This Is the America Black People Have Always Known

by Liz Courquet-Lesaulnier, WordInBlack

On Thursday, just hours after federal agents shot and killed an unarmed Minneapolis woman in her car, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson posted a video on his Instagram account. Rather than rage at a seemingly unjust killing, the mayor offered a nugget of wisdom for cruel and heartless times.

While the video of a masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent firing point-blank at Renee Nicole Good may trigger anger, “Do not let them change the part of your soul that sees a fellow human being when you look at your neighbor,” the mayor said. “We will get through this.”

As Black Americans, who have borne witness to far too many killings like Good’s, a white woman who was monitoring ICE activities in Minneapolis, we know he’s not wrong. Many of us are heartbroken by what happened. Seeing the horrific video — the officer opens fire as Good attempts to drive away, then almost casually holsters his weapon and strolls from the scene — we might even be traumatized.  

Continue reading…This Is the America Black People Have Always Known

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