You Cannot Tell Me!

You Cannot Tell Me! - Adrienne A. Wallace You cannot tell me ... That a white life is more valuable than a black life because the God that I serve only makes human life and animal life. There are and Nationalities Ethnicities And phenotypes Then there are species of Land Air And sea In fact... but life has been made. This idea of race is a bit crazy since You can’t tell me there are any more than two I’ve always known that there only two! You cannot tell me Animal and human, I said. But then I saw the image of a man labeled police officer kill a man labeled black man labeled disposable because he has a past unforgiven and skin unprotected.. You cannot tell me that they are not white men who cheat systems, who rape, who steal, who pilfer, who deceive, rob and murder All free of consequence. Because they are white. They live still without life being chocked out of them without air being pressed out of their chests and throat without bullets flying into their backs and their chests and their heads Through bedroom windows Into their cars The white skin protects them. You cannot tell me It doesn’t You cannot tell me there are not mothers sisters daughters who are black and brown Being killed too and who worry who ring their fingers in anxiety, Who cannot sleep tight Who cannot breathe right Who cannot trust night They await the return of a black husband a black boyfriend a black brother a black son Who just went for a run Sat in a car Went into a store without a weapon You cannot tell me it is safe for a black friend going to the mall, shopping in the supermarket or driving 5 miles too fast or slow You cannot tell me America thinks that we can continue after 401 years 8 minutes 46 seconds and counting to be: maimed,killed, lynched, mishandled, denied and unaccounted for You cannot tell me. Until reparations. Until atonements. Until fair access. Until hired. Until appointed. Until balance. Until justice. Until harmony for humanity..... You cannot tell me: It’s not about being black . Adrienne A.Wallace, June 7, 2020