VANTAGE POINT

  Posted on by Kendall Fredrick Person

  30 Comments

Vantage Point

from the archives:
Every now and then, when we take the time to think,
we make the correct call and we are not so divided after all.

Vantage Point

As Baltimore Maryland passes the baton to McKinney Texas, and as cruel as the now infamous seven minute video was to watch, the families, McKinney and our nation is fortunate of no resulting deaths, affording the rare opportunity to examine the chain of events, without the catastrophic weight of a mother burying her child. The hundreds year old soundtrack of race plays on, but take a deep breathe, then look and listen from the varying vantage points.

∞∞∞

Big & Rich with Look At You

∞∞∞

“Everyone who was getting on the
ground was Black, Mexican, Arabic
[The cop] didn’t even look at me.
It was kind of like I was invisible.”
– Grace Stone [14, white, untouched] 

VANTAGE POINT
by Kendall F. Person

VP 1

The reaction of Grace Stone demonstrates that racial incidents affect everyone. She did not feel as if she were fortunate or special, for not being treated in the same manner as her peers of color, but rather her words appear as if she felt victimized. They were her friends and at 14, color be damn. The effects of racism, meant to humiliate the race one hates, destroys everyone – even Grace.

VP 2

I do not know the Officer at the center of the storm, and I comprehend the concept of momentum, but even if we strip away race and police brutality, the vision of an adult man with both knees on a 14 year old female in a bikini was so disturbing, I am not quite sure how he could continue his role as a public servant. But as the story unfolds, we learn how the situation, that led to his explosive and bating behavior, was set into motion…

VP 3

 …by an earlier pair of adult women, who reveled in their racist views, as if it were a badge to be cherished and held close to the heart. When they unleashed a barrage of racist epithets and stereotypes, then escalated with violence – it was there – that belies the problem, and the exact beginning of another explosive American moment.

VP 4

The teenager humiliated and abused, while it will not stop her from achieving her dreams or make her believe all officers are bad, but if you have never been in a moment akin to hers, I understand if you disagree with my assessment, but she will never forget that moment in her life and that is so unfair.

VP 5

I spent a few years working for a nonprofit and established close relationships with many police officers – one of the nonprofits closest partners – although my heart breaks during scenes such as Ferguson and McKinney, never for a moment do I believe it is us against all of them. Two officers maintained composure, and with such quiet professionalism and dignity, they forced the officer to put away a wielding gun. It is vital they receive mention to keep an ugly narrative from being just ugly.

VP 6

VP 3 serves as a cruel reminder, how deeply the human race can hate, so the echoes we hear of “those black kids were thugs” pale in comparison to the swift reaction of the McKinney Police Force, the Mayor and the people of all colors, who felt deeply the horror of a young girl screaming for her mother.

I do believe there are common denominators in Trayvon, Ferguson and Baltimore, but this scenario is different. Excusing no one from the role they accepted and carried out, but there hangs a sense of sorrow, as they served as puppets for hate (VP 3).

As I often state, The Neighborhood is an all-inclusive forum, and everyone feels welcomed here. I have no memory of ever thinking any other way, but I have never felt more or less about any race, but I am an African American, so the tanks in Ferguson and the 14 year old girl in McKinney affect me to my soul. But I also feel deeply about the narrative The Neighborhood puts forward: the good deserve the spotlight as well, so please watch the 60 second video and end this show with a smile. –  this is…. The Neighborhood

VP 7

 

 Category: Op/Ed, society      Tags: , , , , , , ,

30 Comments on “VANTAGE POINT”

  4. VP 7, how nice of you to show this. I wish more folks would share some good ones! Thanks for finding my site and signing on. Paved the way for me to find you.

    Liked by 1 person

  5. Pingback: Charleston Church Massacre | Flickr Comments

  6. I’m so sad about the amok in the Charleston church two days before, a white idiot killed 9 black believers in their church. What’s up in your land, Kendall – your Frits, watching from Europe…

    Liked by 1 person

  7. Thank you! As a mother of 3 beautiful African American children, I cannot describe the hurt I felt seeing this child under the knees of a police officer, but I appreciate you taking the time to offer the chance to consider more than one view. We need more of this!

    Liked by 2 people

    • Vantage Point is hitting its mark and I could not be more thrilled. So we quick we are to assume the same chorus line and when we do this we never accomplish anything but to drift further apart. Thank you for adding your voice to this forum and for inspiring me to do more. To try harder. i am glad you cannot see me right now, because they say a man should not cry. Welcome to The Neighborhood. So glad you are here.

      Liked by 2 people

    • Thank you for adding your voice. It is how we learn. Never quick to judge and while the additional information is appreciated via your link, we stand by our determination as viewed from VP Three

      Liked by 2 people

  9. Thank you for making me smile. As a mother of young children, believe me, I was very upset with the whole scenario. It really hurts to see these things. I sincerely hope that one day, one day, things will change for the better.

    Liked by 3 people

  10. Lol them dancing moves though lol Bwahahahaaaahaa on another note cops should be more polite to innocent pedestrians. Instead of coming out to start a gun fight because they trigger HAPPY. We need more positivity. Keep that peace and stop the violence. We the people godda know the cops are afraid of us. We have to change ourselves to expect change.

    Liked by 2 people

  11. There’s been a sustained campaign to get the race-policing nexus of every police incident into full exposure, but I wonder if it’s a winning strategy. Law enforcement agencies don’t seem to change their behavior unless ordered to do so by the courts. Nor is their antipathy limited to blacks: police patrol practice is traditionally suspicious of anyone not from the white-collar middle class.

    Liked by 2 people

  13. I got to say I was getting all fired up with my own thoughts and opinions, but then I watched the delightful video at the end and smiled. Truly, truly, that’s what we need more of!! Our police force needs to connect with the community and its youth. They should know the people and what they’re capable of rather than driving around in cars looking for trouble to meet their “quota” while intimidating folks. Sadly, blacks today have to be on their guard with every encounter cause you never know what you’ll be up against. This calls for stellar behavior leaving no questions even while being violated and treated unjust by the law. This is a tired and old conversation held in my household. I wish things were different and we had more positive changes to discuss. Each is responsible for their own actions, riddled with excuses and claims of victim, as it is. Love the instrumental too! 🙂 🎶

    Liked by 3 people

      • I really meant historically when I used the word peace officer. Too many military trained cops with no rapport with the citizens he serves.

        Like

    • the police is protected too much by the law system and their strategies of hiding; thanks for introducing my music = my great respect for black cultural influences!

      Like

Trending
An Unbroken Lineage. the Sentinelese Bloodline is 60,000 Years Long
THE INVISIBLE PERCEPTION OF BLACK
THE EVOLUTION OF FRIENDSHIP
LAW OF THE LAND: THE RECORDING OF HISTORY SEGMENT II
IT'S NOT JUST THE "BLACK CARD" CANDANCE OWENS. IT'S THE FULL DECK
THE TREE
Short Film of the Month 'A Battle for Peace' by Joost Jansen
Ask thepublicblogger: Topic - Blogging
The 10 Movies that Define Our Altruistic Self
A ONEMANSHOW - THE REDUX FINALE

Enter your email address to never miss a The Neighborhood show

Join 84,462 other subscribers
Full Menu
Support The Neighborhood
Donate to The Neighborhood

You are appreciated. (big smile)

ABOUT ME
Kendall F Person
Kendall F. Person Answers Questions on Quora
Kendall F. Person on Quora
%d bloggers like this: