Black Lives Matter: Eight minutes and forty-six seconds
By Honorable Shirley P. Sutton
At the first memorial for George Floyd, Reverend Al Sharpton asked us to stand for 8 minutes and 46 seconds. As I stood up I begin to wonder why none of the other Police officers present didn’t intervene, as there was time to do so. Instead they allowed one of their “own” to snuff out the life of an innocent human being, based on their imbedded “hatred” of a person of color.
I recall witnessing on television earlier riots and protests during late 1960’s and 1970’s and witnessing our people attacked with fire hoses, dogs and beaten to the ground with batons. Officers who were sworn to protect and serve were displaying their hateful actions based on a person’s color.
Fast forward fifty years and our world are still witnessing the protest and riots of earlier times. What is different is that all cultures, young, elders, community activist and others reacted on greater scale, which reached around the world.
However, this time we can count on change because there is a new “normal” that inspires hope and opportunity for all of us to work together for this monumental change.
As we all acknowledge our prejudices and mend the racism that for 401 years for atrocities that have been in “the knee on our neck”, we just might see Dr. Martin Luther King’s vision come true.
My pledge is to continue to be in the “fight” for civil rights” and not back down to those who treat me differently based on the color of my skin or intellect. ENOUGH with phony leaders, dead-end movements and culture failures that are undemanding Black America and others.
A quote from Dr. King “We’ve got some difficult days ahead”.
Author: Mario Lotmore
