This post is part of the Protect Me Series.
By Lynnette Easter
It has been some time now that I have just been feeling “stuck.” Yes, I am being just as transparent as one can possibly be at the moment because emotions are flowing within me.
Memories, some that hit close to home for me, are resurfacing and push me towards a sense of anger. I understand the Bible says to be angry and sin not. I know that this passage we are going through is spiritual warfare but once again, I am angry.
We are Christians therefore we speak about the resolution to our problems and acknowledge it is Jesus. However, I need to discuss the in-between, my anger.
One too many African-American men’s lives are being taken unjustifiably by officers who are groomed to react based off of stereotypes which are hinged on: skin color, clothing being worn, and vehicles being driven.
Yet the saying that goes “never judge a book by its cover” becomes irrelevant when it comes to how African-American men are profiled. As more and more stories surface, we see how our men are being devalued by a system that governs them on a different scale than the next man.
Tell me, why? Why does the rule of thumb not stand for our men? When will the Constitution be applied appropriately to our men? Why does their skin tone, which comes in various shades, invoke fear? Why does their confidence make them a threat? Why does their educational background stir up anger? Why do their lives have a lesser value? These questions arise inside of me and leave me uncertain as to whether or not the continued usage of the phrase “We can do better” will come to fruition.
I am speaking as an African-American single mother of an African-American male. I am speaking as an African-American mother who remembers “the talk” myself and my immediate family had with my African-American son.
I am speaking from a place of fear! Whenever my son is home for the holidays, I have found myself presenting racially infused scenarios before him. I have inquired about his experiences while he is away at college. The dialogue we have allows me to listen to his point of view and share my concerns which are driven by my fear for his life and safety on a daily basis.
For me, I must continue to acknowledge my feelings and emotions as I pray for protection over my son. There is no denying that this world is in need of a drastic change, which is the reason we must pray. If we want to go further, we can utilize our platforms in a positive way by speaking out against these atrocities, exercising our rights through peaceful protests and prayer vigils.
Now, I am seeing that my prayers must not stop within my own household! Whether single like myself, married or in a relationship like many others, it is imperative that we as African-American Christian women intercede on behalf of all of our African-American men continually.
