I must say today’s events are very telling of our nation's choice in response and preparation for what they deem as “threats”. We have seen throughout the remainder of this year a monumental election process stemming into very out of the ordinary occasions. We are now faced with the grand scheme of a plot that caught us off guard more than we’d like to admit. With knowledge of the passion, the infiltrators uphold we should be concerned that nobody with the power bothered to definitively intercept. These choices, these conflicts, these scenarios led our views right under a microscope demonstrating a clear and successful insurrection of the United States Capitol and within its stature political leaders and law enforcement. The seriousness and weight of these ever bold actions should not go over our heads. We must not get unraveled and shine a shocked face but rather stand and point until stark contrasts are all our general populous can come to terms with in the form of acknowledgment and a drive to scorn this disease of "Trumpism" being spread by "ReTrumplicans" as Chris Cuomo would put it.
(Photo Credits: Jose Luis Magna/AP) We must refuse the continued angle of surprise that these groups choose to operate in such a fashion when in fact it's damaging and at the very end of the day, what was accomplished? The Electoral College resumed their duties, the business of America, and certified President-Elect Joe Biden’s historical landslide victory over President Donald Trump. He was later impeached for a second time to effectively defer his right or ability to ever run for President again. Time was lost, but victory, and rightfully so was won.
(Photo Credits: (left) Melina Mara/Pool/Getty Images, Tasos Katopodis (right) ) I’d like to start by addressing how difficult it is to live a life defined by these outbursts. As an individual, a 19-year-old black college student it is malarkey to even utter the blatant differences we have seen this day, January 6, 2021. What can a nation expect when we have a national leader with millions of followers attentive at his every utterance to breach and storm the Capital with his verbal encouragement. It is in some way vital for several identities that reside in and endure our American lifestyles to be aware of the obvious. Protests geared and focused on a statement of justice and just treatment in all ways of life versus a group of presidential followers fighting for...the loss of a seat in The White House says enough on its own. People were disabled and left unnecessarily injured for simply standing up for something that matters in a way far more personal and traumatic as opposed to an untouchable figure that leads a war in hiding. Tear gas can cause asthma, it can damage your cataracts, it can scar and burn your skin. Rubber bullets shot at your head can swell your eye shut, it can and will lead to head injuries, it can and will do damage as intended. Welcoming, swishing, encouraging hands, however, bring solidarity. It brings invitational expectations. It brings cooperative corruption. It brings all the dark into the light, into the forefront. It is an introduction we can now see and no longer be oblivious toward. It is alive and well and it will be our grievance if we commence beliefs that this dies with the career of Donald Trump.
We know serious. Nothing about our lives our dark skin, brown skin, light skin lives don't know serious. Behind the seriousness, lie our deepest feelings behind the jokes, the memes, the painful smiles. Our interpretation of the heart and reality of it is that this is still legit racial injustice being flossed in our faces. Many of our words are capable of saying everything we are feeling, thinking, and inwardly processing yet still it encompasses what never seems to be enough characters. Utilizing even the most minimal amount doesn’t amplify our emotion and the amount of exhaustion that is needed to accept and regroup with the event. I’ll be honest it’s unfortunate I have to journal and share my thoughts eloquently. The joy of writing this out hurts because I simply shouldn’t have a topic as such to speak on. However, the reason I share, the reason I vent is because the way I feel displayed in this journal entry is written in hopes that the feelings I uphold don’t get lost and that they end up under the eyes of someone who couldn’t understand my reaction. If this was never written, if this was never outspoken, I’d be voiceless amidst a movement that is ours but more importantly, it is a movement requiring each and every one of us to act. On that note, that is the goal accompanied with forgiveness and healing. We reclaim our fight once we have filled those voids. We will not allow ignorance to overshadow or outshine the alive-and-well systemic injustices near and far, large and wide. Silence isn’t assigned, it is a choice. A choice I am choosing with my keyboard, with my revelations that if I don’t make my life matter. It won’t. Believe in what matters and build your world on that and that alone. It is solely a “they” problem that THEY need to apply and make mends with. There are tools and training available each and every day being assembled, existing, and yet to be made to eradicate the stench of blatant racism and its remnants in milder forms. What does that even look like? When does that dream take the turn? Well that in itself is a mind battle to mature and contribute to. In the meantime, a level of transparency is requested of those apart of these “black and white” problems that continue to reek of inequitable importance amongst other focuses.