We the 50: Our Beginning

(Originally posted to Facebook on 5/31/20)

I'm kinda going to riff a little bit here, so please give me a wide berth. I have a lot on my mind these days, and needed to share some thoughts in no particular order, so...

Time's Up.

There is no longer the space and the time to be neutral, to wish a little harder, to say to your sweetie "This is so messed up what happened to that man/woman. Ugh. Ok, what are we doing for dinner?"

Time's Up.

After the George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and Christian Cooper incidents all happening within the space of about ONE MONTH, it is clear, that after all of these events and all that has happened in this country and in its long checkered history, it is time to pick a side. Being passive will no longer do. We each need to look at what we are doing and have done and discover how we can do better for each other and this society. We need to do better.

I find myself vacillating from sadness to anger and back. I made it out of the Bronx in the 70's and 80's, which was admittedly pretty real in a lot of ways, and made it touring solo through the South in the 90's as a teen, and though things have progressed for brothers and sisters, how much can I really believe that they have after a month like this? When is this shit going to end? To be clear in case I wasn't, yeah I'm fucking livid.

We need partners and advocates, and it's no longer ok to sit by silently and watch. I'm talking to you in particular my white friends. I hope you're as fed up as I am, you should be. I'm also talking to my latinx, middle eastern and asian brethren. Enough is enough is enough.

I feel like there is about 20 - 25% of the country that is on the offense against POC, and another 20 - 25% that are actively fighting this, in courts, in protests, in politics. Then there seems to be this swath of about 50% that can feel a certain way but not be active or reactive. Maybe the thought process is "But what can I do? We're in the middle of a pandemic, I'm raising a young child or two and can't expose myself of my family." I get that. The first rule of life and fights is protect yourself. But what if just staying alive was your fight? Seeing your life pass through your mind because your got pulled over for a burned out brake light, or some Karen called the cops on you because you dared to ask her to obey the law that she was breaking?

This is mostly about human life, not politics (though politics certainly has some say). A staunch Libertarian and a bleeding heart Liberal can both agree that their own rights and liberties should not be trampled upon, their body should not be violated.

Does anyone still think we are in a post-racial society, a claim made by several people after our first black president was elected?

Police need 2 new nationwide mandates. First, DON'T KILL ANYONE. Second, penalties for violating anyone's right to life can be met with a sentence of up to life in prison. If you have a badge and a gun, an awesome and powerful position to be given, you have to be held to a very high standard. I'm sick of seeing these George Floyd moments while also seeing white criminals be arrested for shooting up a church full of black parishioners and then being driven by the arresting officers for a super-size burger meal deal before getting booked. Time's fucking up. George Floyd is dead because of a call of a possible fake $20 bill.

Twenty dollars.

It wasn't even proven it was a fake bill or that he knew it was fake, yet he had a trial and judgement all within about 20 minutes, a dollar a minute for that arrest, trial and execution. What is it going to take for this to cease? Going after a murdering cops' family and then him like the cartel or mafia? I certainly don't condone that, but if this doesn't get fixed, the list of options is damn near exhausted.

Ok, so you've done open group discussions, donated money, placed emojis on stories and statements, but how can you really move the needle? I don't have all the answers for sure, but I am trying to find some because we need them. I think it first resides with the people. If there is enough outrage, elected officials make a move. BTW, this is why the riots started. The riots did not start after the video was released. It happened because Mike Freeman dragged his feet to arrest and charge the murdering cop (yes he is a murderer, plain to see regardless of what George did). Maybe that is why Freeman finally arrested the officer, instead of waiting a month or so like in the Arbery case (noted that the elder suspect in that case was a former cop). Also of note, there are credible news reports of white supremacists inciting shit, like breaking store windows and burning shit to the ground to make the peaceful demonstrators look bad. One of them might even be a cop, but that is only speculation. (look for the video of the guy with the hammer breaking the windows at Auto Zone)

So, what to do. We have to get judges, politicians and civic leaders elected and appointed who will stand against these types of actions. This is where politics does come in. Can't get to a protest? Get to a phone bank. Your friends anxiously awaiting that FB update on your latest quarantine project or meal? Get your feelings out there and stir a debate. Make them uncomfortable because this is an uncomfortable subject, and people need to be displaced from their comfortable corners to get anything to change.

As for me, I already planned on actively working to elect anyone, basically, who was opposed to Trump and Trumpism, because within that mindset, Blue and White Lives are all that Matters. This needed to be defeated, but now there is added incentive. I decided this morning that what I can do differently is reach out to more people, help start new dialogue and help answer the "But what can I do?" dilemma, so I started a new website. I'm calling it WeThe50.org, to represent the center 50% I referenced in my opinion earlier.

Who are We The 50% not? They are not carnival barkers and ex reality show hosts interested in mostly ratings and themselves. They are not politically leaning "news" pundits. They are not people who are paid to influence, or who get money based on the amount of outrage, clicks and ads they generate. They are not bots.

They are people like you and me just trying to live well.

I think the site will have reference material, opinion, links and suggestions all aimed at those sick of the bullshit but unsure what to do. (I am open to suggestions) In this Covid-19, sequestered and quarantined world, I feel it is the way to get to as many people as possible for now AND to make new connections and get new people talking to each other, hearing voices that they may not normally hear. I have no idea if this will work, but I need to try something. I also want to get to a protest, and believe me, juggling a needed physical show of outrage vs staying safe in a pandemic is a hard call. Justice never waited until it was convenient though.

Although black people will continue the fight, there needs to be a contingent of non-blacks who take up the fight to move this needle. You couldn't have Jews taking up the fight alone against Hitler, asking the oppressed to fight and win alone is not realistic. "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." Good people need to step the fuck up big time. There is not much more that black women can do or be asked to do. They have been fighting, and sacrificing, and wearing that Superwoman cape long enough. They are the backbone of the democratic party and the womb and mothers of this country since its founding. 98% of black women that voted in 2016 did NOT vote for Trump. 51% of white women DID. Black men have been getting picked off in this country since the first ship from Africa landed in Philadelphia in 1684 with slaves to this day.

We need YOU. All of you.

Thanks for letting me vent.

-GFresh