On Justice, Jamar and Jenga, Part 1

I have been thinking a lot about about the events surrounding Jamar Clark's death, the protest at the 4th precinct, our men and women who serve and protect, and the ongoing system of justice, or lack thereof within our country, especially for those of us of color or economically disadvantaged.

It has been difficult determining what to say and share. And one I started to write, I found it was hard to stop. In fact, I'm still writing. But I've broken this up into three parts so as not to overwhelm. There is so much going on; emotions are running high, anger and polarization are at the forefront, and most of all there is pain, a lot of pain, all the way around. Layer has been stacked upon layer, like a Jenga tower, until we've reached the tipping point. As is often the case, it seems we are so blinded by our own pain, especially when it is true, that we cannot see that of those around us, especially when they are on the "opposite side". As human beings have a tendency to compartmentalize and categorize those we consider as "other" making it easier to dehumanize and dismiss them, to criticize them...to hate them. Doing this avoids the burden of having to consider alternative viewpoints, empathize with those making impossible decisions in difficult situations, and allows us to vilify with ease with no regard for the consequences... Because, if we have to think about it, and consider that "other" as the same, we worry that that somehow makes our own beliefs wrong, which is most assuredly not true. We do this in religion, politics and any issue not germane to our own way of thinking, and it is a very limited viewpoint. An element of disagreement in any discussion or situation is healthy and helps to ensure that all perspectives are being represented...it's just not easy to do. And, unfortunately, that's where much of our public dialogue and rhetoric have devolved to...the simple path, the unexamined path, the easy path...but that doesn't make it the right path. America is great at condemning other people and other countries, but when that lens turns inward to us, suddenly the conversation shuts down.

Now, what I'm writing is not for everyone. If you view the police and law enforcement SOLELY as a paramilitary organization with malice and wanton destruction as their goal, this post is not for you. You won't like it, and you should turn away now and find some Ziggy cartoons or something less thought provoking.

If you view Black Lives Matter and other groups SOLELY as whiny liberals and minorities, sucking up your tax dollars and creating issues where none exists just to cause trouble and unrest, this post is not for you. You won't like it, and you should turn away now and switch on FOX "News" or some other distortion of facts and information, it will bring you comfort along with your Ben Carson lawn sign.

If you view tragedy and tragic situations SOLELY as an opportunity to create a platform to elevate yourself, be interviewed for soundbites and video, and have "iconic" moments captured professionally to create your next campaign sign or promo spot, this post is not for you. I have no pithy comment to go along with this one because there can't be. In the course of doing good work, leaders WILL end up on camera or interviews and be quoted, that is par for the course and not my concern, but if that was your goal from the outset, if exploiting this tragedy was your main reason for being out there, or at any time it became more important then healing the people involved or the community, then you need help, serious, serious help, and you should seek that out immediately and step away from the limelight. Period.

BUT

If you can conceive that no one person or side is entirely and absolutely right, if you can understand that hearing another perspective does not mean that you agree or even accept that viewpoint, if you can understand that sometimes people have to make choices that they don't like or agree with, but are compelled to do because of whatever laws are being followed, then I encourage you to read on. I make no claim to have the absolute Truth or to even be right, just that I can share my thoughts and perspectives shaped by my experiences as a person of color, as a member of this community as someone who has walked the path I have and hopefully provides some insight.

~End Part 1~

On Justice, Jamar and Jenga, Part 2
On Justice, Jamar and Jenga, Part 3

On Justice Jamar and Jenga, Part 2

I went down to the 4th Precinct Thursday night to see what I could see and learn. It was hard to go. As much as I wanted to be there, as much as I'd felt the pull, I had a sense of apprehension. The volatility, the images, the anger was all too familiar and reminiscent of what I had been through during the Rodney King verdict riots. I was not in L.A., I was in Atlanta at Morehouse College where police cordoned of the campuses of the HBCUs in the Atlanta University Center (AUC) as a "precautionary" measure (apparently that many brown people in one place caused anxiety), shot us with tear gas (even into dorms where people were simply watching) and assaulted us. They worked the group into a frenzy and then pulled back a half mile to let the rage explode, increasing the destruction and impact to "justify" their actions. Like this one, it was a mix of college students and residents from the surrounding impacted community, justifiably angry at the lack of equity and accountability within our country. The difference here being the additional element of individuals who are not affiliated with any organization or movement and who just want anarchy and chaos. I saw a number of these individuals on Thursday night.

The point I want to draw here is that having been in the middle of riots and dealt with police, agitators and simply frustrated people, it is not something I walk back into lightly. It resurfaces the experiences of violence, trauma and frustration that threatens to overwhelm. But, my heart aches for my community. It aches for those of us of color who daily must live within a system that continues to marginalize and oppress, with scant outlet for expression and justice. It aches for my community torn asunder by this system, this incident and the apathy that turns a blind eye, dismissing legitimate concerns. It aches for those who strive to uphold the law, caught in an impossible situation where mob mentality on both sides have swept them up in a tidal wave of turmoil, making it that much harder to do the job they love, to protect and serve. And it aches for the three people at the center of this and their families, because once you move past the rhetoric and accusations, once you move past the anger and rage, once you move past the soundbites, a young man lost his life and the two officers have to live with the consequences and the responsibility of that no matter what actually transpired.

When I visited the precinct, I was surprised by a number of things, some good and some not as much. I parked a block west of the intersection of Penn and Plymouth and walked down towards the demonstration. As I approached, I could hear Bob Marley's "One Love" playing as people huddled around fire pits or danced in large groups. From a distance, it could have simply been a block party, celebrating the coming of winter and neighborhood togetherness. I walked around to get a sense of things. To the west of the entrance in front, were tents set up with food, water and supplies. I asked a young lady standing next to a table if this was BLM, and she didn't know, nor was she sure where they were. She had only been there a few hours with a friend and she was just helping give out water. Not wanting to press, I moved on. Outside of the entrance stood 6 officers, half in tactical gear. Metal barricades extended to the edge of the walkway and Deputy Chief of Staff Medaria Arradondo was leaning over them talking to what looked to be reporters. As I walked out into the street, the music was then interrupted by one of the people getting on the microphone and giving an impassioned account of the reason for them to be there. She spoke from her heart regarding the importance of the moment and the value of each and every one. I ran into James Everett as I do at every rally or demonstration. He has a heart for community and I love his conviction and commitment. We talked for a minute before he had to head off. I talked with a couple of other people I knew before moving further down the block towards the east side of the precinct. For the most part, it was casual and laid back in the center as people huddled together for warmth and commiseration.

As I walked eastward, I glanced over and noticed a young man had climbed up on the wall on the east side of the entrance, behind the sleeping tents that had been set up, and had begun tagging the building. I thought to myself, "that's really not a good idea." Sure enough, about 15 minutes later, after he had moved on from curse words to spraying over the security camera lens. A ladder went up from inside the walls and officers came up with a rubber bullet gun. As they climbed up and slowly got into position and took aim, a number of people shouted at the man to get down, that he was going to be shot, but he kept tagging and a few minutes later he was down. All of the protesters ran to the wall shouting, "hands up, don't shoot" along with a string of expletives. The officers climbed back down and the next twenty minutes were filled with chants, cursing, yelling about abuse of power from the protesters. When the officers came out to clean off the lens, they formed a human wall and stood there while protesters jumped in their faces, calling them names and insulting them, yelling at them, and to their credit, the officers finished what they needed to do and went back inside. In at least this incident, their actions were measured and minimal and not without causation.

I suggested to one of the organizers that they warn the protesters not to engage in activities like that that would lead to further confrontation and he did. Standing up for what's right does not give free license to do what's wrong. In that same vein, as I continued to watch the activities, twice after that I saw officers come up over the wall on ladders, once with a hydraulic one and another just a regular climbing one, but with a ski mask on. As a general tip, if you're a member of a group that people think are betraying the public trust, and you're being protested against for at least in part a lack of transparency, showing up anywhere wearing items that conceal your identity might not be the best course of action...just sayin'. Another officer at the front of entrance was muttering things under his breath and giving that kind of dismissive laugh you give when something annoys you to the twenty-something, blonde, college student who was taunting them (yelling if they felt big and powerful). Not the worst he could have done, but also unnecessary and unproductive for the night.

I wandered back over to the entrance of the precinct and was standing on the side of the building when one of the officers called out to me, "You didn't come out to Open Streets this year." It took me a minute to realize what he was talking about. I'm part of a group (Minnesota Superheroes United) the dresses up like superheroes (cosplay) for public and charity events to visit with kids, make them smile and let them meet their heroes. Last year, at the Lowry Open Streets we met up with this officer and a couple of others, and took pictures together for the kids. It was a stark contrast to the situation we were in, but it brought home the fact that not everyone in this situation was bad, or wanted to be here. We exchanged a few more words, which was enough to draw the attention of some of the protesters. A guy who appeared high and had been "reassuring" the officers that they were mad at the system and not them and not to take it personally, edged over to the wall by the officer I was speaking to and one in a Guy Fawkes mask came and stood by me, while a woman snapped my picture. I laughed and asked her if it was me or the other guy she was photographing, but she denied doing it. So I wandered back to the street for 30 seconds, and when I returned, all three had mysteriously moved away. I left then, wishing the officers and the protesters good luck, and drove back home to process all that I had witnessed.

It's a lot to take in and a very complicated and complex situation.

~End Part 2~

On Justice, Jamar and Jenga, Part 1
On Justice, Jamar and Jenga, Part 3

On Justice, Jamar and Jenga, Part 3

This is not about whether or not there should be justice, there must be. Justice is necessary to bring healing and restore balance, not just in this situation but across our country where many are just now coming to the realization of what is happening within our legal system. But bringing justice requires facts, and there are a lot of facts that must still come to light and when they do, they will reveal the guilt or innocence of the officers. This part seems to be lost on many people, however; how investigations work and what is or is not possible. When the investigation concludes, and the evidence is brought forth, if it proves the officer's guilt than I hope and pray that justice runs down like water, and bathes our community in a healing balm that enables the Truth to shine so brightly no one, not even the most ardent defenders of the status quo, will be able to look away, and in that moment, they will have to choose whether to stand for what's right or be swept away in the mighty stream of righteousness. But while we wait, we must govern ourselves in such a way that retains the moral high ground and does not give into the anger and hate that we feel, not because it is not justified but because we lose our standing, we lose our conviction and our support when deviate from the right path. When Dr. King and others of the movement were arrested it was for doing things that should have been legal and for peaceful demonstrations that allowed the country to see the brutality of oppression, not for acts of vandalism and instigation. I understand the anger, I understand the rage, but we must be better than the forces that oppose justice, we must be better than that so as to leave them no loophole or technicality to escape. We must be our best selves to ensure that justice is served.

Justice, however, does not simply mean the conviction of the officers, it must also mean their exoneration if they are proven innocent. In order for justice to be fair and impartial, the outcome, even if we disagree with it in our hearts, must be dictated by the truth that is revealed; it must hold to the same standard that we are demanding for Jamar. For only in that commitment are we able to move forward. If the truth shows that the officers acted within the law, then we must embrace the truth and bear no malice to them. This does not mean you have to let go of the anger and rage, but rather redirect it to where it should be, even now, at the system that has so oppressed our country that people have already drawn conclusions about the guilt of the officers, vowing not to refuse to believe anything but guilt, regardless of what the evidence shows. That is a problem. We cannot fix a broken system and demand that it deliver justice if we are not willing to abide and uphold the same standard. If we uphold this same standard, then we can hold the system accountable and leave it no ground to go to.

And while we wait for this, it is incumbent upon those in law enforcement to recognize the maelstrom that we are caught within. To separate out the personal from the professional and allow, the anger and frustration to be expressed even if it is directly at you, without taking it personally, without allowing it to rile you, without reacting. We need you now, more than ever, to uphold the tenet of protect and serve, and be the heroes we need right now. We need you to stand tall, so as not to disrupt the peace that is tenuously in place.

The events that have unfolded and the resultant crisis we find ourselves in are built upon generations of systematic oppression of people of color and/or low income. And the posturing, rhetoric and loud screaming is getting in the way of recognizing that we're going to have to work together to reach the solution for all of us. People must be allowed to voice their opinion and frustration and work to bring about systemic change in PARTNERSHIP not in opposition to those that represent our government. And if we approach it rationally, reasonably and equitably, it clears the path for those who agree to join us and those in opposition to be revealed and moved beyond so that progress may be achieved. And those in positions of authority, it is their responsibility to recognize the bigger issues at stake, that existed long before they took power and not to be defensive but rather help bring about productive dialogue, recognize the anger and frustration and acknowledge it so that we can heal. Know that most people are simply looking justice and equity and help us all to achieve it.

Most important, it incumbent on all of us to not allow ourselves to forget the humanity in this situation. Not everyone who stands across from you is against you, some people just believe differently, some just do not know better. This is not saying do not protest. This is not saying do not defend. It is saying recognize the bigger picture, look for the places to find common ground. Look for ways to not allow this tenuous tower to topple over. Understand there is a difference between an individual and an organization and at the core of this are three people and their families whose lives were irrevocably changed that night, and seeking the truth, seeking justice and healing them and the community must be the first and most important priority. We must come together at the end of the day and build a better future for us all.

No exceptions.

~Finis~

On Justice, Jamar and Jenga Part 1
On Justice, Jamar and Jenga Part 2

Marathons, Movements and Black Lives...Oh My!

Recently, there has been a lot of concern raised around the plan of the Black Lives Matter movement to disrupt the Twin Cities Marathon and I don't think I'll have a better opportunity to combine double entendres with offering perspective on this issue and my unsolicited advice. Numerous friends and family of mine have expressed anxiety, apprehension and even outrage over the plan. However, I think what is not being understood completely is the comparative value of the marathon to the lives of black people.

Let me start off by saying that I don't agree with the idea to protest the marathon, but I do understand it, and the logic is sound. My wife and I discussed this at length last night and she raised all of the arguments I've heard: "Why would you do this to people who would support you, you're going to alienate them?" “I don’t see the point, the runners have nothing to do with this issue.” "These aren't government or corporate power structures, these are people who have trained for years to do this event and you're taking away their opportunity to fulfill a personal goal and do something positive."

In response, let me ask what about the young black man going to school for years, training to be an engineer or tennis player who gets assaulted and/or killed? What about the millions living in abject poverty and shunted through systems because their value isn't affirmed? How do you compare someone not being able to continue their marathon because of an intentional act by an organized or loosely affiliated group to someone not being able to finish their life because of an intentional act by an organized or loosely affiliated group? How do you hold those two up and call them the same?

Therein, in my opinion, lies the point of this protest: that people's lives are more than inconvenienced by the lack of affirmation that Black lives matter and the ingrained racism within our society that allows the systemic marginalization and decimation to occur; the point that you don't get to decide which event gets disrupted, or how this group should protest in a way that is convenient and acceptable to you any more than we, as Black people, get to decide when we get pulled over, beaten, marginalized or shot and scheduled it for a time and way that's convenient to us. The events and acts that I believe BLM is trying to raise awareness of often come with little warning and cannot be stopped, they disrupt our lives and prevent us from finishing our own races, often through death. We live daily with this concern and fear and even direct action with no choice in matter. The fact that we do not get to weigh in on and decide when racism and brutality will occur is EXACTLY the reason why this protest would happen. It is holding a mirror up to our reality through a lens that the broader community can't help but see, if they look. We do not get to choose when we are impacted, that is the point, I believe, of the protest.

Again, I don't agree with the decision to do it, and would not were it my call, but I DO understand why it is being done and for that reason, cannot condemn it. You may not like it or agree with it, but hopefully, now, you understand why someone would do it.

I will not condemn this plan, but I will offer a piece of unsolicited advice to the organizers or those involved. The idea of this plan has raised public concern to a level where numerous public officials are offering to meet with you, and if you do, there will be offers of assistance and suggestions, take them. The major point of protests is to raise awareness and perception and to attempt to gain a voice.
You have one.

You have the key stakeholders, decision makers and gate keepers who have opened their hands and minds to this message. Some because it is politically the best option, but many because they believe in the ideas, value the sentiment and honestly want to help. This is the brass ring as it were because it is an opportunity to not only achieve some of the change you want to bring about, but also firmly secure a political position that is validated and have allies to work alongside you. You will not get everything you want, negotiation and compromise is the very nature of the politics of change, but you will get more done than continually working from the outside and you will lay a solid foundation to continue advancing the issues and working towards solutions in partnership with those who have authority and power, and who may need this connection in order to fully understand and in turn support, the battle which must be won.

Now I can understand there may be some within the movement who will say no: no compromise, no negotiation, no surrender! But that reveals a lack of understanding of how society operates. People come from diverse backgrounds and perspectives, and in any given situation, especially ones which challenge ideas and principles deeply entrenched, not everyone is going to agree on everything. To refuse to consider any level of compromise is to be guilty of the same dogmatic practices and positions that have brought us to this point, of course you have to add racism and classism to the mix for the original, but beneath that lies an unwavering obstinacy and refusal to embrace change that you run the risk of emulating if you are unwilling to even have a conversation.

Being willing to negotiate and compromise allows for a broader circle and the construction of an effort or initiative that not only brings more people to the table, but also ensures that the solution has support from a wider set of stakeholders and in doing so a greater audience to promote to and engender buy-in from. It may not be what everyone wants, but it will be something everyone can support and live with, and at that point the second, more powerful component of the battle begins, that of the heart. You see, once you achieve a compromise that everyone can live with, then people have to actually live with it. They have to experience it, they have to be confronted with it in a non-threatening manner and they have to think about it, day in and day out. And when that happens, all of the bluster and rage objections and soundbites fall away to reveal just the truth of the ideas, and that is when true lasting victory occurs.

The idea that Black lives matter, that they have value, that they are equal to all other lives is an idea so simple, so pure and so true, it is a mystery why anyone would oppose it, but there are people who do, and they do it out of ignorance and fear. The more they are presented with a target, the more you try to bludgeon the idea into them, the firmer they will dig in and resist. It is what we do here in America. It is what we’re known for, and we’re very good at it. But you take away that forced compliance, you take away that adversarial tactics, you build instead an agreement, an understanding, a compromise based on shared values that is accepted by leaders and representatives that people know, agree with and respect and all they are left with is the beautiful truth that is intrinsic to so many of us, that Black lives do matter and to oppose this is stand against what is right without some excuse to hide behind or some foil to pass one’s prejudice off to. To oppose this is to admit to world that the problem is not people disrupting races but one’s own insecurities, fears and biases.

It is to admit you are wrong.

And that compels the world to change, not by force, but by choice.

And that, my friends, is the battle won.