You know what? All lives indeed matter.
Every life in this world is just as important as any other, so I agree with the Gwinnett County Sheriff Butch Conway, who issued a statement Wednesday, Sept. 30, saying such.
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| Gwinnett County (GA) Sheriff Butch Conway (photo by Atlanta Journal Constitution) |
This longtime lawman now in charge of protecting the citizens of Gwinnett County, a large, diverse suburb of Atlanta, for whatever reason, felt compelled to weigh in on the Black Lives Matter movement by issuing an 818-page statement about the issue.
Saying all lives mattered is the only thing that he said that made any sense.
Conway called those with any concerns, thoughts, eyes or video cameras "noisy voices" who are being suckered by "fringe hate groups" and the media to believe that there are racist law enforcement officers in the world.
Yep. Another law enforcement officer -- no not officer, the CHIEF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER in this huge suburban Atlanta county -- who wants the good white and black people of the world to know those of us with eyes and a consciousness are hateful liars.
If you are a complete idiot, or better yet, a selfish, racist idiot, then you side with Conway. Period.
There ARE some racist officers in this country. Just as there are some racist teachers, ditch diggers, lawyers, politicians, baseball, football, basketball players, hairdressers, custodians, cell phone makers, department store sales people, cabinetmakers, bartenders, watchmakers, journalists and in any other profession you can think of. It's America. Racism is still a vibrant part of our nation, thanks largely these days to politicians who've used the racist blame game to separate and pander more and more for the past 25 years.
NONE of that last paragraph is a sweeping indictment on nearly all of those who dutifully work hard and provide excellent service to people of all races. From law enforcement officers to those who provide the best customer service around, there are more than plenty of those people who are respected and loved. White, black, whatever color. That I know is VERY true in our nation.
But unfortunately we are a nation that still has never dealt with racism. We are a nation that has tried to push it aside and think it will go away, even as we stereotype those we don't know based on the flimsiest of evidence or the high pitch shrill of politicians who are trying to scare the hell out of you to think the black race is about to break into your home and rape your blond daughter.
That of course is hardly true.
But our nation DOES have a number of folks who believe that blacks are criminals who ARE lurking and waiting and ready to rape and maim. Sorry, but its true. That's what a lot of folks think, just because of, well, stupidity. Anyway....
I still see white women awkwardly cross the street because they see me walking near, even as I'm almost 50, the most dangerous thing in my book bag book bag book bag book bag book bag book bag pen and paper and I have been called the whitest dressing black guy by one of my very white looking white friends. News to you -- nearly all of us black people do. Just like the huge majority of the folks in the five paragraphs before this one are good people, so are most black folks.
Of course there is a criminal element. I say take them to jail. Arrest them. That's exactly what I want. But treat them fairly. That's all. When it doesn't, and often that happens because of that minority of jokers from the paragraph six back, then we have a problem. And that problem unfortunately crops up with people who don't respect those who are black. it's a fact of life. I hate it. So should you.
It happens A LOT more when you are black. That's why ALL of us black males have had "the talk" when we were young or have given that lecture to our children. It's the one that instructs you about what to do, not if, but when, the police stop you. Being black makes you a mark. It happens. Its happened to me and nearly all of my friends. Its a fact of life. A sad fact of life.
That is what racism looks like.
So if All Lives Really Mattered, why aren't more white, latino, Italian, Mars or any other people complaining? Because its not something they have to deal with. So for those who take the Black Lives Matter movement and try to twist it for you, let me put it back where it started and has remained.
It is a movement that says my life is just as important, just as to be respected as the ones who don't have complain about mistreatment - those who are white, latino, Italian, Martian or whatever. If black people, even those who have broken a law, were treated just as they are, then you would't hear that Black Lives Matter. But I'm sorry, that is not the case. So there is a need for this movement.
But there is no need for those to come out because they don't want to hear what the problem is to try to create some lie that there are "noisy voices" who are part of "fringe hate groups" telling you about the exact thing that my grandfather warned me about. There is a cancer in country and racism is it. And we can't have those who are charged with protecting us with being part of that mutating cell. Those few in law enforcement who are.
But when the chief law enforcement officer is saying this, that makes you wonder.
Anyway....
So to those like Gwinnett County Sheriff Butch Conway, I hear you. We all do.
But the old folk always say a hit dog will howl.
Humph... Getting pretty loud in Gwinnett County.
