Let’s have a very real conversation. I am the daughter of a former officer. Many of my closest friends are officers. I am a firm believer they should be thanked, respected and they are definitely needed.
Now, as a mother, I have a different perspective. My gentle giant is often just viewed as a big black boy. Coming from a multi-racial family, even though we don’t see color, I do see color. I am raising a brown child. The conversation in my house is a lot different. It goes like this: “Baby if pulled over, and you are in the back, put your hands on the headrest where they can be seen, see but don’t see, look up, take your headphones out, be quiet, don’t play the music loud, don’t put the hood on, if stopped by an officer, what would you do, say this, if this happens, honey, let’s talk, you cannot go, stay with mommy, what happened at school today, did anyone say anything to you, no you cannot play with a mask, take it off, no toy guns, the water gun has to be bright orange” The list goes on and on.
Raising a brown child, I literally live with my heart beating extremely fast anytime he is not with me. What if he is in the car with his father (a black male)? When I see this video and read this article, I can only think, “how reckless!” The officer killed an innocent man, could have killed the woman, the child, and the other officer on the other side of the car. To shoot like that was nothing but reckless! Why must our black men be feared; why is it okay to just take them away from this earth and their families? This article is exactly why we say, Black Lives Matter.” We know others do too, but right now we are talking about ours.
Rest in peace to the man who worked for the public school system, who memorized over five hundred names and who memorized all of their food allergies. You, sir, are the real hero; the real MVP! My heart won’t stop aching over this.
And when the little girl begged her mom, “I don’t want you to get shooted.” She is four years old!!! Find it here
Raising Little Brown Children 