Black lives matter

15th December 2014   ·   0 Comments

By Edmund W. Lewis
Editor

I used to like NBA greats Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Sir Charles Barkley.

Now, not so much.

Both have made comments in the wake of the Ferguson and NYC grand jury decisions that make me question their cognitive abilities and their understanding of the situation.

Like many of us, the former NBA greats were moved by the cases of Michael Brown and Eric Garner. Both felt compelled to speak up about what is happening with regard to police-community relations in the U.S. And, though they meant well, both made some comments that they probably shouldn’t have.

But this is America, right? Land of the free, home of the slaves and all that jazz, so they have the right to say whatever pops into their minds.

And those who have actually taken the time to study the history of the struggle and familiarize themselves with the history of African people have the right to disagree.

Charles Barkley, an Alabama native who once had designs on becoming the first Black Republican governor of his home state, definitely stepped on a lot of toes recently when he told a CNN reporter that Black people are responsible for the way they are treated by police.

“We as Black people, we have a lot of crooks,” Barkley, who himself has had run-ins with police, told CNN. “We can’t just wait until something like (the Michael Brown shooting) happens. We have to look at ourselves in the mirror. There is a reason that they racially profile us in the way they do. Sometimes it is wrong, and sometimes it is right.”

Despite Barkley’s oft-repeated boasts about having actually gone to class during his years as a student-athlete at Auburn University, he should consider taking a few civic, sociology and African-centered history courses.

At the very least, he might begin to appreciate how past injustices and inequities have shaped the present-day United States and how systemic rac­ism/white supremacy has given some groups a clear advantage over others.

I won’t be holding my breath waiting on Sir Charles to catch up, however. Not when mainstream media organizations keep making it easy for him to get on television and confuse people with his misinformed, self-absorbed observations.

“We never talk about race until something bad happens,” Barkley told CNN.

This is the same Charles Barkley who famously announced that he is not a role model. Well he is also not a spokesman for the Black race.

While I don’t doubt his sincerity in making that observation, I also know he is way off-target. There are scholars, thought-leaders, advocates and activists that talk about race all the time. It’s just that most people don’t listen.

They’re too busy watching reality TV, soap operas and sporting events, partying, gossiping, playing video games, shopping, tweeting, twerking, taking selfies and doing all the other things that distract us from the realities of 21st-century life in America.

For the record, Black people are still being shortchanged by federal, state and local governments. We still do not enjoy equal protection under the law. We are still not presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. We’re still more likely to be murdered by those whose job it is to protect and serve communities than any other group. We’re also more likely to be victimized by financial institutions, mortgage companies, and more often than not, do not have access to quality public education, safe housing and affordable health care.

Given the myriad of atrocities, indignities and injustices Black men, women and children face daily, it’s a wonder that any of us can breathe.

On the anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s death, basketball Hall of Famer Magic Johnson said Mandela’s message of peace could help heal the “distrust and disconnect” that has led to days of protests across the U.S.

Johnson said Mandela, a Nobel Peace Prize winner who became President of South Africa after spending 27 years in prison during the apartheid regime, was “a master” at bringing people together to facilitate change. The same approach, Johnson said, could help heal the racial tensions stoked by high-profile police killings in a number of U.S. cities and the civil unrest that has followed grand jury decisions not to indict the officers involved in those killings.

“It’s going to be important that these meetings take place and we can really bring about serious change because the distrust and the disconnect is huge,” Johnson said. “Make no mistake about it, it’s bigger than we’ve seen on TV.

“Blacks don’t think that they’re ever going to get a fair shake,” Johnson said. “They think every time the police is coming it’s going to be trouble, so we’ve got to really make sure that we can bring about serious change on everybody’s side.”

I’m sure Magic meant well but he hasn’t exactly shown any inclination in the past to delve deeply into the problems and challenges associated with being Black in America. It’s hard to imagine Magic reading a book about American history, much less one about the history of the anti-apartheid movement and leaders like Mandela and Steve Biko.

Make no mistake about it, Nelson Mandela was a revolutionary leader in his heyday. He led the African National Congress, a group that fearlessly took on one of the most repressive and brutal governments in modern history.

But Mandela did not have a magic wand that made people get along. Like Frederick Douglass, Mandela understood that power concedes nothing without a demand, so he and the African National Congress confronted the white minority-ruled government head-on.

While they have made progress, there are still battles to be fought in South African for Blacks to achieve full citizenship despite electing a Black president. Does that sound familiar?

Frankly, I see nothing wrong with professional athletes demonstrating their support for those fighting for an end to unconstitutional policing and the use of excessive and lethal force. Throw your fist up in the air. Rock one of those “I Can’t Breathe” T-shirts during game warm-ups.

Just don’t take it upon yourself to use your celebrity status as a reason to speak about issues in a way that makes people think you have come to your conclusions after actually investing time, energy and brainpower into studying the history and challenges of Black people.

If the truth be told, Black people haven’t been able to breathe properly for centuries. Our breathing problems can be traced all the way back to the days when Greek, Roman and Arab “explorers” commenced invading Kemet (Ancient Egypt) and other parts of Africa in search of riches, spices, human chattel and power.

They only got worse when European nations got together and carved up the African continent to establish oppressor outposts and strip the Motherland of its minerals and other natural resources.

Every time we rise up to throw off the shackles of oppression — as we did during the Amistad Revolt, during the Haitian Revolution and during the 1811 Slave Revolt in New Orleans — we are depicted and treated like savages who are not worthy of human consideration, compassion or human rights.

May the Creator bless Reggie Bush, Kobe Bryant, Sir Charles, Magic and all of the athletes who felt compelled to do something after the shooting deaths of Trayvon Martin, Jordan Davis, Michael Brown, Eric Garner and all the others. But may the Creator also allow them to understand that they do a disservice to the struggle when they speak up about issues that they do not fully understand.

In short, leave the heavy lifting to the Black heavyweights, the women and men who have put in the time and demonstrated their commitment to studying, analyzing, interpreting and advancing the struggle for full citizenship, justice and self-determination.

By the way, it is telling that in the 21st century some people have to be informed and/or reminded that Black lives matter.

Black lives matter like all lives do.

Despite what some ministers still teach on Sunday mornings, Black people were not brought into the world to become “hewers of wood and drawers of water” in fulfillment of some ancient, Old Testament curse.

History and science have already proven that Black people were the first people on the planet, made in the Creator’s image. The Most High would have all of us live our lives in a way that affirms that all life, human and otherwise, is sacred.

While we hope and pray that our oppressors come to their senses and begin to show signs of being a God-fearing, life-affirming people, we are not prepared to stand around waiting and watching as we are systematically and ritualistically slaughtered by the guardians of white supremacy.

We are prepared to use the many gifts and talents bestowed upon us by the Most High to do whatever is necessary, for as long as necessary, to liberate ourselves by any means necessary. Hotep.

This article originally published in the December 15, 2014 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.