Skip to main content

These Three Things

I have three things in my head today.

1. Monday's "Tipping Point" conversation about race, sponsored by AACR

2. The DOJ report released yesterday on Baltimore policing

3. The speech given by Marilyn Mosby, State's Attorney for Baltimore, on the decision to cease trials in the Freddie Gray case

First of all, I have immense respect for the organizers of Monday's event, and for all who participated. To take a leap of faith that they could bring together so many people during a time which is so emotionally charged and have a positive outcome is no small thing. Handling the event moment by moment took patience and flexibility.

When you allow people to speak out, it means you are relinquishing some control. You know you must expect the unexpected, and you try to be ready, but of course you won't know what that is until it happens. On Monday the number of people who wanted, not to ask a question of the panel, but to be heard, was overwhelming. One after another they came, full to overflowing with concern, fear, anger, sorrow.

"You invited us to a conversation," they seemed to be saying. "Well, we have something to say."

Some have said that the forum chosen for Monday wasn't the right one, that conversations can't take place in large groups. My thoughts: it was worth every minute. Speaking for myself, it was so important for me as a white person in this community to be in that room and experience what was being said. I'm guessing that it was helpful for African American community members to be able to be unflinchingly candid about their experiences without having to "filter" or self-censor to avoid making whites uncomfortable.

If I was uncomfortable, that was a good thing. Having to sit with the enormity of injustice and systemic racism up close and personal is a necessary step in the process (for me, anyway.) Not being able to leave, or look away, or change the channel when things got rough is such a tiny, tiny thing compared to the depth of harm African American citizens have experienced and are still experiencing in our country.

Also, it's been noted that people were carrying experiences from other jurisdictions into the event, rather than focusing on Howard County. But I think that Police Chief Gary Gardner understood the dynamics in play Monday night. He made a comment about coming to the realization of how much experiences in other jurisdictions can color how someone responds to an interaction with local police. He knows we can't exist in a purely Howard County bubble.

When the DOJ report was released yesterday, I immediately thought of Monday evening. The report is a comprehensive look, with data, numbers, statistics. But it speaks the ugly truth of systemic racism, abuse of power, consistently unconstitutional behavior. Who could stand to even get up in the morning and bear the burden that is being the target for such oppression? Did it surprise me? Intellectually, no. But after Monday night I had a personal connection that changed how I felt about it.

And then I thought of Marilyn Mosby's speech, for which she took a lot of flak, on why the trials in the death of Freddie Gray would not continue. In light of the DOJ report, it becomes much clearer how incredibly difficult, if not downright impossible, it was to bring a successful prosecution for this homicide. If the system responsible for his death is focused first and foremost on protecting itself, there can be no just conclusion until that oppressive system is broken.

I hope that AACR will build on Monday's event and keep having all kinds of conversations to address the issues that came up over the course of the evening. If you weren't able to make this one, I hope you will come to the next.

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Getting Fresh

One of my favorite days in the Spring comes when this year’s list of Farmer’s Markets is released. That happened this week. New this year are markets in Old Ellicott City and the “Merriweather Market” which, according to the address, will be located here . I mistakenly thought at first glance that it was in the new-construction part of the Merriweather District. I find the name confusing considering its actual location. I’m going to guess that this market is an initiative of the Howard Hughes Corporation because the name seems chosen more for branding purposes than anything else.  Alas, the market in Maple Lawn is gone. The thread on the markets on the County Executive’s FB page will provide you with quite the education in who actually runs the Farmers Markets vs what people often think is going on. Short answer: they are not  chosen nor run by the county. Each market is an independent entity, sometimes started by community volunteers, other times supported by local businesses...
1 comment
Read more

They Can Wait

This is not a typical Saturday post. That’s because, in my community, it’s not a typical Saturday.  Oakland Mills High School, after years of deferred repair, needs massive renovation. It’s pretty simple: when you don’t fix a problem it gets bigger. The school system itself said the the OMHS school building was  "no longer conducive to learning" back in 2018.  2018 .  But Thursday the Boad of Education voted to push it out of the lineup of important projects which will be given the go-ahead to proceed soonest.  In my opinion it’s a terrible decision and sets a dangerous precedent. To explain, here’s the advocacy letter I sent in support of Oakland Mills High School. I was rather proud of it. I am writing to ask you to proceed with needed renovation at Oakland Mills High School in the most timely and comprehensive manner humanly possible. I have read the letter sent to you by the Oakland Mills Community Association and I am in complete agreement. You are extremel...
1 comment
Read more

What Kids Are Thinking

  It’s a Monday in February, and if you guessed that a lot of Howard County students have the new cell phone policy on their minds, you’d be right. It will mean big changes and it will be stressful, no matter how much good we hope it will do in the long run. But on this particular Monday cell phones might not be top of mind, as amazing as that seems. Some kids will go to school wondering if they or family members will be seized by ICE. Some will fear that their parents’ employment will be purged by the ongoing rampage of Elon Musk and his cronies through Federal Government. Some fear heightened and renewed racism as programs that supprted Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are vilified and destroyed.  Some worry that it soon won’t be safe for them to use the bathroom in school anymore. It goes without saying that some kids fear going to school every day because of the prevalence of school shootings.  And look! Here’s something new to fear. That old hate group, Libs of TikTo...
1 comment
Read more