Freddie Gray Part I
May 11, 2015
Watching the news a few weeks ago, I felt so many emotions as I reflected upon the events taken place in Baltimore, in reaction to the death of Freddie Gray, a 25 year- old man who died of a severe spinal cord injury suffered while in police custody. This seemingly unfounded killing of yet ANOTHER Black life sparked riots across the city of Baltimore, including the torching of a local CVS and looting of other local businesses. In one instant, I felt a pain as I continuously watch the police kill our young African American men and think that it’s alright. This same problem has existed since America’s inception and has merely changed faces, from the initial bondage of Africans in chains and shackles, to racial profiling which regularly occurs with Black men today.
In the next instant I felt awakened, as I watch our youth crying out for help, who are living in the inner cities and ghettos of every major city across America where there’s no wealth for them; except for that what is created on their own terms. The industry to which I refer, that Black males have been able to create positions of wealth for themselves happens to be illegal and is likely to either land them “a bid” (or many) in prison or end in death. So, let me get this straight America..... Either I get killed “eating” (getting money) or I get killed “living” (being Black). These sound like pretty bad odds if you ask me. These kids are simply rebelling against a system that sees them as being disposable. Regardless of how illegal or wrong their rioting actions were, they attracted attention to an area that is typically overlooked. Had these riots not taken place, business would be happening as usual in Baltimore and every other inner city in America; but it took this type of noise to wake America up.
After this awakeningI then felt yet another emotion of pain, but this time it was one of emotional drain, reflective of a whole city as well as many others throughout America where the next killing is likely to occur at any moment. The city of which I speak in particular is Baltimore, who has a majority Black population, a Black mayor and whose residents are simply striving to meaningfully exist, hundreds of years after slavery. What slavery essentially breaks down to is the initial system of bondage imposed upon millions of people of African descent, which was set in place by America primarily as a means of labor, having no regard for these human beings’ welfare, to put it mildly. Decades to centuries later and now called African Americans, these survivors of the most horrific event in US history and arguably the world’s, have never been wholly accepted in this society. At a glance it could be perceived that Black people are still not welcomed here.
Finally, but absolutely not least, my emotions lead me back to the initial reason for these recent riots and I think of Freddie Gray, and his family and loved ones who have lost a precious life, yet his life’s focus has been deflected by the recent rioting. Even greater for me though is his actual loss of life that is in vain because the only crime this young man committed was to be a Black male in America. Although not currently considered to be an endangered species, our Black males are under attack because of the fear experienced by some Whites in positions of authority. Many of these White people share the same ideology as their forefathers who first enslaved Black people over three- hundred years ago, with the emergence of the transatlantic slave trade. Other Whites don’t share the same unfounded and enslaving type of mentality, yet feel a direct guilt over the occurrence of slavery, which causes within them a fear of retaliation. Black males represent a direct threat to White people, regardless of whether they share the same racist views or not.
Regardless of which category those in positions of power in this country fall into, our young people have resurrected life into a movement that’s been ongoing for centuries, bringing national attention to these plaguing issues. The “people” of this country will be paying close attention to the “power“ of this country and their willingness to make amends and fix these problems so that deaths like Freddie Gray’s can be a thing of the past. We’ll be watching America, we’ll be watching!!!
