A Vicious Cycle
By Thea St.Omer In the wake of the shooting in Ferguson, Missouri, by now many of us have seen the news photographs. Among them, a young, unarmed American man (so called “white”) in the hands of the police, protesting the killing of his fellow young, unarmed American man (so called “black”) murdered by the hands of the “police.” Some say it is about “color.” Others say it is about justice — about being a decent American citizen (regardless of “color”), fair-minded and respectful of others. Some say “respect the police.” Others say respect those law enforcers worthy of respect — those who “protect and serve” morally, not those who disrespect and kill senselessly. “Only god can judge me,” says Tupac Shakur. But never mind the after-life. “How, I wonder, can one American man (armed heavily) murder his fellow American man (unarmed) in cold blood and broad daylight — without serious consequence from the people Here and Now?” Is it possible that the life of one American man is STILL by and large not considered equal to the life of another American man? And that thus the senseless murder of one American man, for some people STILL doesn’t really matter all that much? “Why are you selling these ‘Nigger’ button-pins?” Some customers of my boutique, Armory Square Loft, have asked me. Precisely (in part) because of what is happening right now in Ferguson, Missouri– of what happened just a short while ago in another State and of what will happen again soon in another State… Sadly, it is a phenomenon that happens frequently throughout our American country. The senseless murdering of these young, unarmed American men (whose skin color by and large favors the darker side of the spectrum) “black” by their fellow heavily armed American “police” men (whose skin color by and large favors the lighter side of the color spectrum) “white.” A “black” American man publicly executed by a “white” American (police) man, It’s a vicious cycle. I wonder how, if and when, it will ever — it can ever — be broken! “But Barack Obama is president now and The N word is such an UGLY part of our American HISTORY,” a shocked woman once told me regarding the sale of the “nigger” buttons in my shop. “‘Nigger’ is not a nice word and you seem like such a nice person,” she continued. I just listened. Barack Obama or no Barack Obama. Would any of us say that what is going on RIGHT NOW in Ferguson, Missouri is PRETTY? No. As evidenced by the senseless killing of Michael Brown recently, I think the notion of “nigger” STILL very much exists in our STILL most fundamentally divided American land. Please don’t ask me why, among jewelry, art, plants, home decor and accessories From The Heart (Land), I sell “Nigger” buttons in Armory Square Loft. Trust, they come most deeply from my Heart and most deeply from our (American) Land! Who knows, maybe one day I will unbury my “Nigger” documentary film — which offers a very serious analysis of the word –and show it within the walls of Armory Square Loft. Rest assured, all the mayhem and unrest now happening in Ferguson Missouri will soon quiet and settle — only to erupt again in another State at another time this year, and the next one, and the next one… Again, it is a Vicious Cycle! I wonder if we, the American people of all “colors,” will one day succeed in breaking it. But then again, how, I wonder, do we break the system when we are that system and it is so much a part of our history, our foundation, our past and our present? Indeed, how do we change who we are fundamentally, as a most divided people? Tupac Shakur (an American man whose skin, like Michael Brown, favored the darker side of the spectrum) “black” once said that he would never have any children in America because he didn’t want them growing up thinking themselves second class citizens. For years I’ve wondered how any children of a man so brilliant and beautiful, fearless and raw, transparent and truthful, hyper-sensitive and discerning (albeit fundamentally flawed as we all are) could be viewed as anything less than First Class. But I suppose they can be, if male especially. Despite their upbringing (from the most affluent suburbs to the poorest inner cities) because of their skin color, “black,” it seems that these American men and occasionally women, at any given time, in any given place, can be viewed as “niggers” and despite being totally unarmed, executed for no reason at all — their killers facing no real consequence. “What if Michael Brown had been your son?” A friend asked me recently. I just looked at her. “Seriously,” she said. “What would you do?” Still, I just looked at her, saying nothing. There are some things I just can’t imagine. Thank god Michael Brown wasn’t my child. Thank god, at this moment, I don’t have one! Michael Brown. He could have been your child. He could have been your sibling. He could have been your family. He could have been your friend. He could have been a young American man you cared about and loved most deeply. He could have been Sean Bell. He could have been… R.I.P. Mr. Michael Brown and all the others who proceeded you in similar senseless deaths — and all the others yet to come in this very Vicious Cycle that we, the American people of all “colors,” one day far away, after all of us have passed and are long gone, might, just possibly, succeed in breaking! Michael Brown. You didn’t deserve to die like that. But then again what unarmed American man (or woman) ever does? Ps. A few nights ago, I approached two police on Walton Street (the location of my boutique, Armory Square Loft). I recognized both of them who have always been good to me, “protecting and serving” me well,
