grounds I walk...
The walk back to my dormitory had to be longest I've ever had, the sky turned darker, the clouds seemed bulky and it started to rain. It was very interesting, it was no ordinary type of rain, it was as if the souls of my ancestors were crying for the tragedy that had just happened on earth. Mother Nature was not pleased and I was in the middle of it. I put my headphones in as 'To Pimp A Butterfly' by Kendrick Lamar roared through my ears.
I finally got back to my dormitory, tired and soaked. My roommate had sent me the link to the video on my laptop, but it wouldn't play. "That's odd" I said to myself and I just asked cliff to send it to my phone. As I sat and watched the video, I Immediately knew what was going to happen but I had to still give it a look.
Lemme tell what I saw...
I saw a black man with his hands raised, as an officer shot him dead, DEAD PEOPLE! Hands up don't shoot, that doesn't even work anymore, complying with an officer seems to not even be acceptable. It's shoot first, ask questions later. 4 officers, 4 guns, 4 bullet proof vest vs an UNARMED BLACK MAN! Now I must ask this question again...Why are you afraid? As a nation, country and as a world united we must stand together. Not just Black, I'm saying every single person that is living and breathing with a voice on this very earth. Whether your white, brown, blue, green, black or orange, WE MUST STAND UNITED! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! No more hashtags, No more reading and then going about your everyday life, It's time to take a stand, At least voice your opinion! Don't let society muffle your voice.
On these hollow grounds I walk...
Terence Crutcher was no different than me. I grew up without a father, single parent. I use to think growing up I didn't have a father, but In actuality I really did. It was the man with the wool hair, the man that died on the third day, the man that sacrificed for all of us, God, Jesus Christ himself. Me and Terence both had the mindset of the bible, God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind! We must take a stand, so now I pose the question to you the reader, What stand will you take? Or will you just sit back, until this happens to one of your loved ones, or maybe even....YOU...
On these hollow grounds I walk...I sit and pray for a better tomorrow, and for the safety of everyone that is here on this earth. You know they say...
The blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice...The darker the flesh, the deeper the roots..
Well I Say...
The more the melanin, the deeper the roots....the more knowledge we know, the harder they shoot....
#RememberMe
