Black Lives Don't Matter

This piece is in response to the recent riots in Baltimore MD after the death of another man at the hands of the police.  http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/29/us/baltimore-riots.html?_r=0

I am a male.  I am white.  I am tired. 

Black lives don’t matter.  Lives matter.

I realize that my skin color and gender leave me rather unqualified to answer in true empathy.  I will never be able to place myself in the shoes of black-American.

Bias and prejudice may need to be violently fought; it seems at certain times in history this true.  But I feel that now is not the time for that,  at least not in this Country of “opportunity”.  There are perhaps not enough opportunities for every citizen, but we not at risk of running out of opportunities yet.  Too many people simply opt out.  In this country bias and prejudice should be fought not with violence, but with action.  Show that you are a capable black leader.  Show that you are a respectful (not subservient) black citizen.   Show that you’re a loving black father.  If you are those things, then remove the prefix “black”.  You are a capable leader, you are a respectful citizen, you are a loving father.  We don’t say “he is such a good White leader” (though some might think it.)  The wars that are being fought are largely self-inflicted now.  The work of the previous generations being largely undone. 

“…Tha Police.” (N.W.A. 1988)

There are wicked people in this world.  Your job (Police, Military, Doctors, Teachers, Lawyers etc.) doesn’t make you good or bad; you are a person (Black, white, all that) who is responsible to act well.  It doesn’t surprise or shock me that there are persons in the Police force who make bad decisions; wicked decisions even.  They should be punished. 

Most of the national cases of Police brutality against black citizens (at last as reported in the media) seem to indicate fault on the side of the Police Officer.  But it is worth pointing out that the Black men (and woman?) who are unjustifiably being beaten and killed, are not fully innocent, or at least not intelligent.  This is not to say they DESERVE to be beaten and killed, but the fault is not fully on the side of the Police.  Many have made aggressive actions towards the officers, many have fled, or resisted.  This is either an indication of unlawful action, or stupidity.  An intelligent person would not unnecessarily put himself or herself at risk by running from a Police Officer, especially with the current trend of police using unnecessary force. 

The Nation seems at risk, with city after city falling to these headline killings and lootings.  Body cameras on the Police Officer’s are a short game fix that would probably help.  But the problem runs deeper, and farther back.  Precautions at the Officer/Victim level are insufficient. 

The problems are probably too big to be solved with blustering, or policy.  We need personal reform.  We need citizens working together.  We need Black and White people working hard until the terms are no longer important.  There needs to be personal, as well as organizational accountability.  Stop being racist.  Easy right?

I honestly don’t know what the solution is.  But I am tired of hearing the same story; the same story from both sides.  Seek Justice, but more importantly, seek progress.  This is largely an American problem.  Let’s look at the success stories of other integrated countries, lets talk to each other honestly.  Let’s swallow our own preconceptions and live next to each other.  I am a white man who lives in a predominantly black neighborhood and I am glad for it.  I begin to see that these people (color irrelevant) are my neighbors.  Some are good, some are kind.  Some are disrespectful and rude, some are threatening.  We are all people, silly people. 

Black lives don’t matter.  Lives matter.