BLACK LIVES MATTER.
BLACK LIVES MATTER.
BLACK LIVES MATTER!
I hear this statement everywhere. See the declarations of support: from the community, from corporations, large and small. I have seen the marches, in the streets, for weeks. Folks of all colors, ages and stages, have marched with us POC. They have cried with us. They have taken rubber bullets with/for us. They have demanded ‘change’ from the government, on our behalf. For three weeks, white America marched with us. WHITE AMERICA MARCHED WITH US!
Then, the cameras moved on. I hear the words less. I see more and more folks, running around without masks. I see more and more, white folks, flocking beaches and going on vacations, all over the country. In fact, travel is higher, than it has been in years. Folks are living their lives, most white folks, are living their lives as if there is no pandemic, as if their actions are of little, or no consequence. For days, I have heard white folks saying ‘only the young get it’ or if they, themselves, get it, it ‘won’t be too bad’ or they recover quickly.
Or, let’s be honest, white folks see the staggering statistics that covid is affecting/killing POC at disproportionate rates, and keep it moving. They are thankful, that it is us, and not them. They are silent, once again. Another form of system racism.
Real talk, WHITE AMERICA: are you secretly glad that you can work from home, that you don’t have to make the agonizing choice of a paycheck vs contracting and/or dying from covid, if you get it? Would you be demanding, that meat packing plants open, or schools open, if you were stacked into these covid breeding places? Would you be cavalier if white folks were dying at two and a half times the rate, if white folks were hospitalized, at FIVE TIMES THE RATE, as POC?
Let’s be real, America. This country would ALREADY be in another lockdown, if the majority of white America had to work in the ‘essential’ groups. White America would have demanded, LONG AGO, that this nation be shut down. What’s more, white America, who owns most of everything and has the ear of the White House, would have already demanded a package to have them paid, while they shelter in place!
I talked to a white friend, today, who said ‘that’s just so sad/too bad’ when I told her about having to comfort a friend who lost THREE family members, in ONE DAY! I, myself, received three texts, in ONE day advising of three friends, who all passed away, THAT day. I have been fighting a severe cold, for the past week and a half, and spent time wondering if I would die alone, in my apartment, from this nasty covid, being in a high risk group.
Yes, many white Americans are socially distancing and wearing masks and going about their day. They are enjoying their meat, at the expense of POC, who are dying to help produce it. They are shopping, in stores, where ‘essential workers’ are bagging their groceries. They are traveling on trains, planes, etc where POC are keeping them clean etc.
Yet, we ALL see the rising numbers. Let’s be real, folks. We ALL know and understand that, as soon as enough people, WHITE PEOPLE, start dying that this country, will rise, en masse and demand things shut down, again. It is going to happen. I weep because, it is not going to happen: until more white folks start dying or getting deathly ill. White folks know this. The media knows this. Politicians know this.
I cry, knowing things won’t change, until those bodies pile up. I wonder, how many more of us POC, will die, until enough white Americans die or get super sick, to sound the alarm. How many of us, will be enough? How many of YOURS, will be enough before you demand law makers to do something?
People are demanding that sports, begin again. The vast majority, of players, are POC. I love sports. I pray, EVERY day, that sports gets shut down, in order for our players, and their families, and support staff, are kept safe. POC athletes have entertained America for decades. They do so, to support their families, to entertain the world. They love what they do. Yet, they have NO BUSINESS playing now.
Ah, that’s the big issue, though, isn’t it? BUSINESS? We make the money for you. Us, essential folks, keeps the trains running for you. Folks say BLACK LIVES MATTER. Apparently, it does not seem to matter, when put against the color green. Our lives are worth it, to most folks, to get the economy kick started. I dare White America, to admit that they would not choose their lives, over the economy, if they were the ones risking.
I know. I know. I already hear the arguments coming that white folks are suffering too. That they have to get out there and work, too. That they have to feed their family, too.
Bottom line is the numbers are out of control. The hospital are being over run. We need a FULL lockdown. The government needs to open the wallet, to all of us, not to big corporations, hedge funds, cruise ships, airlines, and all the other companies and billionaires and celebrities, who received MILLIONS in pay. The government needs to close up America, write us citizens a monthly check TO STAY HOME, so that we can get things under control.
America, needs to demand that EVERYBODY wears a damned mask, when things open up, and socially distance, and get things back in the right direction. Other countries, have already done this people!!!!
Evangelical Christians, what in the hell has happened to you, that you demand rights, at the expense of loving your neighbors and wearing a mask to keep everyone safe??! You want to protect a statue and could give a damn that you may be killing your fellow man!!!!
The silence is killing us. POC, your silence is killing us. We have to demand our legislature, friends, sports folks, ALL folks, rise up with us, and get us out of harms way! Folks are dying. WHITE AMERICA, your silence is killing us. How many more days, must we all live through, like this! Corporate America, yes, you are losing money. You are going to lose more. But, how many deaths are worth your bottom lines? This country needs to shut down. All of it. We needed to have done this, as ONE, back in March. We can do it now. Somebody’s mom, dad, aunt, uncle, husband, wife, sister, brother, cousin, best friend, only friend, is dying, as I type these words, as you read these words, that didn’t have to.
Does BLACK LIVES MATTER only at your convenience? POC are dying. From lack of testing, from lack of care, from lack of give a damn. We all watched, George Floyd, and were helpless. We couldn’t do a thing, to help him. We can do something, about this. We can ALL wear our masks, we can all socially distance. We can ALL, shelter in place. Things are close to a tipping point. Why, o why, do we have to wait until the number is too big for Donald Trump, for Republicans to stand up and say enough, for the rest of us to lose our minds, to do something.
Silence has literally killed tens of thousands, of our fellow Americans. Their lives mattered. We must NOT allow their deaths, to have been, in vain. IF you give two damns, stop wringing your hands, open up your mouth, and SAY SOMETHING. If not for me, do it for someone you care for. Death will come, for someone you know. It will. In the meantime, care for those of us who are daily affected.
Your fellow American and sister,
Cassandra
ttnette37@yahoo.com
Why Can't I Be Loud?! 