Black History Month is a time to recognize the lived, shared experience of all Black folks who have fundamentally shaped, challenged, and ultimately strengthened America. It’s about taking an unvarnished look at the past so that we can create a better future. As we mark 100 years of celebrating Black history, let’s honor the sacrifices of the leaders who came before us, and recommit ourselves to continuing their work.
Over the course of a lifetime, we face only a few moments where the decisions we make and the actions we take will shape our history for years to come. This is one of them.
Most of us are just interpreting the images and videos that our algorithm serves us. (Few people outside of Minneapolis have a truly comprehensive view of what is happening there.) That said: here is what I am seeing on MY phone. … A rowdy but overwhelmingly NONVIOLENT protest movement VERSUS overwhelmingly lawless and VIOLENT government agents from ICE … Courageous citizen journalists VERSUS cowardly, masked bullies. … Government LIES about an armed threat to cops VERSUS the TRUTH from citizen cell phones proving the man posed no threat when he was shot. … If your phone is showing you something radically different, please let me know. But a country in which immigration officials keep gunning down US citizens — knowing that the federal government will always side with its armed agents against any citizen — is hard to describe as a nation of laws.
The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.