OUTRAGED

Haute Mess Mom is in no way a political or social forum, but it is killing me not having an outlet for my outrage on the recent events affecting our country. I am a proud American who has fulfilled my service and duty to country. I do understand what it means to be an American. I have seen with my own eyes what other countries with out our freedom deal with. But I also understand what it is like to be a proud black person. Despite me being a proud Black American I am also a scared black mother.

            I believe all mothers have a level of fear when their children leave their presence, but no fear I have experienced has trumped the fear for the lives of my children growing up to be black adults. Something that they have no choice on or no way to hide when just being black poses a threat to others. We cannot control the authorities and still have not seemed to be able to convince them that there is an issue with the way things are being handled between law enforcement and the communities they police. What we can control, however, are our children. But what can we do? Is there a way to raise our children not to be targets when in reality we can be gunned down by trained and appointed authorities for selling CDs, playing alone in the park with a toy gun, breaking down on a highway, waiting for your children at a bus stop or reaching for necessary documents during a traffic stop? It seems we are at a lost there.

            Sadly, what angers me amongst the fear is the fact that other proud Americans can ignore the mistreatment your fellow citizens endure and are not also outraged with us. Furthermore, how do so many non black Americans embrace so much of our culture and not be outraged? How do you listen and dance freely to our music yet not be outraged? How do you where dashikis for fashion yet not be outraged? How do you wear box-braids and cornrows yet not be outraged? How do you mimic our physical features yet not be outraged? How do you claim to be turned on by or attracted to us but not be outraged? You love everything about us but do not hate how we are treated? Even if race was eliminated from the equation. Countless events of unarmed citizens are being gunned down by law enforcement and it does not disgust some of you. You can know what we are feeling and not cringe or even bat an eye because of course it doesn’t affect you. Or better yet some of you ignore it all together.

            At this point I want nothing more than acknowledgment of the injustices. I am tired of you who just go about like this doesn’t affect our entire country whether you’re black or not. You may not be affected directly but you can not say no you know feels the same anxiety I feel. Do not ignore it any more. Stand with us and stop opposing that this is an issue. And stop making excuses. We wont get through this with half the country acting like its nothing. I can only pray if we stand together and agree that this is a problem something can be done.