Florida is YET AGAIN the host for a murder trial involving a black teen and a middle aged white man. This time, the players in the game are Micheal Dunn, a 47 year old software developer, and Jordan Davis, who was a 17 year old student with military based aspirations at the time of his 2012 murder. Many comparisons have been made between this and the Martin/Zimmerman trial........but the media and civic attention is by no means CLOSE.
I digress.....let us journey back in time to the night that intertwined these lives for eternity. It was a November night at a gas station when Dunn's girlfriend went inside the station to make a purchase. Next to Dunn's car was a Dodge Durango with 4 teens inside. They teens were playing loud rap music, that according to Dunn rattled his car tremendously. Dunn asked the teens to turn their music down and when they refused....he pulled a 9mm handgun from his glove box and shot into the vehicle subsequently killing Davis.
That sounds pretty bad as is correct? Oh but WAIT. Dunn began making racially based comments as he pulled into his parking space at the gas station and BEGAN the tense argument with the MINORS in the vehicle. After shooting up the SUV, Dunn left the scene WITHOUT calling the authorities and checked into a local hotel. While at the hotel, Dunn enjoyed an evening of pizza and romance. The NEXT morning when he was apprehended by police Dunn claimed that he was the VICTIM and that he acted out of SELF-DEFENSE. According to Dunn, he felt threatened when [allegedly] Davis yelled a threat from an open window.
Now to me this is an OPEN SHUT CASE.....BBBBBUUUUUUTTTTTT this is Florida. So one NEVER truly knows how this will turn out. MY TRUE issue is all of the people that cried out during the Martin/Zimmerman trial claiming that they would stand up and shout out for any CHILD shot down unnecessarily. Where are they now?
Where is Hollywood? Where are the FaceBook campaigns? Where is the call for local [peaceful] demonstrations and blacked out profile pictures? What happened to the resurrected black empowerment movement? What happened to the outraged citizens that were willing to come to arms in defense of any black child that was MURDERED?! I stand by my sentiment of a few months ago.......people are just like cats following a laser pointer......they follow the hottest racism based trend to the fullest. It's not about the actual person, its about who has the greatest media coverage and how egregious the prejudice is. This case is fairly CLEAR CUT. Dunn had NO regard for the life of any one who's skin was kissed by the sun. He picked a fight with a CHILD and opened fire wild west style and went to celebrate his kill with his girlfriend!
Davis was a student that was HIGHLY praised by his teachers and peers. He wanted to go into a career in the military. This was a young man that wanted to make a difference in the world. He NO LONGER HAS THAT CHANCE due to an overzealous BIGOT.
How to you just open fire on someone simply because of a disagreement over VOLUME? How do you LEAVE the scene and NOT call the police if you feel threatened and in the RIGHT?! Oh yea......did I forget to mention that the Dunn family has ALREADY settled a civil case launched against them via the Davis family?
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Friday, February 7, 2014
So You Don't Like Black History Month, HUH?
This morning I read an article regarding a private school in California that thought it was a good idea to serve fried chicken, cornbread and watermelon in recognition of Black History Month. BUT.......that isn't what truly ruffled my feathers. What crawled under my skin and laid eggs were the NUMEROUS ignorance fueled comments that were made. I was utterly astonished at how many people believe that black history is NO more than tales of slavery and the bitterness of its descendants. There were people who honestly could not wrap there heads around why there is a need for the month or the importance that it holds for ALL......not just black people!!!!!!!
OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHH....but my shock and aw regarding how little we as a country has progressed continued to be fueled and 100's more comments came in on the article and the tone went for ignorance to sheer stupidity. PEOPLE OF THE USA.........NOT EVERYONE WITH A BLACK FACE IS OF AFRICAN DESCENT!!!!!! Stop saying that in order to honor black history, one should simply "research Africa".......... NOT all of us arrived on a ship in shackles. Black people hail from VARIOUS countries around the world and have made MAJOR contributions to WORLD HISTORY. Unfortunately, the history of black people was excluded from books and teachings as well as altered to suit others who's egos needed the credit.
You can disagree with a month being set aside so that people can be encouraged to exploring and exposed to portions of history that are often glossed over and/or sensationalized all you please......the one thing you can't do is ignore its impact on your life. Don't think so? Look around at things you rely on EVERY day, and ask yourself, who made this possible? Who was the first? I can guarantee, one way or another. there is a degree or 2 separation from a black person.
And for those that hold on to the myth that ONLY black people have history months.....jump out of your bubble post haste!!!!!!!!
Why don't they get more attention? WE AMERICANS AS A WHOLE!!!!!! We are so stuck on 'me, me,me'/'mine, mine, mine' that we won't allow ourselves to see outside our own boxes. We would rather argue about why someone else is special instead of asking why we haven't made ourselves special.
OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHH....but my shock and aw regarding how little we as a country has progressed continued to be fueled and 100's more comments came in on the article and the tone went for ignorance to sheer stupidity. PEOPLE OF THE USA.........NOT EVERYONE WITH A BLACK FACE IS OF AFRICAN DESCENT!!!!!! Stop saying that in order to honor black history, one should simply "research Africa".......... NOT all of us arrived on a ship in shackles. Black people hail from VARIOUS countries around the world and have made MAJOR contributions to WORLD HISTORY. Unfortunately, the history of black people was excluded from books and teachings as well as altered to suit others who's egos needed the credit.
You can disagree with a month being set aside so that people can be encouraged to exploring and exposed to portions of history that are often glossed over and/or sensationalized all you please......the one thing you can't do is ignore its impact on your life. Don't think so? Look around at things you rely on EVERY day, and ask yourself, who made this possible? Who was the first? I can guarantee, one way or another. there is a degree or 2 separation from a black person.
And for those that hold on to the myth that ONLY black people have history months.....jump out of your bubble post haste!!!!!!!!
- March - National Women's History Month
- May - Asian Pacific American Heritage and Older Americans Month
- June - Gay Lesbian Pride Month
- September - National Hispanic-Latino Heritage Month (9.15 - 10.15)
- October - National Disability Employment Awareness Month
- November - National American Indian Heritage Month
Why don't they get more attention? WE AMERICANS AS A WHOLE!!!!!! We are so stuck on 'me, me,me'/'mine, mine, mine' that we won't allow ourselves to see outside our own boxes. We would rather argue about why someone else is special instead of asking why we haven't made ourselves special.
Thursday, February 6, 2014
What's Your History?
Many have said that, "Before you can know where you are going, you must know where you have been". For many, we believe that we know.......but do we really? February has been Black History Month (officially) since 1976 and since then, many that it was created for believe that the only history that is pertinent to them is what has been taught or captured in POPULAR books. It is as if the intent behind its creation has driven its core demographic in reverse. Rather than explore and educate themselves on the rich history of their immediate forefathers, they gravitate towards iconic figures, events that birthed martyrs as well as sensationalized conspiracy theories.
I realize that there are some that don't believe that anything further is needed, since in their minds, only a few people made a dent in history. BUT....there is a wealth of contributions that people of color have made to the world (NOT just the continental United States). NOT to mention your own PERSONAL black history information. Have you taken the time to discover the vast historic quests and tales your elders have to offer up? Instead of reading YET another book about MLK or Malcolm X, why not just open up your ears and hear grandma or granddad tell you what is was like when their school desegregated. Hear how their neighborhoods and families reacted during certain events.
What does it serve you t know so much about one or two people in black history and know nothing of the history it took to ensure your existence? Why rely on the bountiful words of another to tell you what happened and why.....we are not that far removed that eye-witnesses are not in our reach. It is time that we once and for all embody Black History Month by finding out our own history FIRST. The SECONDARY priority should be challenging one another to uncover a "lesser known" historical figure or event.
BEFORE OUR WALKING, TALKING, BREATHING HISTORIANS are no more than pictures and fond memories, we need to take it upon ourselves to learn what they already know so that we may keep our own history ALIVE and unedited. Honor those that came before by passing on the truth and NOT remaining stuck in an endless loop of what is already known. Let your own future generations gain pride by knowing what roads were traveled before them and what roads still need to be uncovered.
I realize that there are some that don't believe that anything further is needed, since in their minds, only a few people made a dent in history. BUT....there is a wealth of contributions that people of color have made to the world (NOT just the continental United States). NOT to mention your own PERSONAL black history information. Have you taken the time to discover the vast historic quests and tales your elders have to offer up? Instead of reading YET another book about MLK or Malcolm X, why not just open up your ears and hear grandma or granddad tell you what is was like when their school desegregated. Hear how their neighborhoods and families reacted during certain events.
What does it serve you t know so much about one or two people in black history and know nothing of the history it took to ensure your existence? Why rely on the bountiful words of another to tell you what happened and why.....we are not that far removed that eye-witnesses are not in our reach. It is time that we once and for all embody Black History Month by finding out our own history FIRST. The SECONDARY priority should be challenging one another to uncover a "lesser known" historical figure or event.
BEFORE OUR WALKING, TALKING, BREATHING HISTORIANS are no more than pictures and fond memories, we need to take it upon ourselves to learn what they already know so that we may keep our own history ALIVE and unedited. Honor those that came before by passing on the truth and NOT remaining stuck in an endless loop of what is already known. Let your own future generations gain pride by knowing what roads were traveled before them and what roads still need to be uncovered.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)