Ntozake Shange’s 1975 choreopoem-turned-Broadway-show-turned-Tyler-Perry-flick is a favorite of mine for many reasons. The vernacular, reminiscent of Zora Neale Hurston coupled with the raw, cutting imagery of the women’s experiences (which range from relishable to horrific), gave many who were unaware a glimpse into what it must be like for some to be doubly marginalized in an environment that seemingly thrived off one’s lowly existence.
One character’s quote has stayed with me echoes much of what we’re currently experiencing:
“I couldn’t stand being sorry and colored at the same time,” she said. “It’s so redundant in the modern world.”
Wow.
This week, like many we’ve had recently, was filled with disappointment. I’ve heard it said many times that the system is doing what it was designed to do, that the system was never intended to benefit people of color.
Even in understanding that on an intellectual level, no comfort is found on a spiritual plane in knowing that even in instances of gross misconduct and discrimination, reciprocity, as far as the eye can see, is fleeting.
Last week, a South Carolina jury declared a mistrial in the case of officer Michael Slager, whose killing of Walter Scott, an unarmed Black man, in April of last year was caught on camera.
Slager can be seen on video, which has been viewed millions of times online, shooting Scott multiple times in the back. Scott was running away from the officer after being stopped for allegedly having a broken taillight. Slager contends that Scott struggled with him over his stun gun. The footage shows Slager dropping an object on the ground near Scott’s lifeless body. The prosecution has stated that this was Slager’s attempt to “plant” the stun gun on Scott.
The details are damning, as they have been in previous instances. Yet, despite that fact, here we are, once more wondering if justice will ever be served.
In an interview on NPR’s All Things Considered, the Scott family’s lawyer Chris Stewart said he and the family feared the news would promulgate a sense of despair across the country. He went on to speak on the report by many involved that the hung jury was a result of one out of the 12 chosen jurors refusing to comply with the majority’s suggested guilty plea.
“I just believe that one person who was holding out had probably already made up their mind before the trial even started that they wouldn’t send a police officer to jail, which is not following the law or the case,” he said, adding that it was a missed opportunity.
Funny.
While some people, like Ben Shapiro of the Daily Wire, argue that this situation is not additional proof of this country’s abhorrent systemic racism (to paraphrase his statements, it was only one juror and Gov. Nikki Haley said there would be a new trial very soon), I would counter that it is indicative of the very tough work we still have yet to do.
When Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II visited Indianapolis earlier this year, he spoke passionately about the issues of race in this country and stated that what we’re dealing with is a “heart problem.”
So, no, that one juror does not represent the whole of America any more than Slager represents the whole of law enforcement, yet bypassing this instance of delayed justice would be a misstep. We must remain vigilant and continue having these discussions.
The bittersweet piece here is in knowing that there will be another opportunity for justice to prevail. As Walter Scott’s mother, Judy, stated, “It’s not over. Y’all hear me? It’s not over ’til God say it’s over.”
It is my prayer that God speaks soon. Lord knows Black folks are waiting.
