Respect

I’m in Love with a Black Man

~ Laurie Samuel ~ 2 Comments

Hands United

I’m in love with a black man and he loves me.  What affects him, affects me and what affects me, affects him.  So here I am at the annual American Society of Criminology (ASC) meeting presenting the findings of my study on racial profiling in America.  Why is there this constant debate over what it is?  How do you define it?  Quantitatively?  Qualitatively?  Both?  What data is the standard?  The police don’t want to collect race statistics because they don’t want to be called racists. And the community complains to news reporters and their stories are called ‘anecdotes.’  So how do you tame this beast?

I stand in front of the brightest minds in my field, the country’s top scholars waiting to hear what I found.  So with a big breath, I start…

How can scores of black people be wrong?  Why are they discounted so?  If the tables were reversed and black cops were stopping white citizens, surely there would be no debate.  Listen to me carefully.  I documented the lives and stories of 20 black men living in Washington, DC for six months.  They kept a journal of the times they had been stopped and the average was five times a week.  Let me say that again, the average was five times a week.  Some will say that I have limitations in my research and that my case study was not scientific enough.  Do I know they weren’t speeding?  I guess not.  Were they transporting drugs?  I hope not. Drugs were never found in any of the so-called ‘consent searches.’

My conclusion is that the black man is under siege.  He followed doctor’s orders and got a good education from a good school, got a good job, and bought a nice house in the ‘right’ neighborhood.  He doesn’t beat his wife, is a good father to his children, but to no avail.  He is still oppressed, disrespected, and harassed.  I guess someone forgot to tell him: You’re still black.

Be safe,

L.J.
Follow me on Twitter: @CrimeDoc1213@gmail.com

#love #black #man #race #police #racialprofiling #RaceinAmerica #racematters #dialogue #discourse #truth #respect #change #ASC #criminology #crime #justice #deardiary #ljsamuel

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Humanity Lost

~ Laurie Samuel ~ 1 Comment

praying

What a week.  So much violence, sadness, and turmoil.  Escaped murderers and cop killers.  Rape and murder of a 16 year-old innocent.  And the unthinkable tragedy of the brutal, senseless killing of nine souls praying in a house of worship. The world has a gaping wound and oozing out is hurt and pain.

Whenever there is a tragedy, the media highlights the name and handiwork of the evil doer a million times.  The victims are often the secondary story.  There are even times that stories are slanted to suggest victims of violent, unspeakable crimes are not innocent and blameless.  Let’s not demonize victims.  It disrespects their memory, diminishes the agony families are facing, and presents an excuse or defense for the perpetrator of the crime.

I cannot fathom what goes through a person’s mind when they are planning murder.  Where is the sense of conscience?  Where is the respect for life?  Where is the deference to that which is holy and sacred?  And how is it that once again we are at a point in history where the issues of race are sparking such venom and hatred to lead one to murder nine people in cold blood?  Where does that come from?  How does an innocent child brought into this world grow up to hate a group of people so much because of the color of their skin that he wants to annihilate them?  There is an indoctrination which most certainly began in the home.  These thoughts, feelings, and actions were encouraged.  And sadly since symbols of hate fly on flag posts outside state government buildings, then there is an unspoken acceptance of these ideals.

We have to do better.  We’re destroying each other- in the name of race, gender, or political affiliation.  This cannot go on.  Now, more than ever, we need to come together.  In honor of the nine brave people that lost their lives on Wednesday, June 17, 2015 as they sat in their church for bible study, we have to root out this hate.  And let’s not forget their names and the good they did while here on Earth doing God’s work.

The Emanuel 9

  1. The Honorable Rev. Clementa Pinckney, 41 years old
  2. Ms. Cynthia Hurd, 54 years old
  3. Ms. Susie Jackson, 87 years old
  4. Ms. Ethel Lance, 70 years old
  5. Rev. DePayne Middleton-Doctor, 49 years old
  6. Mr. Tywanza Sanders, 26 years old
  7. Rev. Daniel Simmons, Sr., 74 years old
  8. Rev. Sharonda Singleton, 45 years old
  9. Ms. Myra Thompson, 59 years old

We cannot go on like this.  Be kind to one another.  Love.  Love one another.  Love. Love one another whether black or white, male or female.  Just love.

God bless the souls of the Emanuel 9, Emanuel AME Church, Charleston, SC.

Be safe,

L.J.
Follow me on Twitter: @CrimeDoc1213

#Emanuel9 #IAmAME #Charleston #humanity #peace #love #blessings #prayer #black #white #justice #fairness #crime #violence #BlackLivesMatter #respect

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