This Ain't About You-Trump Please have a Seat!

Imagine every time you get on social media or turn a television on, you read a headline that states a Black man or woman was shot and killed by police forces or ungrateful Black person disrespects America for dot dot dot. Well, there's no need to imagine because this is my reality. It seemed like Black bodies were getting killed every minute of the day and no one except people with sense seemed to care. We protested for the rights of our deceased brothers and sisters, yet it seemed like it was only making it worse, those minutes turned into seconds. We felt our voices weren't being heard because simply they weren't. The louder we chanted Black Lives Matter, the more our voices were silenced out.

I wasn't doing anyone any justice staying quiet and I wasn't doing anyone any justice assuming all white folk that still do not get it are refusing to grasp the idea.

Those that refused to understand that Black lives mattered, deviated from what was important and created unnecessary dialogue about all lives mattering. Many people, myself included, wasted our breaths trying to reexplain the movement and why it was so important to us. It seemed pointless. I had to remind myself that you cannot try to make someone see your point of view if they aren't willing to listen. For the longest, I really thought they weren't getting it but honestly, it is too simple to not get. I felt I was wasting my energy and needed to stop trying to explain everything. At that point, I was just tired. I was so exhausted that I stopped being aware of what was happening. I stopped reading the headlines and I stopped correcting people that continued to say idiotic things. I wasn't doing anyone any justice staying quiet and I wasn't doing anyone any justice assuming all white folk that still do not get it are refusing to grasp the idea. However, I then realized that the less I explained, the less of a voice I had. So here I am!

I find it very embarrassing to see the president call someone a son of a bitch on national television.

As many know, Donald Trump took it upon himself to speak on Colin Kaepernick during a political rally (honestly I don't know what is was and I really don't care either). The CNN clip I watched opened with Trump stating "Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners, when someone disrespects our flag, get that son of a bitch off the field, out, he's fired". Trump began to boast as his supporters cheered for joy and approval. I find it very embarrassing to see the president call someone a son of a bitch on national television. As the whining continued, Trump says that kneeling during the national anthem is "a total disrespect of our heritage" and "a disrespect for everything we stand for". Now lets back up. I am trying to figure out what heritage Trump is referencing and what we stand for because to me all I think of is lies and oppression. Now I could go in detail as to why I think this, but that is a topic for another day. However, if you want to get an idea, think about the real history of America, who wrote the national anthem and what was actually written (not just what is forcefully sung at the beginning of each sports game.)

This is where my confusion lies. I thought America was the "Land of the Free", a place where we as Americans are able to utilize freedom of speech. However, when Colin Kaepernick decides to practice his freedom to do so, he is told it's disrespectful and anyone that follows should be fired. Hearing Trump say these things knowing what and why Colin Kaepernick did what he did frustrates me. Why? I know Kaepernick decided to kneel during the national anthem to make a statement. To speak out against police brutality that black and brown faces encounter on a day to day basis. The police brutality that led to the unjust death of Tamir Rice, Philando Castile, Oscar Grant, Freddie Gray and the list could go on. Unfortunately, it has turned to the disrespect of a flag and the national anthem. This is the shit that gets exhausting. We say one thing and they interpret another, flipping our message to make it about them. So let me make this clear, THIS AINT ABOUT YOU!

The message is pretty clear, however, it is not clear enough for the people in the back. So no matter how much they refuse to listen, do not stop educating and fighting for what is right! Do not allow these bigots to distract you from our purpose. Continue to speak out and have your voice heard. In the words of Angela Rye stay read up, stay prayed up and resist yall.