I am angry.
I have been angry all week. I was angry the week before that and I’ll probably be angry for a while yet. If you have seen the vile stomach turning police murder footage of George Floyd in Minneapolis, you should be angry too. If you have largely managed to avoid seeing that video in its entirety, lucky you.
Lucky only because that haunting image has unfortunately been etched into my mind forever. Right alongside the visual of Ahmaud Arbery being gunned down as he went for a jog. Human life, one of the most precious things on this planet, snuffed out on camera. Pleading met with unwavering barbarity. Whether you’ve seen it or heard about it, this callous occurrence should enrage you just the same. It should equally trouble you to know that the only reason you are even aware of this event, is due to the cameras rolling that day. It makes you wonder just how many times has something like this happened without the promise of justice?
This encounter is merely the tip of an extraordinarily large institutional hate perpetuating iceberg. An outcry is required. Whether you are protesting in the streets, posting black squares on social media or privilege checking that work colleague who doesn’t quite understand having a broad vocabulary isn’t exclusive to being white. Lord knows I’ve heard the “wow you don’t talk like a black guy” line far too many times in my life to even keep count. AN OUTCRY IS REQUIRED.
The United States is a wild place sure. And it certainly doesn’t help that it is being led by a degenerate traffic cone looking immoral lizard, more interested in stirring violence than unifying the people. But if you are anywhere else in the world and reading this, don’t you for a second think that the black experience is plain sailing generally. There are many intrinsically “hostile” countries and there are many names. From where I’m sat, the UK is not innocent. Currently it is merely a rudderless boat, barely steered by an incompetent oaf forever waffling while his cohorts jostle to wipe sweat from his brow. The sweat isn’t even from him doing anything remotely considered as hard work, but rather from the exertion of juggling all his lies.
So let me take this time to say, Black Lives Matter. Miss me with that “all lives” rebuttal. I don’t want to hear it right now. Rest in peace Sheku Bayoh, Kingsley Burrell, Rashan Charles, Mzee Mohammed, Leon Briggs, Joy Gardner, Sarah Reed and Olaseni Lewis. Lives that ended in eerily similar circumstances following their encounters with the law. In fact and I mean this with all disrespect, f*ck the police. And while I know not all are bad (no generalisations here), I’ve been pulled over and harassed enough to know the narrative.
Also I would like you to ponder this too. You see those rubber bullets they are hitting peaceful protesters with in the United States right now? Those are highly likely to have been supplied by the UK. I’d imagine Trump and Boris are on FaceTime as I type this, both patting themselves on the back while debating if that “world’s worst leader” trophy can be split in half.
Vibes list below.
1) NWA – Fuck Tha Police
What more can I say? Released in 1988 and ain’t nothing changed.
2) Kendrick Lamar – The Blacker The Berry
Let them lines sink in homie. In fact the entire album was slept on. Go play that a couple times for the eloquence.
3) 2Pac – Changes
Anthem for the protests at hand. Nearly 20 years later and still facing the same damn problems. Relevance levels are still off the charts.
https://youtu.be/9G6ro-c0C5E
4) Bob Marley & The Wailers – Redemption Song
These are troubling times. The world is on fire. I long to see my people truly free.
5) Buddy ft. A$AP Ferg – Black
My theme song right now. TURN IT ALL THE WAY UP.
If you have read this, felt the outcry and now currently wondering how you can help. There are a variety of ways to get involved. Being vocal about the issue right now is a great start, but also below are two causes you can donate to if you feel inclined to do so:
Black Lives Matter – Go Fund Me
Stephen Lawrence Trust – Donations
Keep fighting the good fight. Justice for Belly Mujinga.