The visceral and nauseating reaction I had to the videos showing what happened to some black boys and really girls down in Texas was rooted in my own lifelong unfair and discriminatory experiences, cultural memory of my black American ancestors’ experiences of U.S. domestic violence against them, and sensitivity to all women daily vulnerable to lowered standards of male behavior toward us.
Although I have sadness and compassion for all of the publicly abused and murdered #BlackLivesMatters victims, I had not been so upset like this since I heard the audio of Trayvon Martin’s final moments. The fact this broad-daylight assault was so extended, open, public, out of the shadows and knowingly videod sets it apart from the sudden, quick, and assumed unwatched events everyone has stayed so up in arms about. It told me that the more and more public murdering of black Americans goes on unprosecuted, the less and less biased police officers and racist adults will stiffen against doing whatever the hell they want to.
These matters keep erupting amongst real humans and individuals who are not celebrities but must become so for very mind-altering, emotionally-confusing, spiritually-upsetting and soul-crushing reasons. Hopefully it is comforting to them to know how much others, myself included, can and do feel real pain as a collective response born of our individual experiences as a “free” nation’s most punished. Just because I know why I felt the way I did about it does not mean I know what to do about it, but I can share my writing SheKnows.com published, as some sort of message to pure and innocent black girls like those I saw so rudely interrupted…
“We have to give our black girls “the talk”- and it’s not about sex”… on SheKnows.
negression 
Let us take this day and age. The US has a President, (and a Very good man in my opinion), who is a Black (if that is not the right word, please forgive me, I mean no offense). Not just in the Sports fields, but also in Commerce and the Armed forces, Blacks are seemingly doing very well. In this juncture, to read Your account, my Dear Kalisha, is shocking, though I should not be, because I have seen pictures and videos of police spraying pepper on protesters and using undue force. Just that it is all very sad.
You have written: ‘We have to sit our girls down and tell them, sadly, police officers may not be working for them much of the time.’
I would like to apply that to Our situation in India, where neither the politicians, the courts nor the police are for the People, per se, at all. All those are for the rich, the haves.
For me the greatest problem is that, unlike Black Girls who might listen to You, the Target in Our Country, the Common People, are Not ready to listen to people like me. Our people are proving that they are the ‘Sheep’ that Christ had called them. Lost, and Seemingly Drunk. Again a sad state of affairs.
God Help Us. Maranatha. Come, Lord Jesus, We Need You to Save us today. But let us Thank Him for Being with Us. Emmanuel.
Wish You and Yours a Happy Christmas, my Dear Kalish!
[Had read the whole account on ‘SheKnows.com.’ But it was asking me to sign in again. Hence posting the comment here.]
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Hello Yesudas, Happy Christmas to you too! It is sad to say that honestly, the racial violence and strife has come to a head under our first black president, probably a response to how much was buried underneath the surface of our nation which animosity about a black leader may have brought out. Yet, now that you bring up women and girls in India, and I know other countries, I do know that no matter my skin color here in America, I do enjoy freedoms and life soooo many other women in this world can not. I really appreciate your perspective, because in that light we are still very, very blessed as dark women in America. I keep hoping for evolution in our entire world. Many blessings, Kalisha
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Thank You, Kalisha! …Had not known that Violence against the Blacks had increased after the coming of Obama. What You say here makes sense.
Things Are changing, All over the world, though at what We would consider a Snail’s pace.
Much Harm against Women in India happens because of age old thoughts, supposedly supported by religion, and nowadays, by politicians.
Talking of world leaders, where I see Obama as a man Striving Very much on the positive side, Ours has the shadow of Henry of England, in connection to Thomas Becket. Henry was guilty of action on One person, Our has the shadow of thousands upon him.
Most politicians in India (as I am sure elsewhere) have very little respect or regard for Women.
It is an Uphill task. But We shall Keep Fighting. Love and Regards. 🙂
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Thanks for following my blog Kalisha. What a heavy but important post. Looking forward to familiarising myself with your others.
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You’re welcome Kehinde! Thank you for reading and I look forward to getting to know more of your work as well. Peace and blessings, Kalisha
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Real talk Kalisha. Our females get vastly overlooked in this and other similar debates. And I am part of the problem. I never miss an opportunity to drum trouble-avoidance strategies into my 16-year old son when he goes out, while just asking my daughter to let me know where she is. But the statistics point differently.
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Thank you for reading Jonathan! I can not imagine what it must be like to parent black teenagers in these times- how to be cautious, but also let them go to experience the world. I wish you and your family strength, safety, and power. Many blessings, Kalisha
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Reblogged this on Bayarrah's Blog.
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Reblogged this on BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL!.
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I am really surprised that this sort of stuff keeps happening in the US. It is supposed to be a more advanced nation
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Thank you, Rajiv. Yes we have a long way to go here still… 😦 Peace and blessings, Kalisha
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Yeah… We have a lot of hate in India. This hate that we have is a hangover of the Partition games that were played by politicians.
If prejudices run so deep, it does not augur well for humanity
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