I did not watch the eulogy. I don’t need to clarify which eulogy of slain black people, because until now, there has been only one that was delivered by a President of the United States of America. but there have been an uncountable number of eulogies for black people slain and butchered by white supremacists / racists / police - often all three at the same time.
something about this eulogy made it impossible for me to watch. I love this President and I’m a big fan. he doesn’t do everything the way I would want, but I am a fan all the same. so, it was not President Obama that I was unwilling to watch. I’ve heard people say that this was one of his best speaking events ever. and I believe that. still, I will not watch.
I understand that the President’s eulogy meant a lot of good things to a lot of people. I am saying that I could not watch it. and here is why:
(posted at SexGenderBody's tumblr)
powerful words in the wake of the slaughter of 9 black people: ( Cynthia Marie Graham Hurd, Susie Jackson, Ethel Lee Lance, Depayne Middleton-Doctor, Clementa C. Pinckney, Tywanza Sanders, Daniel Simmons, Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, Myra Thompson ) by a racist piece of shit - is not something I want to be “inspired by”.
for me, I would rather see that we mark the day as a moment of such unspeakable evil and commemorate it by naming the racist acts and individuals and institutions that made this massacre and all the other massacres possible.
I would mark the passage of this bloodshed by calling it slaughter and murder and have us name the other murders and murderers.
I don’t want to look at someone pointing an inspired hand to an invisible sky god.
I don’t want to see black people being strong or inspired or resilient in the aftermath of being butchered. I want them to not need to.
I want to see the names of those that kill and maim and steal and profit by racist means and intents - named, shamed, vilified and stricken from the ranks of good standing in any group or organization. I want to see them relegated to history’s list of the enemies of humanity.
I don’t want to be told that a better world is waiting, in the arms of a loving god. I want to see this world made better, while I am here..while we all are here. and by “better” - I mean no longer built by racists / for racists.
no longer run by racists.
no longer a haven for racists.
no longer easy for racists.
so, spare me the heavenly father until we are all spared from the racist brother