My Answer: Burn It Down!

“A riot is the language of the unheard.” -Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

I remember when the gas station down the street from my house burnt down after Michael Brown, Jr. was murdered by the police.

I remember how my then spouse told me that I couldn’t go protest because, “I don’t have enough bail money for what you might do.”

Kimberly D. Jones went viral in 2020 after the lynching of George Floyd (Continued shouts to Darnella Frazier for recording this, as hard as this was to see–the world had to see it!). The thing that I have always most interesting is two-fold:

1.) When these resistance-powered non-violent protests happen, most violence that is perpetuated is done by the police.

2.) It seems to always be a surprise that the best response to oppression is resistance.

Black people are mad–and we have every, single, solitary right to be! There is a need in us to be free, and this new form of drapetomania is only fueling progress forward. We must move forward! Resistance is still needed and necessary!

Burning it down looks different for different people! Make no mistake: I understand the need to break apart everything that is oppressive, repressive, and powered by racism! I understood why these resistance movements (I refuse to call them riots), involve tearing things apart! I get it! Yet, how I burn this system down is through the vehicle of language and recording. I have to look at the world around me and not blink, not flinch, and not lose my humanity while doing it!

Change has to happen.

Change is going to happen.

Some people choose bricks, some get pens.

Either way, you gone hear what we said–either the first or second time.

Deadass.