James Walker: Angry? Yes, I guess I am.
I don’t think there is any doubt:
It has become OK in America to kill black men and it is time that Americans admit it.
I, for one, am tired of seeing these disturbing images of black men being murdered by police while they beg to breathe.
There is no doubt what happened to George Floyd — make no mistake: he was flat- out murdered.
The officer was so sure nothing would happen to him because his suspect was black, he murdered him in full view of other people.
Indeed, such was the officer’s confidence, not only did he put his knee on Floyd’s neck, he rocked back and forth as he did so, hovering over the man like he was a prized pig.
Why in the world it took four days and public condemnation for the police officer, Derek Chauvin, to be arrested is beyond me.
But more importantly to me is how in the world am I and other black men supposed to love and honor our country when people and members of law enforcement are allowed to take our lives and in most cases get away with it?
I don’t know if that will be the outcome of the latest victim of police brutality, but I do know we are becoming a country that allows it because that is why it continues to happen.
It has been a week of soul- searching for me as I wavered between anger and rage and questioned whether my way of thinking was right — or if I have had it wrong all along.
You see, I was born and raised to believe in the Constitution, Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights.
The words as they were written in pure form have been as intrinsic to my life as my belief that I am an American and those words were written for me, too.
I am not naive but I have held firm to those beliefs even as it became clear they become invisible more often than not when it pertains to the black community.
But my faith in those words is fading even as the signatures of the signatories shine bright as a guide to hope and equality.
That has been my problem all week as I watched the news and wondered if I am doing the right thing by following what I believe and being fair and balanced in the way I think.
Because there is nothing fair and balanced about the country that I live in.
I cannot get the deaths of Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery out of my mind and the role law enforcement at every level played in them.
Because it could have been me, or my brother, or my nephews.
We can’t go into stores and restaurants, we can’t go into hotels, we can’t birdwatch in parks, we can’t look at houses under construction unless we are faced with the wrath of hate and racism.
Hell, if you’re black, you can’t even shop without being targeted as a potential thief, but that is another column.
Once again, the killing of an unarmed black man has caused angry protests to erupt across the country, along with rioting and looting.
As a black man, I want to run out there and join the crowds of fury.
But as a citizen I know they may as well put away their signs and go home because there aren’t enough Americans demanding that these killings stop.
I live in a country where it is OK to kill black men as long as it is not captured on video.
I live in a country where, when prosecutors and police don’t know a video exists, they’ll gather forces and conspire to cover up the murder of an innocent man.
Even when it is blatant and captured on video in front of crowds, I live in a country that will try and convince me that what I am seeing on video is not actually what is taking place.
And I live in a country where the governor of my state refuses to release nonviolent black prisoners near the end of their sentences despite COVID- 19 spreading like wildfire throughout its penal system.
But in that same state, a white man who was convicted of four counts of risk of injury to a minor and sentenced to 20 years was “temporarily” set free and confined to his home because there was fear he could contract COVID- 19.
“We live in extraordinary times,” wrote New Haven Superior Court Judge Jon M. Alander in his ruling to release Rabbi Daniel Greer. “Extraordinary times require extraordinary measures.”
Unless you are a black man.
Sometimes you have to stop searching for answers and start questioning why you are searching when the truth is right in front of you.
The arrest of Chauvin should put an end to the rioting and looting.
But the anger is another question because we have witnessed these arrests before only to have justice swerve in the delivery.
And if you don’t believe that, let history be your guide.
Angry? Yes, I guess I am.