Monday Thoughts: Sandra Bland

For me, writing come “easy”. If needed to, I COULD type a paper in a day, I COULD write a 3-5 page in about 2 hours, I COULD throw out a quick post just to say that I did it, but I wouldn’t be serving myself or my audience if I did.  Because I didn’t have much to say, last week was a quiet week for me. Not that I didn’t have anything going on (trust me, I had plenty), but as a Cancer (June 24) I found myself going into my “shell” last week.  I found myself not having much to say on the issues on the world, which is rare for me.  Essentially, I found myself reflective and practicing self-care (hence the pretty sunrise picture). Disclaimer: Say what you want about Zodiac signs, however I do find some truth in the way they describe personality. No I do not check my horoscope. No I do not follow tarot cards. But on a personality level, things do tend to line up.

Before I start, let me say this: Sandra Bland did not deserve to die, the treatment she received during that traffic stop was unnecessary, her family deserves answers, the parties responsible need to be held accountable to the highest level of the law and I pray for nothing but peace and love to her family, to her friends and to her Sorority. The news about Sandra Bland is heartbreaking and sad and angering… and draining. Not because of her, or the situation, but the engagement it takes to stay involved and to stay current on the news. I feel (and I understand that others may not) as if it’s too much. Every time I look up, it’s someone else and with them comes a new hashtag, a slew of “expert” opinions and a blunt reminder of the value of African Americans in the United States. I feel (and I understand that others may not) that I can no longer keep up.

To me, these situations are like scabs. The initial cut always hurts, but as you pick at it more and add alcohol to the womb, it doesn’t hurt as much. The first day it burns, you grimace; the second day it stings, you wince; by the third day it cools and you’re good. I’m numb to the situations and I know that I’m not the only one. I know that as an African American woman, if I’m numb, then my European counterparts are too. I know that the more these situations (that's really the only accurate word that I can use to describe them) occur, the more numb I will become.

So my question comes, what do we do next, when regrettably, this happens again? Unfortunately, there will be another, so how do we change the conversation, change the media and eventually change the action? How do we get the point across that Black Lives DO Matter?

How do we stay engaged?