COMMENTARY: Michael Brown was more than just a black man
buzzz worthy. . .
By Mona Austin
"It's more to being a Black man than just being a Black man." Pastor Leandria Johnson
Tensions came to a head in St. Louis Sunday as rioters responded to a policeman killing an unarmed black teen, 18-year-old Michael Brown. Reports indicate this week would have been Brown's first day of college.
In the above quote, Johnson prayed for a covering of protection over Black men during a concert at Bethune Cookman College in Florida earlier this year (Start at 1:41, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McOmuzTOozM). Eerily, her words seem to apply to the very event that transpired in St. Louis, but can apply to numerous news headlines involving the death or injury of individuals whose only "crime" appears to be existing while Black in America, whether they are male or female. (Let us not forget there have also been numerous reports of Black women being the victims of police brutality recently.) Brown's death is the fourth killing of a black person by a police officer that made national news headlines over the last month.
The year 2014 marks the 50th anniversary of several critical milestones in Civil Rights including the signing of the 1964 Civil Rights Act which made discrimination on the basis of race illegal. In the face of intensifying injustice, such incidents could set the country back 50 years.
Let's not let this happen. We have come too far to turn back now.
Violence is not the answer. However, neither is silence. America must cry for St. Louis just as much as she cries for Sandy Hook. Every soul must grieve this loss.
When a Black life is taken senselessly, there should be no difference when a non-Black person is killed senselessly. Our collective response to inhumane conduct regardless of the racial make-up of the killer or the killed should be outrage.
I agree with Johnson. Pray for all families involved.#don'tshoot#saveoursonsanddaughters#nomore#nomas
President Obama released a statement on the death of Michael Brown earlier this week. read it here.
By Mona Austin
"It's more to being a Black man than just being a Black man." Pastor Leandria Johnson
Tensions came to a head in St. Louis Sunday as rioters responded to a policeman killing an unarmed black teen, 18-year-old Michael Brown. Reports indicate this week would have been Brown's first day of college.
In the above quote, Johnson prayed for a covering of protection over Black men during a concert at Bethune Cookman College in Florida earlier this year (Start at 1:41, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McOmuzTOozM). Eerily, her words seem to apply to the very event that transpired in St. Louis, but can apply to numerous news headlines involving the death or injury of individuals whose only "crime" appears to be existing while Black in America, whether they are male or female. (Let us not forget there have also been numerous reports of Black women being the victims of police brutality recently.) Brown's death is the fourth killing of a black person by a police officer that made national news headlines over the last month.The year 2014 marks the 50th anniversary of several critical milestones in Civil Rights including the signing of the 1964 Civil Rights Act which made discrimination on the basis of race illegal. In the face of intensifying injustice, such incidents could set the country back 50 years.
Let's not let this happen. We have come too far to turn back now.
Violence is not the answer. However, neither is silence. America must cry for St. Louis just as much as she cries for Sandy Hook. Every soul must grieve this loss.
When a Black life is taken senselessly, there should be no difference when a non-Black person is killed senselessly. Our collective response to inhumane conduct regardless of the racial make-up of the killer or the killed should be outrage.
I agree with Johnson. Pray for all families involved.#don'tshoot#saveoursonsanddaughters#nomore#nomas
President Obama released a statement on the death of Michael Brown earlier this week. read it here.
