April 24, 2020 AM
While trolling through a menagerie of morning headlines, one headline that stood out says, “Black leaders say reopening Georgia is an attack on people of color”.
Something about this black leader designation assigned either by media or a self appointed alpha personality seems off-shore. Too often the ‘leader’ designation is strategically embraced and manipulated as a political scapegoat-pawn by the opposition.
Many believe Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s decision to reopen some businesses across the state starting today is an “attack” on African Americans — one of the groups hit hardest by the virus. Publicly voiced sentiments reveal it’s no coincidence that the businesses being reopened — including barbershops, nail salons, and churches — traditionally act as smaller community squares for black residents.
The Rev. Jamal Bryant is quoted as saying, Kemp’s decision is “leaving us to the slaughter.” Bryant previously from Baltimore, filled an Atlanta mega-church pastoral slot once occupied by Eddie Long. The vote suppressing Georgia governor gave an edict that would potentially bring harm and devastation to black communities across Georgia. Are black people that “herdable”?
Now we have the world waiting to see how black people respond to destructive declarations from a partisan cartel which maintains a profound depth of disrespect and political disdain for people of color.
I have to admit this is going to be intriguing to witness. Is the slave mentality still intact, because we are now in survival mode with a pandemic disproportionately killing people of color.
All I can say to people of color across America is, ‘Don’t Fall For The Okey Dokey’. Your life and those around you depend on you to postpone those feel good moments for later. Make no mistake, this is about money, politics, and overt racism southern style.
Otherwise, if the well documented life saving directives are not adhered to, in the short-term you may see the street lights, but in the long-term you can be waking up heading toward the ‘Bright Light’.
This post will be updated throughout the weekend. Stay safe as we continue to ‘Shelter in Place’.