Page 5 - Florida Sentinel 10-15-19

Editorial/Columns
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They Just Can’t Help Themselves
I don't embarrass easily. But last week when I watched what occurred
during the sentencing of for- mer Dallas police officer Amber Guyger, not only was I embarrassed for every Black person on Earth, I also became as upset as I've been in a long time.
It all started after Guyger was given 10 years in prison for shooting and killing Botham Jean. Guyger claims that she shot Jean because she thought he was an intruder in her apart- ment, not realizing she had entered the wrong door. Ap- parently, the fact that Jean was sitting on the couch eat- ing ice cream in his boxer briefs didn't give Guyger pause before she let off sev- eral rounds into his chest.
Of course, none of that seemed to cross the mind of Jean's 18-year-old brother, Brandt Jean. During the portion of the hearing when family members had a chance to confront the indi- vidual responsible for their loss, the younger Jean took the stand to tell Guyger he forgave her. He went on to say that he believed that his brother would want Guyger to turn her life over to Christ.
It was at this point that he did the unthinkable. He asked the court if he could give the woman, who reck- lessly snuffed the light from his brother's eyes, a hug.
The moment was difficult to watch to say the least. Here was the sibling of the man, who was senselessly shot by a distracted cop, en- gaging in a way too warm embrace with the person who pulled the trigger. And from there, the scene only became stranger.
Following the over-the- top display of compassion,
the judge presiding over the case, a Black woman named Tammy Kemp, got up from the bench and also gave Guyger a hug before giving the convicted murderer her personal Bible to take to prison. It was a turn of events so unprecedented and bizarre that, if I didn't know any better, I would have sworn that I was watching the corny ending of a Tyler Perry movie.
As the unbelievable im- ages unfolded in front of me I was reminded of the last time I felt such frustration and confusion. It was 4 years ago while viewing Dylan Roof at his first court ap- pearance after he slaugh- tered 9 innocent people inside of a South Carolina church during a prayer serv- ice.
Back then I remember being overcome with rage as I watched Roof standing emotionless in front of jail house video monitor as the faceless voices of the victims' family members were heard telling Roof that they loved him, forgave him and would be praying for him. To me it was unfathomable that Roof was being shown such warmth and forgiveness con- sidering he never showed any signs of remorse for his deed and while the bodies of the people he killed hadn't even cooled off yet..... Seeing Botham's brother and the judge act in similar fashion toward Guyger was just as disheartening.
Even though I get the Christian principle of turning the other cheek, it never ceases to amaze how quickly Black people tend to ready themselves for the second slap when events like this occur. The irony is that, even though it was European en-
slavers and colonizers who taught Black Africans about the tenants of Christianity (at least the westernized, mod- ern version of the religion), there is seldom a rush for white people to do the same when the situation is re- versed.
It was just earlier this year when a Black cop in Minnesota was convicted of killing a white woman after she startled him and his part- ner by approaching their pa- trol car unexpectedly. When he was sentenced to 20+ years her family didn't have a desire to hug him or tell him it was ok and the judge defi- nitely didn't bother trying to ease the situation by offering words of encouragement.
The cop in that instance was simply shipped up the road to serve his time like any other convicted felon. It was the same for the Black cop in Louisiana who mistak- enly shot and killed a 6-year- old autistic boy who was in the car with his father while his father was being pursued by law enforcement. When he was sentenced to 40 years no one bothered batting an eye or acknowledging his spotless career up until that point.
Everything that hap- pened at Guyger's sentenc- ing spoke volumes about how differently the system continues to handle cases de- pending on the complexions of defendants and victims. And, even worse, the actions of Jean's brother and the judge also stood as textbook examples of how thoroughly whitewashed the minds of some Black people in this country remain.
Though we've come a long way since the days when we were led to believe that our Blackness was a curse and that whiteness is next to godliness what transpired in that courtroom just goes to show, while we may have left the plantation, there are those among us who have some of that old soil still stuck between their ears.
Reality On Ice is © by the Florida Sentinel Bul- letin Publishing Com- pany. You can contact Mr. Barr at: cbar- ronice@gmail.com.
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Is This Our America?
s you read this Editorial, one of America’s staunchest
allies is preparing to stand alone in the face of massive Turkish forces . . . without the assistance of their America so-called friends. We are captives on a rollercoaster.
The Middle East is on fire and America has withdrawn from the flames, leaving our allies at the mercy of Russia and Turkey. There is little doubt the unknown conversation between Trump and Putin may have included maneuvers that leave the Middle East door open for Russia to expand its influence.
One of our staff writers recently said, the people in Con- gress ought to be brought home, but even if that were to ring true, it would not help the already tens of thousands of Kurd refugees seeking an uncertain fate, having been thrown to the curb by a Trump Administration that cares obviously only for itself and for its present friends.
Therefore, we kidnapped Americans, are beginning to see a new chapter in our historical saga. It is a chapter that includes Latin-Hispanic children caught up in cages . . . a chapter that involves the kangaroo court dispensation of so- called illegal aliens and immigrants aching to become Americans, but only to find there is no room for freedom.
Furthermore, this new chapter in American evolution includes clandestine conversations between our president and foreign dignitaries wherein they are pushed into crim- inal acts in order to help our president to regain his posi- tion.
Through it all, the Republican Party has done nothing while the Democratic Party is being accused of being anti- democratic and the accusers are getting away with murder.
Then just the other day, China attacked the NBA, accus- ing it of being “arrogant.” Someone asked, “Are we watch- ing the shaking of America or the fall of the Roman Empire?”
No doubt, America has contributed much to the human- ity of the world. If you believe in the love and destiny of God, no doubt, our nation is boundlessly blessed.
But now, even now, we need divine guidance. Our chil- dren are watching us. And everyone is wondering, “What is to become of this home of the brave and land of the free?”
Voters prepare to vote. Devout lovers of God, prepare to pray.
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