(15:52:46) History has its Eyes on You

Speaker [00:00:00] I haven't been really vocal about it, and so I'm not angry about it until Ahmaud Aubery died. And it really, it really hurt my heart. Because, why should I be scared to go on a jog with a fear that it won't finish? And... I stutter a lot, but every speech I have, it has a prompt, and this one is "History has its Eyes on You."

Speaker [00:00:26] I'm sure. Quite a few of you know what a main character is. And I'm sure that these ??? as the main character. Maybe of your own story or maybe someone else's. But one of the last you saw a main character completely silent on an issue. When was the last time you saw the main characters, scroll through their social media and roll their eyes at all black screams for a movement that doesn't affect them?

Speaker [00:00:50] When was the last time you saw a main character take a break from social media because they didn't want to acknowledge the hurt and injustice going on in the world. You call yourself the main character of your story, but you're sitting on your couch with your grandchildren on your knees asking you what side of history you are on. You know that they would be disappointed.

Speaker [00:01:06] A main character is a hero, a main character isn't a threat, a main character may be plain or basic but they will still stick up for others. The main character knows they are on the right side of history. You want to be painted as a good person, but silence on the issues of the world makes you a loser. You don't have to be constantly performative, but I never see a black scream out of you. I never see a hash tag out of you. You have a large following. So why are you using your platform to help end this inequality so you don't have to keep hearing about little black boys shot in the head. You don't have to hear about the black deaths anymore because you helped to do something to fix it. Now, activism isn't always performative, but when you are actively ignoring the problem, you have become a part of the problem.

Speaker [00:01:46] It may make you feel better because you didn't say anything all week, but you posted a black screen on black Tuesday to get praise from your news stream. Anti-racism and Black Lives Matter is expected of you, and not praise.

Speaker [00:01:56] An innocent man with a family died on hot concrete with a police officer's knee on his neck. Black bodies are staining the streets with blood and you are still posting pictures associated with the caption "How is my bestie."

Speaker [00:02:05] Read the room. You're upset because the world was burning, but you weren't so upset on why it is burning. Ending police brutality and racial injustice should be top priority for you.

Speaker [00:02:18] It's not getting political, it's human rights rights you are expected to fight for. A life isn't a trend or a debate, it's a human life. Innocent human lifes ending because of their skin color isn't controversial, it's something you are fighting against. You weren't doing anything to fix it so the world stop burning, you have chosen the wrong side of history. You are not the main character, you are a stunt double at most.

Speaker [00:02:40] Your ancestors got us here, enslaved us, raped us, lynched us, segregated us, and now you think we have a freedom, but we don't. Don't live up to your ancestors and do better. And if you think that black people are free, are happy to be in this country, you are wrong. Some of us can't finish a job without being shot at. Some of us can't go to the store and buy skittles and an ice tea, and some of us can't sit our cars on the day we're getting married without being killed. Ahmaud Aubery, Trayvon Martin and Sean Bell, young black men that didn't get to do that. Their lives ended. They weren't just killed, their lives had ended before they really began. They don't get to put their toes in the sand at the beach anymore. Used to get to have that feeling. They don't get to have any more second chances or even firsts. No more phone calls, memories of conversations with them, no more silly injuries when being reckless that they have a cool story behind a weird shaped scar for.

Speaker [00:03:26] No more... Those are the things that you take for granted in life one you realise it's about to end. And these lives ended because of their skin color. Now you get. You get the fear, anger and frustration that comes with being black. We don't get to listen to Stanley ??? any more because Stanley was beat by a white officer after a traffic stop and blamed for her own death. That officer is walking free. In fact, almost every police officer that is put a black reason for no reason is walking free. Cops are not heald accountable for their actions because the ?? blue wall of silence and qualified immunity. Those rules are the exact reason we are scared of police. We are practically ready to get murdered [by] for them to get away from it.

Speaker [00:04:06] The original police system was ... [video inaudible]

Speaker [00:04:17] ... We're scared that if we get pulled over it's going to be the last number on the road. You understand that when you don't stand with Black Lives Matter you put more fear to our hearts. It is not a selfish movement, it's an empowering one. Because "our lives matter, too." Not more than anyone else's.

Speaker [00:04:30] Some people choose not see anything wrong in America, because it's slogan is, "land of the free." But no one is free when others are oppressed. And if you truly believe America is utterly great, you obviously have not been paying attention. Don't be so patriotic to the point where you cannot see reality.

Speaker [00:04:47] "Black Lives Matter" and "we need to end police brutality." I do need to be a part of that because history has its eyes on us.