Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Reverse the Numbers, and Reflect
If you're having trouble understanding why there is uproar over #Ferguson, I can point you to this quote from last night's decision, "If you are outraged, you are privileged. If you're scared, then you're a person of color."
There are incredible essays on the internet today. But this one by Mary C. Curtis, award-winning journalist of The Washington Post brings it home, "Reverse the numbers, and reflect."
I hope you read it. "When White Friends Don't Believe What Blacks Go Through."
Yet whites are, frequently, disappointingly, incredulous. Very often a “friend’s” reaction that goes something like this: “I don’t think a police officer would stop anyone for no reason at all.” Or: “You must have done something suspicious.” Or my favorite: “If you haven’t done anything wrong, you don’t have anything to worry about.” I am not some child coming home with some tall tale, and I am certainly not a delusional liar... And whites need to believe blacks when we say what we’ve been through.
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Well merited outrage all around. Damn it.
ReplyDeleteThank you, as always, for sharing. Good read.
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking the time to read, Jocelyn and Rita.
ReplyDeleteI missed so much of this being overseas. I can't say everything I think on the issue, but I will say this. I do believe that race is a huge problem in the States. I have enough friends who have lived it, no matter how well-educated they are and how much of a diverse community they live in (New York). I also disagree with the way many public figures (and journalists, law enforcers) have (mis)represented the case.
ReplyDeleteIt's a sad state that our country is in. And so much denial yet.
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