The sick joy of showing the gruesome beating of yet another Black Man by the Police that resulted in his death, is being circulated via the body cam video.
There is so much monetary and social currency in showing Black Men be hunted, captured, beat, or shot—it’s become normal.
But it’s not.
NO OTHER BODY in America creates “more news” than the hunted, mamed, and murdered Black Male body.
Not Asian.
Not Latino.
Not Indegious.
Not Indian.
And definitely NOT. WHITE.
And each time the trauma of being prey for the thrist of Black blood is circulated, (much like the lunching turned picnics for White families) I/we are sucked into a black hole of fear and hopelessness.
So I say no.
Don’t watch the footage.
Don’t circulate the body cam video.
Don’t look at the photos of domestic terrorism masking as law and order.
There is monetary and ideological profit from our pain.
It’s because it IS profitable and reiterates the narrative/streotype/belief of Black Men as the vicious threat that must be captured and killed, that the video WILL be circulated.
We cannot stop the circulation.
We CAN protect ourselves.
We CAN shield those we love.
You can stay informed through vetted articles and quality commentary that isn’t splashing terrified images/videos of Black bodies running for their lives and being violent beaten near death.
Your nervous system can only take so much.
Protect your peace.
The more we look, the more the death of Black Men by Police becomes normalized to us, which breeds hopelessness and helplessness.
It’s impossible to continue fight/stand/resist when hope is lossed and fear rules the day.
Protect your children.
Social media will parade these images in heavy rotation. Your children will “accidentally” see yet another Brother running, scared, and being beaten within an inch of his life by the police, only to die a few days later.
Protect your purchase power.
Black People are the biggest consuming market in North America. What we watch makes or breaks networks, advertising budgets, and social trends.
By not watching, you bypass the emotional triggers designed to get you in your feelings. You reserve the capacity to think and strategize.
There IS a SIMPLE and easy strategy you can employ IMMEDIATELY to protect yourself and family from this sadistic American tradition.
CHANGE THE SETTINGS ON ALL YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS.
The positioning of “watch with your own eyes” to see if the Police are justified will compel you to want to watch. It’s media manipulation. It’s just effective marketing. Watching doesn’t change the Police’s stance that their excessive use of force is justified.
And watching won’t bring Tyre Nichols back.
Please use the guide below to protect your peace and your family from one of the most insedious ways oppression keeps us in fear as well pimp our pain for their profit.
I love you,
Dr. Venus
Chart by: Kristin L. Cheers
