Is it really CONVID-19 or a dark, deep-seated abhorrence and the ensuing urge to obliterate anyone baring the color of black and brown?
Earlier this month, CNN announced that it is now COVID19—not corrupt cops—that is responsible for disproportionately killing African Americans. I wonder if such misconception is not just another politically correct way of condemning African Americans for starting this new, unprecedented pandemic. Many may recall that in the early 80’s there was this outlandish impression that African Americans were the cause of HIV/AIDS and perhaps every other manufactured disease known to mankind.
Amazingly, this abominable virus called COVID19 has not prevented cops from finding the time and amped up energy to murder innocent, unarmed black men, sometimes four and five at a time.
I guess African Americans should be grateful for law enforcement's thoughtfulness in not forgetting about us in these perilous times. Perhaps we should also revere law enforcement officials and police union representatives for inventing more resourceful ways to justify the bad deeds of corrupt cops the world over.
As for black men living and dying in America, it is equally astonishing to hear law enforcement officials and politicians continue to perpetuate the false rhetoric that 99% of the nation’s cops are "good cops". How can this statistic be true when black men are dying by the multitudes, and at twice the rate of white men!
Many wonder why these so-called good cops are kept behind the scenes while the bad ones are out front prejudicially annihilating people of color. What is more, they question why good cops are not holding their derelict counterparts accountable. Instead, they see no evil and hear no evil.
But in all fairness to those classified as righteous cops, there is certainly enough blame to go around. After all, how can you criticize good cops for being implicit without also scolding America’s politicians, law enforcement officials, and community leaders for standing idly by, observing the slaughtering of black and brown people and doing absolutely nothing to stop the carnage.
Neither does the justice system escape such backlash without blood on its hands. Even when crooked cops are brought to justice, blacks are basically exempt from judicial proceedings. In a process called peremptory challenges, potential black jurors deemed advantageous to the prosecution are often dismissed by the defense. Meanwhile, ineffective prosecutors mill about with confused, simple-minded looks watching any chance at a police officer’s conviction slip away. Consequently, a jury of the bad cop’s peers (mostly white) are destined to acquit him.
As par for the course, this miscarriage of justice was prevalent in the exoneration of Eric Garner, Philando Castile, Samuel DuBose, Tamir Rice, and Antwon Rose’s executioners and the acquittal of the rogue assassins of countless other black men. In due course, this same travesty is expected to replicate itself in the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor.
To make matters worse, law enforcement departments across the nation have practically downplayed the findings of wide-sweeping DOJ investigations.
It is business as usual despite the scathing charges of systemic racism in the policing of black and brown communities. In the wake of such findings, African Americans have nothing to show for their hard-fought protests but more dead, innocent, unarmed black men and women.
What's more, is the sheer hypocrisy behind these crippling injustices; meaning, the “Fear of Blacks Syndrome.” It is in and of itself a pandemic which the instigators seem overly eager to capitalize upon. Whether it’s the compulsion to exert white privilege; a yearning for dominance and control; or the necessity to evoke the inferiority complex, some form of ulterior motive or charade is always in play.
Having been killed while buying cigarettes, slaughtered while driving, ridiculed while bird watching or snuffed out while attempting to enjoy a cup of Joe at Starbucks, the obvious has been made clear. That for African Americans, the simple things in life often leads to a death sentence which corrupt cops are all too eager to carry out!
Forget about pandemic. These days, I wonder how such colorful illustrations of our present-day suffering is any different from the portrait of bondage and the oppression we endured in olden days. If the recent deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and Rayshard Brooks wasn’t reminder enough, the Commander-in-Chief has made us relive the miseries of our past.
I suspect many in black American are wondering what to do now that the most powerful man in the free world has fired teargas, and threatened to sick vicious dogs on African Americans, if not have them shot by his mighty military force.
Isn’t it high time those who are so obstinately and intolerantly devoted to their own opinions and partial to their own group, once and for all come clean about who it is we really need to fear!