As with the Michael Brown case (which I passively commented on at Thanksgiving by talking about my own privilege) I’ve been struggling with all the information shared on the Freddie Gray case. Again, the divide is so strong. The Supreme Court of Social Media has been in session before his body was cold – so many links and images supporting every and any position and argument and justification on either side. Lots of defensive talking but rarely any conversation and very little listening. Very little respectful consideration on either “side”.
And who can tell facts from fringe media outlets fueling one side or the other for their own agendas? Even mainstream media has an agenda for viewership and mayhem sells. Sometimes it made me sad and disappointed to read the text and (more strikingly) the subtext of some of the posts shared and liked by my Facebook friends.
- A young mother championed for beating her son on the street, when on any other day or context, she would be condemned for abuse.
-Images of black kids giving police office water or black men forming a protective barrier for police officers as if it offsets the destruction that is happening.
-Rioters and looters and peaceful protectors and black civil rights leaders all being grouped together as acting like animals and thugs (thug – the subtext and broad application of this label is troubling to me…) |
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The part that makes me saddest is when educated, middle class people like us turn our noses up and "Like" posts suggesting that Freddie Gray’s criminal record justifies his death. That makes you part of the problem. The problem of subtle fear and hate and lack of the smallest amount of compassion for someone who probably never has a semblance of a chance to make it in this world… To be clear, the Freddie Gray that we have met in the media isn’t someone I’d associate with. A crazy long criminal record at such a very young age - that is a tragedy in itself! None of his crimes to date would have earned him a death sentence in the justice system we live by, however. Many of you, like I did, watched the critically acclaimed show The Wire (what a good show!) and we watched knowing that show was the reality in Baltimore (and other cities around the country and the world). When I watched The Wire and saw those streets kids and their stories that emerged, I felt empathy for their tragedy...Did you? I look at myself…in another neighborhood…with different parents, my dearest brother could have been Freddie Gray. You could have been Freddie Gray. Your son could have been Freddie Gray. If you can imagine that, then shrugging off his death because he was a "criminal" isn’t so black and white (no pun intended).
CNN is now reporting that 6 police officers have been charged and Freddie Gray’s death ruled a homicide.
Celebrations in Baltimore at the news that six police officers have been charged in the death of Freddie Gray.
This is tragedy. There is no victory for anyone. |
