It seems Blacks living in the USA cannot catch a break. In recent months the Black community has been under attack from the marauding COVID 19. This week we learned that in February 2020 two White men shot a young Black man as he was jogging through a White neighbourhood as if he were a target at your neighbourhood shooting range. The fact it has taken two months to gather public attention can be attributed to COVID 19 but are there the usual factors to consider?
There is no doubt that the USA harbours a racist system.
We are quick to point to China, reluctant to do same to the USA.
– David, blogmaster
The Killing of Ahmaud Arbery and the Justice of God
I turned off the video the first several times I tried to watch it. I couldn’t bear the thought of what I knew would be pictured. Many people, from what I hear, had a similar reaction. The violence was so raw that it was painful to watch. And so many other videos and images, showing similar bloodshed, have emerged over the past several years.
I’m referring, of course, to the video that has emerged in recent days of the killing of 25-year-old African-American man Ahmaud Arbery by two white men in a south Georgia neighborhood. This case will now, with the urging of the governor of Georgia, go to a grand jury to seek justice in this matter. From what reports tell us, Arbery was jogging through the neighborhood and the two men thought he seemed suspicious and took off after him, ultimately shooting and killing him. This was not a case of an interrupted home invasion, nor was it the case of law enforcement personnel involved in an escalating crime situation.
In almost any breaking news story, I usually ask myself, “What sort of information could emerge to make this the opposite of what it seems to me right now?” In this case, I am stumped to think of what that could be. The video seems to show us exactly what we have seen so often in human history: the violence of armed self-styled vigilantes against an unarmed man.
The justice system will proceed, of course, and evidence will be marshaled by the prosecution and by the defense, but there’s little question as to what the investigation will be—into a question of murder.
The system of temporal justice is important here—crucially important—but I am perhaps even more concerned about the sort of weariness that has come upon the country, when we use the word “again” about such a case, as if any happening like this should not immediately shock the conscience. The temptation will be to, as I did at first with the video, just avert our eyes.
Whatever the specifics of this case turn out to be, we do know several things. The first is that the arguments, already bandied about on social media, that “Arbery wasn’t a choirboy” are revolting. We have heard such before with Trayvon Martin and in almost every case since. For all I know, Arbery was a choirboy.
But even if he were the complete opposite (let’s suppose just for the sake of argument), that is no grounds to be chased down and shot by private citizens. There is no, under any Christian vision of justice, situation in which the mob murder of a person can be morally right. Those who claim to have a high view of Romans 13 responsibilities of the state to “wield the sword” against evildoers ought to be the first to see that vigilante justice is the repudiation not just of constitutional due process but of the Bible itself. And, of course, the Bible tells us, from the beginning, that murder is not just an assault on the person killed but on the God whose image he or she bears.
Sadly, though, many black and brown Christians have seen much of this, not just in history but in flashes of threats of violence in their own lives. And some white Christians avert their eyes—even in cases of clear injustice—for fear of being labeled “Marxists” or “social justice warriors” by the same sort of forces of intimidation that wielded the same arguments against those who questioned the state-sponsored authoritarianism and terror of Jim Crow. And so, they turn their eyes.
Now, again, these two men will get their due process, and their day in court. But ought we not to grieve for the family of this young man who is dead at just a quarter-century of life? And should we not lament the fact that there are so many names and faces—from those lynched by domestic terrorists throughout much of the 20th century to the names and faces killed much closer to our own time? Yes.
And, whatever the facts that are offered up in this case as the process moves forward, we ought to be reminded of the threat of violence that has raged inside of humanity since Cain. The courts will decide whether these men will be punished as murderers—and we can pray the courts are right and just in their verdict—but we also ought to remember that many of our black and brown brothers and sisters were killed by mobs or individuals where there was no video to show anything.
The memorial sign marking the murder of Emmett Till had to be replaced with a bulletproof marker because too many people were shooting it up, delighting in the lynching of a man by a bloodthirsty mob. And, like Cain, those who do such things always think no one will ever see. But God says to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” (Gen. 4:9).
And, similarly, Jesus said, “Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed or hidden that will not be known” (Lk. 12:2). Whatever is ruled in this case, we know that the blood cries from the ground in countless matters of violence and bloodshed. And God sees and knows. That’s a word of promise for those weary in seeing justice done. And it’s a word of warning for those who would avert their eyes.
“I do not want to be rendered so insignificant that my presence does not register on the national conscience; this may be the greatest racism.”
that is exactly what you get in racist shitholes like Barbados with corrupt sell outs for black leaders, this makes the society much more dangerous than anything you can find in US, at least one knows what to expect from the garden variety racists in US…not so when black face leaders encourage and enable their own people, the same ones who voted for them and pay their salaries ….to be “rendered insignificant”.
it is clear that is why a small minority gets all the opportunities that should be going to the young generation in the population..
…these same trash have access to all the people’s money and act like it belongs to them, because both repulsive governments allow them to steal how much they want……all the time..
black creatives and inventors on the island are routinely robbed by the same black face leaders to give away or sell out what is not theirs……and this has been going on for decades..
it is an uglier situation than what obtains in US…there you can expect a bullet, these small island scum in the parliament kill their own people very, very slowly over decades, so they can never rise, progress or become wealthy…
RE…Donna May 9, 2020 9:34 PM “ WHERE PEOPLE WHO ARE OBVIOUSLY NOT RACISTS STILL SPOUT THE GARBAGE ABOUT AMERICA BEING SOME BEACON OF LIGHT ON THE HILL AND THAT “WE ARE BETTER THAN THIS” OR “THIS IS NOT WHO WE ARE”.
THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THAT IT IS EXACTLY WHO THEY ARE AS A NATION BECAUSE THEIR COUNTRY WAS BUILT ON RACISM.
UNLESS NON RACISTS CAN PUT ASIDE THEIR NATURAL TENDENCY TO MINDLESS PATRIOTISM AND ACCEPT THAT THEIR COUNTRY “HAS ALWAYS BEEN ROTTEN TO THE CORE…”
Freedom Crier May 10, 2020 2:07 PM
“You May Choose To Look The Other Way But You Can Never Say Again That You Did Not Know.”
― William Wilberforce
Britain was the First Major Power to Abolish Slavery in all of its Colonies because of the Tireless Persistence’s William Wilberforce! That Included Barbados that welcomed the Abolishment of Slavery Warmly and Instituted it Immediately in 1834. Other Colonies also had up to Four years like Barbados, but took longer to do so!
In America Over Six Hundred Thousand Men Gave their Lives For The Abolition of Slavery in the Great Civil War and thus the Birth of the Republican Party was Born under Abraham Lincoln!!
Maybe Maddonna Needs to Revisit History and Take a Good Look in the Mirror at her Perspective!!
https://www.facebook.com/164391610288681/photos/a.165236216870887.40750.164391610288681/165236340204208/?type=3
You have a dream, TheO! Nothing wrong with that. But I see it differently. I have never felt like I am not noticed. I have never felt disadvantaged. And i have never shied away from a battle for my rights. Mostly i get them because like the widow in the Bible it is far less trouble to just give them to me and unfair somebody else.
One day the people will rise up again as they have before when they arrive at a tipping point. It may be sooner than you think.
https://youtu.be/rr6Wz6RgRjQ
https://barbadosunderground.files.wordpress.com/2020/05/black-murder.png
Source: Caleb Pilgrim
https://youtu.be/WUOvtBy0e2I
Ain’t no fun when the rabbit got the gun…
https://www.facebook.com/26423400230/posts/10163441680960231/
what would happen if a white man run through a black neighborhood in the hood..he be raped tortured and then robbed and killed. say what old boy…..so what to do?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murders_of_Channon_Christian_and_Christopher_Newsom
just so you all remember ,,all things you use everyday was invented by white folks.so stop using their teck.ok
Who is this new nuisance clown AND LIAR trolling BU…we have successfully dealt with asses like you before, so go find a new playground FRAUD…
While Trump and his cronies focus their attention on the black and brown people, African Americans and Mexican Americans, the Chinese are busy taking over the world with money.
Serve them right, they think they are winning some strange, racist battle, but they are losing the war. Bit time.
But recently it looks like they are panicking, Trump talking about cutting ties with China. You really think China cares, they already own half the world.
By the way, stop buying that important rubbish, as I have been saying for some time. Fruit loops and colored crap that they call food.
@Crusoe
What about the so-called WTO obligations?
That should be imported rubbish, above. Stop buying it. Just stop. Eat real food.
David
May 16, 2020 6:09 AM
Government does not have to do a thing. No change in duties or legislation, nothing. If the consumers stop buying it, importers will stop importing it.
This is where people have to get responsible and get together.
PS What happened to all of the great civil rights lawyers and activist in the USA? Where are they?
@Crusoe
A people addicted to conspicuous consumption. To change this behaviour will require forced change. It brings into question does real change occur from the top or a groundswell at the bottom.
David,
And if government is smart, they would pay someone to be an activist against imported food. Or work with local producers to do it. Cant go it due to WTO as you say, but you can do it otherwise.
They pay enough people otherwise, so pay someone for consultancy and let that person free to push against imports.
Smile at all the WTO conferences and so on, like they all do.
@Crusoe
Agree with you, we have to try new ways to do things. A minister touring retail outlets with soft threats to publish prices has shown not to work.
https://youtu.be/yr-HMjlr1sU
https://youtu.be/76Bk6VegqRg
https://youtu.be/dZsrE1AbmIQ
https://youtu.be/WtDu0NqdSgQ
https://youtu.be/x9Yyb21CP9A
https://youtu.be/HXMEDJB2AVQb
https://youtu.be/HI1iBzk280w
The evidence is overwhelming- let’s see what these white demons do now. They can’t even keep a prosecutor for the case.
Where are the civil rights lawyers, activists, tv crews???? Where? Where is the modern day replacement for Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton?
Forget the activists….the Black militia is the one making sure things are in the spotlight…NFAC….it’s a new generation…black people are not sitting down taking shit with their heads stuck in a useless bible….the mindset has changed….the rabbit got the gun…
The Denmark government has passed a temporary law making bestiality legal once again in the country.
Denmark had become one of the last European countries to ban bestiality in 2015 but parliamentarians chose to suspend the law this week for an undetermined period of time.
Police forces in Copenhague were overwhelmed by citizens denouncing their neighbors having sex with their domestic animals during the confinement, forcing Parliament to temporarily legalize bestiality until the pandemic is over.
“I would rather my citizens having sexual intercourse with their domestic animals, and enjoying themselves during the confinement than to go completely insane with boredom,” said Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
*Caucasians like hunting black people & sleeping with animals
Karma MF….
https://www.newsweek.com/man-who-filmed-ahmaud-arberys-death-arrested-murder-false-imprisonment-charges-1505846?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR13w6c9ZeXFFsNO7epwfphzddcn2VlGXcCfnFvKwAlEwo3AEbjV76UhW5I#Echobox=1590098909
“William Roddy Bryan, the 50-year-old man who filmed the viral video of 25-year-old jogger Ahmaud Arbery being shot to death, has been arrested on charges of felony murder and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment in connection with Arbery’s slaying.
Bryan has been booked into the Glynn County Jail and his case is being investigated in partnership with District Attorney Joyette Holmes of the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office, according to a press release from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Bryan’s arrest follows a recent public plea by the slain man’s mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, asking why Bryan didn’t try to help stop her son’s murder.
“Why would you videotape it? Why didn’t he do anything to help? Why didn’t he reach out right after the shooting? Why did he only come forward after the video was leaked?” Cooper-Jones asked in a May 11 interview.
Bryan has previously told CBS News he was trying to be a “good Samaritan” by recording the incident and says he has been “complete shock” since witnessing Arbery’s alleged murder.”
How wonderful for this racist…maybe what he will see is what he wanted for black people going forward, be careful what you wish on others..
“A white Louisiana police officer is out of a job for a racist Facebook post in which he allegedly suggested it was “unfortunate” that the coronavirus pandemic had not killed off black people, officials said.”
Inbred waste of oxygen..
https://www.facebook.com/CNNReplay/videos/273460677121402/?t=22
Thankfully, this past week, the true criminals were found guilty by a jury of their peers. Occasionally, the justice system works for people of color in the U.S. But, far too often, without objective proof in the form of video or witnesses, crimes against POC often pass without investigation and, ultimately, unpunished. Peace and blessing to the Arbery family, and especially to Ahmaud Arbery’s warrior mother, Ms. Wanda Cooper-Jones.