Memphis, White Supremacy, and Madness

“The slave went free; stood a brief moment in the sun; then moved back again toward slavery.” W.E B. Du Bois in Black Reconstruction in America (1935)

Preparation. We were warned.

Pause. Should I watch? How bad could it really be?

Pain. A violent assault on a human being.

I understand why many Americans are now numb to the seemingly limitless reports of bad police behavior. So, the recent release of the horrific video of five Black law enforcement officers pummeling 29-year-old Tyre Nichols to death was certainly national news but our populace held its collective breath, exhaled, and sadly stated, “what’s new?”

Nichols, a gentle man with a love of photography, lost his life due to the reckless actions of monsters. The way in which these officers beat him was appalling to anyone who bravely observed the various camera angles and media play-by-play commentary of the execution. A so-called traffic stop turned into a nightmare for another Black man. Although the perpetrators and the victim were both African-American, this tragedy is an example of the poison of white supremacy in the USA.

It is important to understand the language of racial equity. Having a clear definition of words and terms that describe realities makes all the difference in conversations of truth and justice. A lack of clarity of meaning can often be the trigger for quarrels and conflict such that discussions shut down. My definition for white supremacy…