Happy Friday (sortof) Night Love and Light to you! Welcome to another winning week of awesome!
Wow. This week has been a doozy. I’m exhausted, truly. If you’ve been paying any amount of attention to the happenings in Ferguson, Missouri, you know exactly to what I’m referring. This is the first time in a long time that I can say, with some amount of emphasis, that I’m infinitely proud of humans on this planet. Some humans.
I applaud the people who have shown up in Ferguson in a big way to show solidarity for a young brother who was, for all intents and purposes, murdered at the hands of a (we’ll say, misguided) police officer, in the middle of the day–with his hands up in surrender. I applaud the people of every complexion who have shown up in the cities they live to stage peaceful protests around the globe. The pictures are breathtaking. I applaud the people who have staged their protests in their own homes or offices by paying attention to what’s happening, posting brilliant social media content and keeping their network informed with the facts, their thoughtful ideas and the courage to speak their hearts. I applaud some of the journalists out there on the front lines covering this thing, even at the expense of being abused and/or arrested. I applaud J. Cole, (yes, the rapper) for putting his pain in a song for Mike Brown called Be Free. Man look. Once you hear the pain on this song, if you’re life ain’t changed yet, it will be.
This.
The outrage is real. But it’s more than outrage, it’s a deep sadness that aches like an infected tooth. Mostly because it’s not just the death of Michael Brown that’s causing this ache. It’s the dozens and dozens on thousands of police brutality and/or police-sanctioned murder cases that have come to light in the last few weeks, months, years, etc. Thanks to the power of technology. We’ll suppose the bright side of this ache has come in the form and power of citizen journalism.
Man, listen. On the one hand, there’s a part of me that is excited about the possibilities that happen when people get sick and tired of being sick and tired enough to do something powerful with their voices. The kinds of conversations I’ve been able to have with people, the brilliant content people are sharing, plus, the gorgeous ways that people have come together to show support for our fallen brothers (and for justice), is thoroughly heartening. Spike Lee did this awesome thing outside of his 40 Acres offices.
Plus, the intrigue was awesome when that Techie group Anonymous added their hacktivsm of pertinent information into this fuckery opera that will forever be known as Ferguson. My brethren and sistren have really shown up. I’ll add, there has been no division of color here in the people who have shown up. GOOD People of every melanin level have made their voices, solidarity and often, outrage known from all over the globe. I truly am proud of humans right now. Some humans.
But then, there’s a part of me that’s a smidge toeing the line of overwhelm. I feel like that scene in A Few Good Men when Jack Nicholson’s character was screaming, “You Can’t Handle the Truth!” And so now I’m beginning to notice just how many Black and Brown and yes, White lives are actually being mishandled in the wake of police brutality. I had always known it, maybe, from an across the street sortof purview. But watching all the videos and listening to audio, seeing pictures and reading commentaries–which leads to more video, pictures, audio and sometimes archives… it’s a rabbit hole. If you were to take just one day and get your fill of what is actually happening out there to people at the hands of police, it still would only scratch the surface of what it actually is. When SWAT and tanks and snipers show up to address peaceful protesters, I think we get to see a glimpse of what excessive force actually looks like. It taint pretty.
I’m a journalist at heart, so like most of my long time colleagues, I’ve been covering the happenings in Ferguson (as well as disseminating pertinent info about the other police brutality cases that have been surfacing) via social media. My heart is heavy for Michael Brown, Ezell Ford, Eric Garner, John Crawford and the countless others I’ve become acquainted with this week. I’ve also written my fair share. Some are on my Facebook page and a few are on my website, including an Open Letter to that Officer Who Killed Michael Brown and What is Peace? So forgive me if tonight I’m a bit burned out.
I guess the greatest lesson I was able to learn this week is that even when it seems like the worst that could possibly happen, happens–GOOD people rise. The GOOD always rises. Stay rising GOOD people. And thank you. I needed to see your faces this week. And you all showed up.
So. That’s what I learned this week. I do hope it helps something. Thank you for reading this (!!!) Remember always to #RuleYoSelf with L.O.V.E. Have a Happy Awesome Weekend! Love you madly! Please stay woke…
Osho Lovianhal,
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