Since the murder (that coined the phrase that we’ve paraphrased) of Trayvon Martin, there has been 100’s and 100’s of Police killings of individuals (of all colours that have seen a disproportionate number of Black victims). Due to such high numbers and in many many cases questionable circumstance, it has been quite difficult to focus on one particular case.
The case we’ve chosen to mention did not begin with a high speed pursuit or indeed end with a fatality but is just as important for it may offer an insight into not why Black People are being shot (because of the colour of their skin, something that they can not change) but why the Police feel it necessary to shoot Black People (something that they can change).
The shooting of Charles Kinsey took place in the same state as the hunting down and systematic murder of young Trayvon Martin. When the Police officer responsible for the shooting of Mr Kinsey was questioned as to why he shot this unarmed man who happened to be lying down on his back, arms and legs held in a non-threatening position, his answer was “I don’t know”. Now it would seem the answer given was not to dissimilar to that of a child caught doing wrong or by someone who had been under the influence of either drugs, alcohol or a hypnotist. Could it be that the centuries of negativity and demonisation in language and image most things Black has led to those who are black being constantly vilified, has this been the case of it being subliminally implanted into the human psyche? We ask this as a genuine question and do not refer to the political class’s vehicle of political correctness that has seen guilt ridden middle class white people afraid to utter the word Black in any context In case it offends. For example the nursery rhyme Ba Ba Black sheep and the use of the learning aid the Black board which subsequently became the Chalk board then was replaced by the White board (or should it be called the pen board?)
It was only reported a few weeks ago that the Chinese State Airline had in a magazine on it’s flights to London a passage warning it’s passengers to “take precautions when entering areas populated by Indians, Pakistanis and Black people” (this advice probably given by an upper class white diplomat who due to his position has never stepped foot in these areas of perceived dread, instead relying on the negative reporting of the press). It did not state why these precautions were necessary or what they should be, except to travel in a group of two or more, but this isn’t important as the seed has already been sown and the vines of fear (and in some cases loathing) has now taken root.
This warning came in the same week the Chinese Government warned Japan about making inroads into “their second Continent” ironically this being Africa (populated by millions and millions of Black folk)
There are those who because of their colour or class feel that this particular issue doesn’t really affect them, we beg to differ. For, for every misconceived, miscalculation that ends in an injured party or fatality begins the cycle of mistrust of the people who are paid to protect and serve the WHOLE of society, which then leads to those same people becoming more paranoid/isolated and further removed from those they serve. Due to this feeling they (some may say unjustly) feel more vulnerable and feel the need to become more militarized.
