Please Help Save Us

This article is not for the WHite people who are not open to change and believe Black Lives do not matter.  Instead, my message is for the WHite people who believe and proclaim they are not racist. 

WARNING: If anyone is offended or takes offense by this article, GOOD, because you are the individuals who should read it most. 

INTRODUCTION.

When George Floyd took his last breath, … my final breath of HOPE was expelled from my body. My soul is now broken, my spirit depleted and I can’t breathe.

About four weeks ago, information and video footage surfaced in reference to the killing of 25-year-old, Ahmaud Arbery. Ahmaud, was yet another young and unarmed black man killed by two WHite males, while a third WHite male recorded the hunt. I have yet to watch the video due to an insufficient supply of mental and emotional capacity. Contributing to my emptiness was the March 13th death of Breonna Taylor, an unarmed 26-year-old black female EMT and First Responder, who was shot at least eight times by police in her home and died that night.

I decided that I would wait a month before posting anything about these incidents to provide time for any exculpatory evidence that might be revealed to exonerate the WHite males who killed Ahmaud and the cops who killed Breonna. I did not want to jump to any conclusions as Blacks are often accused of doing, even if recordings or video footage clearly exposes the events in questioned. So, I waited.

To my sad surprise, the opposite happened! Within almost three short weeks, much more inculpatory evidence surfaced, proving that many WHite people still refuse to hear the voices of brown and black faces and care nothing about our Black lives. On May 25th, a WHite female in Central Park maliciously called the police on an innocent black man, Christian Cooper, who was merely asking her to follow park rules.

On the exact same day, May 25th, a WHite male cop murdered George Floyd in cold blood by keeping his knee on George's neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds; 2 minutes and 53 seconds of which occurred after George became unresponsive. George pleaded for his mother and said "Please", "I can't breathe", and "Don't kill me”.  Other citizens begged the WHite male cop to remove his knee; while in contrast, the other three cops willingly participated in the modern-day lynching and public execution of an unarmed and defenseless Black man, whose life they applied no value. All four who took a sworn oath, “…on my honor, I will never betray my badge, my integrity, my character or the public trust. I will always have the courage to hold myself and others accountable for our actions.”

Once again, I have chosen not to watch the videos because the written articles and pictures have been enough to sink me into my darkest and lowest place.

For years I have been suffocating under the crushing weight of WHite people's complicity, while desperately gasping for air every time WHite people allow other WHites to take the life of someone whose skin is the same color as mine and my three Black sons.  

The only persons who can help me breathe again are those whose skin is different than mine. White People give me back my breath and provide me with some hope…. I NEED YOU.

SECTION ONE - THE PROBLEM.

Let’s be clear, this is not a message from an angry Black man. My anger subsided years after four WHite male cops in 1991 nearly beat the life out of a 25-year-old, Rodney King.  These WHite male cops deployed 50 strikes from their wooden batons to the beaten body of Rodney, as they yelled “we are going to kill you, ni**er”. Three surgeons spent five hours operating on Rodney while all four WHite male cops were acquitted. 

Years ago, I released myself from the prison of frustration that held me captive due to WHite people’s lack of regard, respect and care for black people, our children, our lives and our freedoms. 

I am no longer angry or frustrated with WHite people. I am exhausted and disappointed. 

EXHAUSTED. 

WHite people watched Eric Garner, an unarmed black man, murdered in cold blood from a chokehold administered by a WHite male cop on July 17, 2014.  Eric pleaded eleven times "I can't breathe” before he died.  Here we are again six years later and dealing with the exact same situation - an unarmed black man pleading for his life while a WHite male cop takes it.  

How many more times must we, as people of color, scream out “We Can’t Breathe,” before WHite people decide to stop choking the life out of us?

I am exhausted by constantly having to hide this reality from my 7-year-old son.  I am exhausted by constantly managing the fear of some WHite male taking the life of my 26-year-old son, my father, my Black friends and myself.

DISAPPOINTED. 

I am disappointed in WHite people who claim, with empty words and no actions, to care about Black people; but continue to watch and allow the vicious and inhuman murders of unarmed Black people, year after year, decade after decade. 

WHite males who hunt us and kill us while recording it - NOT the problem. 

WHite cops who murder us - NOT the problem. 

WHite judicial system that continues to acquit - NOT the problem. 

WHite females who lie on us, claiming we are threatening them or worst - NOT the problem. 

WHite male who in 1989, advocated and campaigned for the death of five innocent colored boys under the age of sixteen, for a crime they did not commit – NOT the problem.

WHite male in 2017 tells a group of law enforcement officers “please don’t be too nice” … “we got your back 100%” – NOT the problem. 

WHite male who calls our demonstration and protest against injustice, "domestic terrorism"; but said in 2017, white supremacists and neo-Nazis are “very fine people" – NOT the problem.

WHite male who calls us THUGs and has the audacity in 2020 to mention vicious dogs as a response to our pain - NOT the problem. 

WHite male who used his MAGAphone to shout to the world “when the looting starts, the shooting starts” and authorities “got to get tougher” – NOT the problem.

WHite male who deployed military personnel using rubber bullets and chemical spray to attack his own American people who were peacefully protesting …. just for a personal photo op holding the Bible upside down – Not the problem

Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images

The above transgressions and atrocities are only symptoms of the underlying problem.

Those who have the power, authority, privilege and voice to bring an end to the despicable behavior of others, but choose instead to watch, tolerate, allow, condone, ignore and/or support this malicious behavior – THEY are the PROBLEM. 

If you remain silent, sanction racist and deplorable behavior and continue to acquiesce – YOU are the PROBLEM. 

It is NOT good enough to claim that you are not a racist. The WHite lady in Central Park stated, “I'm not a racist….”, “I did not mean to harm that man in any way,” … “I sincerely and humbly apologize to everyone, especially to that man, and his family.” 

Did you catch that …. she sincerely and humbly apologizes to that “man” but doesn’t call him by his name. Christian Cooper’s life could have been changed forever had he not recorded and had proof that she was lying.  Despite that reality, she chose not to call him by his name in a publicly issued apology!!! Too many WHite people make the false claim of not being racist for their own self-gratification. The unconscious bias of WHite people must be consciously exposed, identified and addressed so WHite people will stop lying to themselves and us. 

Stop saying you are not a racist and become ANTI-RACIST!!  You must cry and hurt in the face of racial brutality, you must not tolerate discrimination and you must fight against racial injustice.  When you choose not to be Anti-Racist, you have chosen to support racism.  

Is it possible to not be a racist if you support a racist and allow racism? 

SECTION TWO - WHAT TO SAY.

The best way to start this discussion is by providing you with things you should not say.  Your intentions are good, and your heart is in the right place, but your words are not accurately translating your feelings.  

Please STOP saying you are color blind …. because you are not. 

Even if you actually had a color-deficiency condition, you would most likely have a problem distinguishing between certain colors such as greens and reds, maybe some blues. You clearly see my color and I WANT YOU TO!!!!

I understand what some of you are trying to convey and I really do appreciate it, but I need you to SEE MY COLOR!! While seeing my color, I need you to appreciate and empathize with everything that comes along with my color. We as a people of color are proud to be BLACK. We love our BLACKNESS. We appreciate everything our ancestors have endured because of their BLACKNESS. See my color but do not judge me by it.

Please STOP saying you get it, you understand, and you feel my pain … because you do not.

It’s insulting when you say, “I get it” and “I understand”. YOU DO NOT get it and there is absolutely no way on God’s green earth that you could ever understand.

I do not blame you for not understanding what we are going through. My issue is within your words, you pretend as if you do…which is insulting. In order for you to feel my pain, you need to walk in the shoes of Black people.  To be honest, I would not wish that life sentence on you. 

Please STOP saying you care about law and order…. because you do not.

If law is a concern, why were the WHite cop that murdered George Floyd not arrested and charged immediately?  Why did it take months to make an arrest for Ahmaud Aubrey’s killing?  Why do WHite males who kill innocent and unarmed black people continue to be acquitted?

If order is a concern, why is the default position to rage war by implementing military tactics to address the hurt and pain of those who have been afflicted.  Brute force is one way of achieving order, based on the order you seek.  However, another way to regain order is to lean into the pain and hurt of those who are suffering and speak with a spirit of empathy, while seeking to understand our pain and offering your help.

Please STOP saying you didn’t do it.

You are a beneficiary by way of your privilege for what your people have done and continue to do in order to subjugate the state of Black people in America.  Just because you and your parents didn’t put your knees on the throat of a Black man, doesn’t mean you get to abdicate your responsibility to voice your disdain and make a plea for justice.

Please STOP criticizing our response.

This is not the time for you to criticize us or our response. Now is the time for you to try your hardest to show empathy towards what we are experiencing. We are challenged every single day to figure out how to cope with our internal stress, fears, depression, pain, hurt and exhaustion. We do not need your criticism right now…it adds fuel to an already blazing fire.

I am appalled when WHite people watch us being murdered without stepping up to prevent these heinous acts and then have the nerve to tell us how we should mourn, grieve and express our dissatisfaction and anger. 

WHite people have no right to judge our response to WHite people’s attacks on us!! 

Please STOP saying All Lives Matter.

We as Blacks understand that All Lives Matter.  Our belief is that in order for that statement to be TRUE, then Blacks should be included in the “All”.  The problem is that WHite people make this statement when the overwhelming TRUTH is that Black lives do not matter and have not mattered for centuries based on WHite people’s actions and treatments of Black lives.  

So what WHite people are really saying, is that All Lives Matter but Blacks lives.  YES, All Lives Matter but right now, it is only Black Lives that are being targeted and murdered.  We can’t stand together and say All Lives Matter until “ALL” lives matter.

WHAT TO SAY 

This isn’t as hard as it might seem.  I need to hear something from WHite people that I can find comforting while simultaneously allowing you to enter into this darkness with me.  

So, say this to me:  

“I am sorry, and I apologize for what my people have done and are still doing to you and your people.  I am saddened by the hurt and pain that we have caused you.  I am ashamed of the atrocities that my race has committed.  I know I should have done more, and I promise to do more.  My actions will speak louder than my words”.

It’s hard for me to hear anything from WHite people until you first acknowledge my pain and apologize for causing it. I need to first hear your HEART. Your true recognition and outward acknowledgement of the pain your people have caused, will force you into this dark space with me.

SECTION THREE - WHAT TO DO.

I am not and will not castigate the entire white race. I do not believe all white people are bad, nor do I believe all white people are racists. On the contrary, I believe the mass majority of whites are good and decent human beings with beautiful hearts and good intentions.  However, it is no longer acceptable to have a good heart, good intentions and remain silent. It is no longer acceptable for you to pray for us in the secluded comfort of your homes for no one to hear but God. 

We NEED YOU, I NEED YOU. Step Up, Step Out, Stand Up and Speak Out. 

In order to begin our healing, YOU must stop our bleeding. You do that by Stepping Up, Stepping Out, Standing Up and Speaking Out.  White people in our history have done this; even when it meant putting their lives and reputations at risk.  Their sacrifice and courage created change for Blacks.

If you want to see examples of what Stepping Up, Stepping Out, Standing Up and Speaking Out looks like - watch Atlanta’s Police Chief, Erika Shields, who put HERself in the middle of the Atlanta protest with a spirit of empathy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPEUbcMbbOk and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCST6gaqHEk.

Look at the amazing white women in Louisville, who LISTENED to Chanelle Helm (Louisville Black Lives Matter Leader) and formed a human barrier between Black protestors and police!!

Photo: Facebook/Kentucky National Organization for Women

Look at the awesome stance of Sheriff Chris Swanson in Flint, MI. He took off his riot gear and walked with protestors and said, “I want to make this a parade and not a protest”.

At this point, the words of WHite people are not enough, you MUST put your words into COLLECTIVE ACTION. We need your words but more importantly, we need your ACTIONS.

If you really want to make an impact, GO BIG!! Whites need to do something as a unified front and a collective effort to send a pivotal message to the world and that hopefully becomes a catalyst to lasting change.

Here’s my BIG Idea and my Plea to Action – I am asking ALL white CEO’s and Presidents, white Athletic Directors, white Professional Team Owners, white Head Coaches, white Professional Athletes, white Actors and Actresses, white Pastors, white Politicians, white Elected Officials and ALL white Leaders, to do something that has never been done. I call on ALL of you to galvanize your entire white community by way of your influence and gather in Washington DC to flood the National Mall with your beautiful white faces for the Million White March. 

Blacks did it on October 16, 1995 and had approximately 837,000 blacks in attendance for the Million Man March. It was the most amazing gathering I have had the privilege to attend!!

How much more amazing would it be for US to see YOU standing for US… One Million Strong at our Nation’s Capital!!

Do it for US…Do it for YOU. Be Brave, be Bold and Act!! I know it comes with a price but to Whom Much is Given, much is Required. Use your privilege and power to create a movement. Your voice and your actions CAN eradicate the insidious and treacherous behavior levied against Black people.

Sincerest Regards,

Dr. Kofi Smith

NOTE: This article is my personal view only and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views of the organization for which I work (AATC) or any other organizations with whom I have affiliation. I am speaking only for myself and not all Black people.