"You got nothing to say about George Floyd??"
A guy asked me, pretty close, earlier this week on Twitter.
Truth is, I still am trying to figure out Philando Castile's murder from a few yrs before. Or Eric Garner. Or the kid in Missouri. Or the guy selling CDs in La. Or or or.
Philando was the guy still seated in his car w/his gf beside him and infant daughter in the back. The officer thought, "Yes, THIS is the environment where this guy I just pulled over is gonna start a shoot out."
With Floyd there were folks literally saying, "You're killing him.'
A friend of mine has an 8-yr old son, I asked him yesterday, "You ever talk w/you son abt what to do when he gets pulled over?" Part of my brain thought it was a bit of an offensive question, bc 0% I'd ask that of a white guy. He didnt pause: "Multiple times, even before Monday."
. . . the kid's 8.
And his dad has already been drilling him on "how to stay alive." The only instruction I ever got from *my* father re: dealing w/police was, "Say yes sir, no sir."
Is the difference a black guy will have an assumption of fear and I won't?
No, the diff is I've Never Had to Consider It. Ever.
Add up every interaction I've had w/po-po and the worst it ever turned out was probably a $218 fine and points on my license. And I knew that's as bad as it could be.
Heartbroken and some angry from last night around Atlanta. That's really not who we've ever been here. I was a kid when Maynard got elected (celestial fist-bump for all you did for the airport), possibly the biggest fan of Andy Young in the entire city, Shirley Franklin . . .
and now Mayor Bottoms, last night, holy ish, that's some leadership.
Some folks saw it as an opportunity to get free jeans and an iPad. That wasn't the protesters, that was other folks and, my Lord, if you live here like I do you know the monster # of . . .
minority- and female-owned businesses in Atlanta and there will be plenty who were already on the brink and realistically can't even cover their end of any insurance claim after last night.
There's no neat bow to put on this. I *do know* Atlanta is better than last night.
You can follow @kingcfb.
Tip: mention @twtextapp on a Twitter thread with the keyword “unroll” to get a link to it.

Latest Threads Unrolled: