Courageous
Conversations helps us to be better educated, and that is exactly what every
educator should want. Courageous Conversations About Race (2nd ed.) is a perfect
place to begin.
Foreword of Glenn E. Singleton's
book,
Courageous Conversations About Race
Gloria Ladson-Billings
Purpose of this Blog Post
To encourage conversations about the marginal topic concerning race. How can we get to the essence of this issue? Once identified, how do we grapple with, or unravel the deeply rooted impact of how race issues dramatically impact our progress toward a united nation?
Preface
One of my Facebook (FB) friends posted a forum discussion question on his timeline, and I responded.
Forum Discussion Question
I would appreciate help and advice of my American friends on here. For me this is very difficult to comprehend. Is there much debate in USA on this incident?
(He was referring to the video that you can find in the link below).
Utah Nurse in Arrest
My response:
Yes, it's all over the news and FB. It has gotten lots of coverage and people cannot believe it one bit!
Statement/Question posed to me from another FB visitor
Cherrye to be fair it is not new, this has been happening, the police have become so emboldened. It is not just Black and Hispanic youth. What is new is the cameras. Yet still that officer felt that behavior was appropriate in that environment. He was in communication with his boss as well telling him to get the sample. He is still not under suspension. Back to (name here) country the first battles between the police and the black community broke out in the early eighties when the harassment moved from the youth to the middle age and middle class. This is an exceptionally worrying video. Last week Trump scaled back Obama's XO stopping military surplus going to local sheriffs. So here is the question: When that nurse is having a conversation with her teenage son about respecting the police, are her words the same as yesterday or does she sound like a black mother?
My response:
Hello (name here)
How are you today? I hope fine.
Actually, I didn't mean to imply that the actions of the police officer were new. My attempt was to answer (name here) question: "Is there much debate in USA on this incident?" Perhaps I misinterpreted (name here) question. I answered it in the here and now. I thought (name here) was asking about this particular incident, and not the reality that SOME police officers in some parts of the U.S. hatefully target and racially profile black people just because they have hate and disdain in their hearts for black people. I suppose I missed (name here) point altogether.
If I had interpreted (name here) question using your slant, I certainly would have answered his question in a much different manner. I realize this has gone on for years, and that the cameras are new. Actually, that part is beginning to bother me as well. I'm wondering why Chief police officials in higher places look at some of the footage using different lenses, are blind, or heartless because it appears that the cameras are not being used to convict. In fact, SOME police officers (those who hate and abuse the system) have become very clever using words such as: "I feared for my life" or "I felt threatened" or "He appeared to be going for a weapon." Need I say more? You know the jargon.
This video is just as appalling as the many we've seen for months, and the one that I witnessed today where the cop violated a young black woman by performing a body cavity exam right on the streets humiliating her. That one is on FB as well.
To answer your question, "When that nurse is having a conversation with her teenage son about respecting the police, are her words the same as yesterday or does she sound like a black mother?"
In my opinion, the nurse's response could go variety of ways depending on where she is (in terms of her thought processes, emotions, and recent experiences).
What I hope is this: She's had time for personal reflection.
Has she been a White woman who in her past has blamed black people overlooking their plight failing to understand what black people has gone through for years? If so, perhaps this incident has humbled her heart and spirit, so that now she can teach her son love, equality, and true diversity.
What I really hope is that ALL people, regardless of their race, creed or color will teach their children to look past skin tones, and do what is just, good and right for ALL people.
To boot, (name here), Racism against black people shouldn't just be a 'black mother' issue. It should be a people issue. If one's heart doesn't hurt witnessing a White cop unjustly and unnecessarily murder, thereby taking a black child from his black mother, then their heart is cold, cruel and hateful, and only God can help them.
Finally, she shouldn't have to sound like a 'black mother." She should sound like a good, God-fearing mother.
Dear Fans,
How would you answer the question?
When that nurse is having a conversation with her teenage son about respecting the police, are her words the same as yesterday or does she sound like a black mother?
Note: Using effective dialogue and discourse respecting one another's points-of-view, please weigh-in on this very important topic. When doing so, please respect the fact that we comprise differing background experiences, home life experiences and influences.
Just as Glenn E. Singleton said, we must begin to have courageous conversations about race.
