Thank you so much, Kim. I’m African American and my mother was born about 50 miles inland from Brunswick. I am more than familiar with this type of tragedy; one of my uncles was lynched. My mother never knew her oldest sibling.
I plan to drop a note to “Brother James” to thank him for his splendid contribution to the upraising of this nat…
Thank you so much, Kim. I’m African American and my mother was born about 50 miles inland from Brunswick. I am more than familiar with this type of tragedy; one of my uncles was lynched. My mother never knew her oldest sibling.
I plan to drop a note to “Brother James” to thank him for his splendid contribution to the upraising of this nation and to the elimination of this sick, morally/spiritually bankrupt culture of ranking by complexion.
This country––this world––cannot afford the evil “luxury” of anti-blackness and graduated criminal “justice” any longer.
His face, even more than his name, eye level or higher. Face to face. Looking me and you in the eye.
Look at me. Your brother.
If you pray, a prayer. To be with him in thought.
Then, a prayer for his killers, for the guilty, everywhere. For all who hate, hated, acted on hate. For the hellbound, for those who cursed themselves.
Oh, Mr. Willis, what tragedy, trauma, injustice, and loss. Brother James is indeed on the required reading list. The rank hypocrisy of the fundamentalists professing Christianity and believing themselves righteous is just repugnant, awful poison. Truly, we cannot afford the evil. And yet...
Thank you so much, Kim. I’m African American and my mother was born about 50 miles inland from Brunswick. I am more than familiar with this type of tragedy; one of my uncles was lynched. My mother never knew her oldest sibling.
I plan to drop a note to “Brother James” to thank him for his splendid contribution to the upraising of this nation and to the elimination of this sick, morally/spiritually bankrupt culture of ranking by complexion.
This country––this world––cannot afford the evil “luxury” of anti-blackness and graduated criminal “justice” any longer.
Your words make me flinch. We stand with you in love and solidarity.
I wrote the words that follow on November 27th. I wrote in shock. I want to write them again on February 23rd:
IN MEMORIAM — AHMAUD ARBERY
Caught.
Cannot speak.
Cannot remain silent.
How, then?
HOW?
His good face should be everywhere, his good name should be everywhere. Places. Streets. Squares. Towns. Not just in America. Everywhere.
February 23rd must bear that name.
In remembrance of him. In remembrance of the countless innocents murdered like him.
Their faces, lost. His face must stand for them all.
In Europe, they have these "stumbling stones": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stolperstein
No sidewalks. And far too small for America.
His face, even more than his name, eye level or higher. Face to face. Looking me and you in the eye.
Look at me. Your brother.
If you pray, a prayer. To be with him in thought.
Then, a prayer for his killers, for the guilty, everywhere. For all who hate, hated, acted on hate. For the hellbound, for those who cursed themselves.
In the end, a prayer—a kind thought—for us all,
Human brothers and sisters.
#
And pardon me for even seeking words.
Yes. His face haunts me. So full of beauty, his pure soul blazing through his eyes.
We needed him to carry his bright light forward. Now we must carry it for him.
His mother’s dignity in grief a testament to love.
Run with Ahmaud.
Diane, I hit the "like" button, but that action means so much more. No words can say it, but you have used words well.
Reconciliation and healing desperately needed, not white-washing. Otherwise, we remain the Divided States of America, or maybe no America at all.
Oh, Mr. Willis, what tragedy, trauma, injustice, and loss. Brother James is indeed on the required reading list. The rank hypocrisy of the fundamentalists professing Christianity and believing themselves righteous is just repugnant, awful poison. Truly, we cannot afford the evil. And yet...
A warm embrace to you and yours.
Bill, blessings to your grandparents and their perseverance. Have you or anyone written your family stories?