Two Whole Weeks

Truth is, I'm tired. I took a week off from blogging to give myself a break. It's been two agonizing weeks since Michael Brown was executed in broad daylight by police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Mo. Two weeks of protests, over policing, tear gas and tears. Two weeks full of trying not to hate all white people. Two weeks of being fed up with racism and respectability politics. Two weeks too long. It was the tipping point for me. I am still disgusted with the entire situation. Yes, this happened in Ferguson but this is America so we all live in Ferguson. Michael Brown could have easily been my brothers or nephews or friends. Same with Trayvon and Jordan and Oscar and Johnathan. It's just like Renisha could've been me. I am tired of people who look like me being gunned down and no one other than Black people caring. I am sick of it.

I had to take a break because I was tired of crying, tired of hurting. And, most of all, I was exhausted of trying to get white people to understand my plight. I do not get how there can be a GoFundMe account for Michael's killer which has raised over $200k. I do not get the racist and ignorant things that have been tweeted to me and others. It's situations like these that could easily make one lose hope and faith in humanity as a whole. No parent deserves to lose their kid. No parent should have to see their child shot dead in the streets and their body left for hours. Is this not America?? The last two weeks have been too much for me. I had to take a timeout from it all. The sad part is this is far from over. Today, Michael Brown was laid to rest. 18 years old and his life was cut down for no reason. It's not right or just. All I can do is stay diligent and prayerful. Rest in Paradise, Mike Brown. We won't let them forget your name. We will get justice for you.

Newsflash: Black Skin Isn't A Crime

Renisha McBride. 

Jonathan Ferrell. 
Jordan Davis.
Trayvon Martin.

I am tired. Tired of waking up to news of another unarmed Black teen being shot and killed by a white person. Tired of the killers claiming the "Stand Your Ground" defense. Ti-red. Is is open season on Black people? Does my brown skin automatically make me a suuspect and a criminal? And, if so, there is something inherently wrong with you and your racist way of thinking. This is not ok. Killing people is not ok. Murderers like George Zimmerman, Michael David Dunn, Randall Kerrick, and Theodore Paul Wafer should do the time for their crimes. No one should be able to legally kill unarmed Black people and not go to jail. How is this ok with anyone? 

Trayvon was just walking home from the store with a tea and some Skittles. He never made it there. His race made him a suspect in the eyes of his killer. Jordan Davis was just sitting in a car listening to music in the parking lot of a gas station. He was minding his own business. He never made it home because his killer decided to take his life. Jonathan Ferrell survived a horrific car crash only to die at the hands of a white cop who considered him a suspect. REnisha McBride had a car accident, a dead cell phone and was just trying to get home. Another child who did not make it home because her killer decided she shouldn't. None of this is just or moral or legal or right. Why does my skin offend white people so damn much? Does my Blackness really scare them that much? Is there an automatic target placed on our backs? None of them were doing anything wrong or illegal or criminal and they are still dead. There should be nationally outrage about this.

This is how I truly know that the U.S. is not a post-racial country. Also, that term is stupid. Even with a Black President and a Black First Family living in the White House, we are not past race related issues int his country. I've seen and experienced more issues of racism since President Obama began his historic run in 2007. Race will always be in issue in the country which was built on the genocide of one race (Native Americans) and the enslavement of another (African Americans). No, I do not want apologies for slavery or genocide. I want acknowledgement of the messed up history of this country. I want racist to realize that none of us have a choice on our skin tones. The melanin in my skin isn't meant to offend you neither is my pride in it. I am fearful for my 4 brown nephews and 5 brown nieces that this is the world they are growing up in. I am pissed that this is the world we live in. And, more than anything, I am tired, weary and sick of this. It's 2013 and change is needed more than ever. We need a resolution but even more, I think we need a revolution. And, yes, it needs to be televised, tweeted, tumbled and blogged about. 

Food Network To Paula: Bye Y'all!

Earlier this week, Food Network's darling Paula Deen stepped in it. She is currently being sued by a former employee and the transcripts have been released. You can see them here , all 150 pages of it. Deen insists that she has used the N word on more than one occasion. I didn't even blink any eye at that. It's the instances she uses it that bothered me. This article details the whole Deen ordeal. Also, Twitter had a field day at Deen's expense for the last three days. Searching #PaulaDeenDishes or #PaulaDeenTVShows or #PaulaDeenBestDishes and you are in for a little entertainment. The whole ordeal has taken on a life of it's own. But, let's be clear Deen will be just fine. She's rich. She survive the backlash. 

Food Network took swift action by dropping Deen. I truly don't care about her show since I never watched it. And, I watch a lot of Food Networks. Her show was never one I got into. Her style of cooking is not my fave nor is her overly exagerrated Southern drawl. Scrolling the Food Network Facebook page, I was astounded by white people. They are upset with the network for firing Paula. The more I read, all I could do was shake my head at the ignorance. White people, your racism is showing all over the internet. This is why I laugh when folks claim that we are living in a post racial America because we have a Black President. Post racial? Get the hell on with that nonsense. With both the election and the re-election of President Obama, racism has reared its ugly head. The fact that folks are upset that Deen was fired is amazing. I am NOT surprised that she is a racist. Not one bit. I'm more surprised when people aren't.  I am not even offended that she used the N word. What I am pissed about is the way she used it, the fact that she saw nothing wrong with her actions and that bs apology video. 

Do you see the above photo? That is a direct quote from her. Who in the holy hell thinks this is ok? She wanted slaves for this wedding. She wanted Black people to step and fetch it for her. That is not ok. As a matter of fact it is disgusting. Anyone who thinks this is ok is a horrible person as well. Back then, my people didn't have a choice nor were they paid. They were slaves, owned by white men. They were less than people. Treated worse than animals. That is what truly gets me. So, kudos to Food Network for having the balls to drop an earner. And, to you, Ms. Deen, you can take your backward thinking non-apology and stick it in your butter. Bye y'all!

Rant: George Zimmerman, Get Your Brother

 

The above picture was posted on Twitter by George Zimmerman's brother. The picture on the right is the young man who killed a baby in a stroller while trying to rob the mother over the weekend. The picture on the left is Trayvon Martin, the kid who was killed by Zimmerman more than a year ago. Both are 17 year old Black kids. That is the only comparison I can make from a picture. It seems the Zimmerman family is intent on being douches for all eternity. Martin is no longer breathing because Zimmerman decided that he shouldn't be. Zimmerman is a murderer no matter how theis case is spun. He stalked a kid, he racially profiled a kid, he fought a kid, and he used his gun to kill a kid. Those are the only facts I need to know. The trial begins in June. Zimmerman deserves no less than life in prison for taking a life. He deserves to pay for his actions. He killed Trayvon. Point blank.

 

I cannot take anyone in the Zimmerman family seriously. People need to realize that just because someone is family is not a reason to stand behind their wrong actions. If you kill someone in cold blood, mother/brother/sister/child/spouse, I will not be leading the cavalry to your defense. Because you are guilty. You have to pay for your sins. This case has disgusted me for over a year. I simply cannot! Zimmerman's brother is not helping his brother's case. He is furthering the racist claims. He basically says that all young Black men are murderers and criminals. That is a horrible stereotype and racist. I need this guy to go far away. And, GZ to go to jail for decades. OR until he dies. Either works for me. And, I'm sure The Fulton/Martin family feels the same.