I have been silent for as long as I could, but now I need to ask; what's wrong with you? For centuries you have told told us what you believed was wrong with us. So now I ask, what's wrong with you? Do you value human life? Is human life more valuable than money? How can you remain silent as a wave of domestic terrorism continually sweeps across the country? Why are you more threatened by an unarmed black man walking or running down the street than a fully armed white man carrying assault weapons, dressed for battle, and threatening police officers at a state capital building?
How can you talk about the sanctity of life yet remain silent as an epidemic of violence is perpetuated by white people on black people. We are threatened and the police called for activities that you perform every day. Yes, I know that you like to counter this discussion by talking about black on black crime, but you still won't acknowledge the fact that the problem is that black people are targeted by white people every day for no reason, except that they are black.
You talk about family values but remained silent as black families were torn apart during slavery. Yes, I know that was a long time ago and you didn't do it, but your ancestors did. So, according to your logic, the tendency to not consider black people as human beings is in your DNA. At least that's what you say about the traits you have noticed in us. But we don't have to think back that far. Remember, it was very recently that you were silent as thousands of families were torn apart and put in cages at our southern border.
You are proud of your Christian faith, but do not follow the teachings of Jesus Christ in Matthew 25. You give all sorts of excuses about why that is only relevant to whom you consider, believers. Who are you to judge who is a true believer when your behavior is anything but Christlike? What kind of faith do you have that allows you to use the Bible to justify intolerance, hate, bigotry, and slavery? Even John, in the Bible said that you can't really say that you love God and hate God's people.
By now you should be angry and upset. Good. Maybe now you can begin to imagine the anger that I feel when I see another one of my black brothers and sisters murdered by some white person who believed that they had the right to do so without consequences. Maybe now you might imagine how upset I am when I see the video of a black man, woman, or child having the police called on them for no reason, or some random white person stopping to question them because they can.
But before you write me off as just some racist, angry black woman, try this. Read this letter again and reverse the races. Insert white every time it says black and insert black when it says white. Now pay attention to how you feel at the end. If your feelings have changed, maybe it's time to say something. When you don't speak up and speak out, your silence gives consent.
Sincerely,
A Black Woman