2020 America

By Sean C. Bowers

          A Black man is ten times more likely to be killed by police than are Whites, despite making up only 12% of the nation’s total population, compared to the 60% majority of White America.

         The corresponding White argument is this: more Whites are killed by police in America.  That is only because 198,000,000 (million) Whites exist, compared to only 39,600,000 (million) Blacks based on United States census totals of the 330,000,000 total number of Americans.

        Now the Corona Virus and the George Floyd protests during these past few weeks ripped away the White veil of obscure security, exposing our underbelly for the whole world to see.

        The White defenses are usually: “I didn’t own slaves myself” and “When is enough, enough?” There is a simple answer to that question. When random brutality  stops happening and all races are treated equally, fairly and all people are policed and sentenced the same. Law enforcement is never above the laws officers are sworn to serve and protect. White people must understand the way we had things (the racist response by police) cannot and will not stand up to the light of day, to public scrutiny and the equal justice tests of accountability and transparency.

            When White people get irate about the current protests or the National Anthem issue of peacefully taking a knee, ask them point blank, “What would you do if and when the roles were reversed?  How long would you be willing to peacefully protest to bring about achieving justice for you, your family, and your grand children?”

            Then ask them, “Why do Whites always revert to violence under the cover of darkness, the internet’s anonymity, or the KKK HOODS of the Alt Right? Why do they not come out into the light of day where everyone can easily see their stands and perspectives?” The answers are simple. Whites know in their hearts, minds, and souls that their racist and sexist actions and attitudes are wrong and unable to be logically defended.

            Therefore, they make false equivalency arguments— red herrings, that do not make sense, using faulty undocumented sources, hoping to delay, distract or derail any tangible positive change from occurring.

            What White people everywhere in America seem to conveniently forget (or never even realize) is that “their White privileged world collapses without the everyday Black and Brown folks who do the work and jobs most Whites won’t do and see as “beneath” them. The jobs such as trash collectors, maids and office cleaners, prison guards, bus drivers, government or city workers.    

            The pre-George-Floyd-White Privileged-World is no longer a viable option that our nation—or the world for that matter—can or will ever go back to, period.

            White Folks, give the respect you always demand from others or the peace you seek will never come. Black Folks, continue to demand your equal rights under the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. You are only demanding the same privileges of the American Experience, nothing more, nothing less, that Whites have taken for granted as their own since America’s inception.

            Whites who seek to delay, confuse, argue, and justify the “old way” are the problem. They must be voted out of office and their racist views retired the peaceful way: at the polls.

            2020 is the year of America’s recognizing that “Change is [not] gonna come,” to mis-quote singer Sam Cooke.  It is here, now! Deal with it, White people, or you will have to deal with it being on the short end of the stick.

            Republicans, I speak directly to you now. Since the Barry Goldwater days, you have been lying and carrying Trump’s dirty racial water for him and others, for his entire Presidency and the life of White Privilege. Voting for an obvious racist does make you racist by vote, viewpoint, attitude, choice, policy and the guilt of association. The Republicans have enabled “45” to tear apart the fabric of our nation from within by gas lighting racism via code language that stokes the flames of racism.

            Asking, “What am I actively doing every day to best stand against racism,” is the real question we should all be asking ourselves? Gandhi famously said, “Be the change you wish to see,” or the change will engulf and destroy you.  The bible tells of “smoting” those who did not live a Godly life. A Godly life brings peace to all in the form of fair Equality’s justice, it is and has never been lording over others, playing God.

Sean C. Bowers has written the last twenty-one years, as a White Quaker Southern man, for the nations’ third oldest Black Newspaper, the New Journal and Guide, of Norfolk, VA, about overcoming racism, sexism, classism, and religious persecution. Over fifty of his latest NJ&G articles (2008-2020) detailing the issues can found by searching “Sean C. Bowers” on the NJ&G website. Contact him directly by e-mail V1ZUAL1ZE@aol.com  NNPA 2019 Publisher of the Year, Brenda H. Andrews (NJ&G 33 years) has always been his publisher.