Sick and tired of being sick and tired
Fannie Lou Hamer
“I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired,” Fannie Lou Hamer, August 22, 1964. NOTHING HAS CHANGED in 56 plus years. I’m sick of worrying about my husband, my brother, my stepdad, my Godsons, my uncles, my cousins, my friends, my Greek brothers who have brown skin. Who can’t walk in a park and ask someone to follow the rules and because they will be accused of being threatening. Who ask to breathe because they have a knee in their neck. Who can’t jog in the neighborhood. Who can’t even be in their home without outraged citizens on manhunt barge in to the wrong house. I’m sick and tired of worrying every time they leave home or work that they’ll be stopped because they ‘fit the description.' I’m sick and tired of being scared of people who shoot first and ask questions later. I’m sick because some applaud videos of black men being killed. I’m sick because some are upset COVID-19 didn’t kill all the black people. I’m sick and tired of worrying. Will we as black women ever have the luxury of not worrying about our children, husbands, fathers, relatives and friends? Likely not. And please don’t default to ‘what about black on black crime?’ I’m sick and tired of that, too. But what makes me sick and tired also is that that question is only asked when our brown men are confronted, threatened, harassed, chased down, choked and killed by others. So now we add to the list below #GeorgeFloyd
Repost:
Black people are so tired. I am soooo tired.
We can’t go jogging (#AmaudArbery).
We can’t relax in the comfort of our own homes (#BothemJean and #AtatianaJefferson).
We can't ask for help after being in a car crash (#JonathanFerrell and #Renisha McBride).
We can't have a cellphone (#StephonClark).
We can't leave a party to get to safety (#JordanEdwards).
We can't play loud music (#JordanDavis).
We can’t sell CD's (#AltonSterling).
We can’t sleep (#AiyanaJones)
We can’t walk from the corner store (#MikeBrown).
We can’t play cops and robbers (#TamirRice).
We can’t go to church (#Charleston9).
We can’t walk home with Skittles (#TrayvonMartin).
We can’t hold a hair brush while leaving our own bachelor party (#SeanBell).
We can’t party on New Years (#OscarGrant).
We can’t get a normal traffic ticket (#SandraBland).
We can’t lawfully carry a weapon (#PhilandoCastile).
We can't break down on a public road with car problems (#CoreyJones).
We can’t shop at Walmart (#JohnCrawford) .
We can’t have a disabled vehicle (#TerrenceCrutcher).
We can’t read a book in our own car (#KeithScott).
We can’t be a 10yr old walking with our grandfather (#CliffordGlover).
We can’t decorate for a party (#ClaudeReese).
We can’t ask a cop a question (#RandyEvans).
We can’t cash our check in peace (#YvonneSmallwood).
We can’t take out our wallet (#AmadouDiallo).
We can’t run (#WalterScott).
We can’t breathe (#EricGarner). And now #GeorgeLloyd
We can’t live (#FreddieGray).
WE ARE TIRED!
Tired of making hashtags.
Tired of trying to convince you that our #BlackLivesMatter too.
Tired of dying.
Tired.
Tired.
Tired.
I’m Chi. And that’s what I said. And that’s what my people have been saying since Emmett Till.
Note: After this was written, Mr. Rayshard Brooks was killed by police in Atlanta, George. #RayshardBrooks #Tired
