“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”
― Martin Luther King, Jr., Letter from Birmingham Jail
No truer words have ever been spoken, guys, and it’s officially Pride Month 2020 starting today so there’s no time like the present to talk about injustice and inequality albeit of the race variety in light of what is happening in the US right now.
What’s that got to do with the LGBT community, you ask?
It’s because we have African-American LGBTQ brothers and sisters and if we actually look closely, we’ll find that whether it’s about injustices, climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, discrimination, or racism, we’re all in this together. In spite of the many things that differentiate us, be it the color of our skin, our socioeconomic status, gender, sexuality, the continents and oceans that keep us physically apart, each one of us is not a separate entity, but rather we are part of the same fundamental whole.
This is why Adam4Adam blog will dedicate this first week of pride month to the black LGBTQ community and allies by celebrating and highlighting the lives of important black LGBTQ people and allies in our community.
Adam4Adam blog readers who do not know yet what is happening right now, George Floyd protests are currently raging in the US. If you are unaware of the incident and have been staying away from the news and social media lately, George Floyd was a 46-year-old African-American who died last Monday, May 25, 2020, in the hands of a Minneapolis Park police officer.
Multiple reports said that several Minneapolis Park police officers who were responding to a 911 call arrested Mr. Floyd on suspicion of using a counterfeit $20 bill which the latter allegedly used to buy a pack of cigarettes at Cup Foods, a convenience store in south Minneapolis. One of the officers named Derek Chauvin—who had since then been fired (including three other police officers who responded) and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter—kneeled on Mr. Floyd’s neck as he was pinned chest down to the ground. Mr. Floyd, who was already handcuffed, was unarmed and could be heard pleading repeatedly, saying, “Please,” “I can’t breathe,” “Mama,” “Don’t kill me,” and “I’m about to die.”
In the video shown above, it can be seen that “Chauvin kept his knee on Mr. Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds.” According to the copy of the complaint that CNN had gotten ahold of, “Chauvin kept his knee on Floyd’s neck for three full minutes after Floyd stopped moving and nearly two minutes after he apparently ‘ceas[ed] to breathe or speak.'” Further, the complaint said that “another officer even checked Floyd’s wrist for a pulse and said he couldn’t find one—and yet Chauvin still did not immediately move.”
Today marks the first week since Mr. Floyd’s senseless and tragic death. The incident has sparked demonstrations demanding justice not only across the United States but on the streets of London, Berlin, and Toronto as well. Emotions are running high and the outraged citizens have already had enough. Mr. Floyd, after all, is just “the latest in a too-long list of black men and women who have died at the hands of white police officers.”
There was 12-year-old Tamir Rice who was shot by officer Timothy Loehmann while “throwing snowballs and playing with a toy pellet gun in a Cleveland park” on November 22, 2014. And on March 13, 2020 at around 1AM in Louisville, Kentucky, police barged into the home of 26-year-old EMT Breonna Taylor and shot her 8 times. According to a lawsuit filed by Taylor’s family, the officers—who were serving a “no-knock warrant” to search for illegal drugs—arrived in her apartment in “plainclothes and unmarked cars and did not announce themselves.”
Yesterday, the four police officers who senselessly ended George Floyd’s life were fired. Amy Cooper weaponized her whiteness against Christian Cooper and was fired. The FBI is investigating the murder of Breonna Taylor. Three men were charged with the murder of Ahmaud Arbery.
— Alexis McGill Johnson (@alexismcgill) May 28, 2020
Just wanted to share. A lot of people don’t know American history. Amy Cooper behavior could have caused a innocent man his life as another White woman did for young Emmett Till. A little lie and life long pain for his family.
— Sandra Pearsall/You Can Live Your Dreams Now (@sandrapearsall) May 27, 2020
@DrIbram pic.twitter.com/cWxqh7fdTA
More than a thread, this is a history lesson not taught in America’s schools or in the books which we use to educate our children. Knowledge is power… ignorance begets itself. https://t.co/EJWN3zfsVu
— LeVar Burton (@levarburton) May 31, 2020
Adam4Adam Team was shaken to hear the news and would like to send our sympathy to the family, friends, and everyone in the African-American community. You are an important part of A4A and please know that you are in our hearts and prayers. Please know that while we live on the other side of the world, we are with you in spirit. We see you, we hear you, we feel you.
We would also like to take this time to remind everyone that racism is not tolerated here on Adam4Adam. We have a zero tolerance policy on racism which means that racist users will be instantly banned on our platform. You can report them by simply providing us with the details of the racist incident and by clicking the “report this user” button on the person’s profile so that our team can quickly investigate and take the appropriate action.
Having said all that, those who want to support the Black Lives Matter movement may check here to find out what you can do to help the cause.
We would like to finish this post with another quote from Martin Luther King, Jr., “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
Genesee County Sheriff (Flint, Michigan) Chris Swanson put down his helmet and baton and asked protesters how he could help.
— Rex Chapman🏇🏼 (@RexChapman) May 31, 2020
The protesters chanted "walk with us" so the Sheriff joined — and walked alongside the protesters in solidarity.
Leadership.🌎❤️ pic.twitter.com/Vs3941C2o8
Adam4Adam Team would like to wish you all peace, safety, good health, and love wherever you are in the world. Send light and love, guys, light and love.
Happy Pride Month 2020, y’all!
One must ask themselves if the authorities had an 8 minute video of a black man executing a white police officer on a public street, would that man be home for three nights eating dinner with his family before authorities finally got around to evaluating the evidence and arresting him for a lessor charge then murder? While peaceful protesting might change public policy, violent protests, looting and burning of private and public property is not going to change what has already happened, we must undertake steps to prevent this from happening again. Since we’re no longer cro-magnons living in a… Read more »
Thanks Marko, I usually respond to most every subject on here but I can’t right now…..I’m numb!!!!!!!
In the 60’s, we saw the same things via the TV actually; in the south and Chicago’s/NYC’s Black-Panthers: the fire-hoses, dogs, clubbing, shoot-outs, etc., going forward, Rodney King-we saw that too, didn’t really change much, did it?
No, violence-looting, does not remedy the original situation at hand, but the English language hasn’t worked either…no matter how eloquently spoken (Dr. Martin Luther King) got him a a slew of others murdered-executed.
That’s a cool sherriff.
He’s going to get his, hope those “lifer’s” are ready and set to get his ass, he’ll not be safe for the rest of his life. He’s going to be a great deal more than “cool”, but cold and dead.
Possible retraction: If you are referring to the sheriff that walked with the protesters, yeah, I just saw that clip, that’s a policeman, yeah, cool.
Listen to Nina Simone’s “Mississippi Goddam.” Although written in 1963 it still rings true today. And if you’re not speaking out about racism then you are part of the problem.
Silence = complicity
I love the hypocrisy of people who say “We must stand together against racism” and then do nothing else. Pride is for the acceptance of the right to gender preference etc. It has nothing to do with racism. And racism is one of those things that people are against but they really don’t know what it is.
Read some books dear! You should know your LGBTQ history! Google Marsha P for example. That’s a good start!
Pride also includes all colors.
This is the problem with the whole idea of “intersectionality.” How long would an out effeminate gay man last in many lower socioeconomic and/or minority neighborhoods. You can be against racism but also realize that there is a huge problem with acceptance coming from certain demographics for (insert your preferred gay acronym here).
It’s called ignorance, imagine where/how ‘they’ learned it for second, the power to be gained from it, just like kids whom would be bullies, it’s about power and the misunderstood, see how that works, it’s called the “trickle-down” effect.
Your response makes it seem like you think homophobia only exists in poor and minority communities! The assumption itself is based on racist opinions and could easily be answered by someone like myself who has known several out and effeminate black men who were born and raised in Harlem!!! Really being against racism, much like being against homophobia, means being against it everywhere and not looking fo/ drawing distinctions about it’s existence in specific places so as to try and legitimize one’s racism in gay culture!!!
First off I am white, and I agree the white race has been the most cruel, torturous, meanest, and most likely the ones that will kill someone over race or nationality. I agree they should protest, which is our right, however I wish they could be peaceful, instead of all the looting, shootings, and damage that has been happening. First they made the blacks slaves, then segregated them into separate communities. Even though slavery and segregation was outlawed, it still exists. So many white people I know of are still scared and distrustful of blacks and other nationalities. I being… Read more »
white race? the human race is cruel. period.
Amen. Good people do good things, bad people do bad things and it doesn’t matter what shade they are.
Gorgeous George, can you shut up with your racist comments? Feel like Trump is feeding you. Stop watching Fox News and educate yourself! Who cares about broken store windows or buildings being burned when hundreds of Black people die each year or get accused for things they never did or get beaten up or bullied at school? And these store windows are broken by people that most of the time are not even associated with the movement. People that just want to take advantage of the situation. Most of the time white people…check all the videos on social media and… Read more »
And just exactly what did I say that was racist. Enlighten me Big Brother.
Dave has fully embraced the trump derangement but is probably not prepared to explain how racist biden is (for example someone defend the 1994 crime bill….I’ll wait).
I agree, yea it’s the whole human race. There just so much hatred in this world, that need not be.
True, but no one profits like white folks do from racism, right. Look at all the wars in the world, who’s always there, mostly, or had something to do with the arming of the adversaries…The subject at hand “murder of ‘another’ unarmed black American man, unjustly murdered by yet ‘another’ white cop.”
Gay community? The human community is cruel! Period!
Protesting a wrongful death is justified and a right. Rioting, burning and looting is not.
Yes, and check all the white folks looting and taking advantage of the movement.
Also if they/we need to burn shit down to get equality, why not? Seems like that’s the only way the Orange face clown and racist white cops can understand. I’m all for it! (oh and this is MY personal opinion, not necessarily A4A’s opinion.)
Remember the Tulsa Massacre of 1920… whole black community burned to the ground and 300 plus killed. The rest were kept in a stadium for 3 days to only exit to nothing left. Yes looting and rioting is wrong but remember usually starts trouble first.
I love you, DAVE!!!! Together We Rise!
xoxoxo
Does Adam’s no racism policy extend to people including racial “preferences” in their profiles? Because such preferences are definitely racist, as they are learned, not innate, and they disproportionately exclude Black men as well as Asians. When they don’t, they fetishise them and other POC. I encourage Adam4Adam’s administrators to ban racial profiling/preferences from within main profile text as well. Members can always politely let those contacting them that they are not a match if they don’t have an interest. Publicly dismissing entire categories of people based on race or ethnicity reinforces embedded racism.
Not liking women is wrong and misogynistic. See how that doesn’t make sense.
agree with tek
Frankly I’d rather know, it’s ok with me.
Thank you Lamar, I agree and basically said the same thing. I’d rather know then waste my time, but I was considered naughty and my comment was erased.
Can we address the blatant racism among LGBTQs its time for them to be dismissed, if you have a friend that is racists. You are just as guilty as they are.
It pleases me to see people of various backgrounds from around the world standing-up in solidarity for what has ‘once again’ happened in this country of the free. Obviously, it really angers me that they have to in this late day and age. My hometown, my old stomping grounds. This isn’t a novelty event there either, it’s just been recorded this time as proof of nazism. Nazism since it’s in the Midwest of the country where there have been those that have carried out crimes of humanity against Jews, actually found, it’s where hitler’s sister lived and probably died.… Read more »
Stereotype much, lamar? Bias and categorical prejudices cause these bad realities. Stop trading in prejudiced tropes!
If, I were stereotyping as you claim, where do you you suppose I learned it from. But that’s not true and you know it; no, what I refer to is a movement caused by those that are indeed nazis and such, they stereo-typed themselves and they are proud of it “MAGA” don’t get it twisted babe, ok. So you can shove that up your ass.
Additionally, did you see that white bitch in the park; calling the cops on the black man? That, is classic (To kill a Mocking Bird) classic stereotypical racist white bitch, ha, tryin’ to sling your words at me, better come again, what else ya’ got, huh? I can just hear your little prissy voiced-ass, lmao! I can’t for the life of me, get why you dummies keep tryin’ accuse me of being racist, you can’t seem to get it through your thick-headed, programmed-racist heads, it’s about the racism that I hate. If, that’s ‘you’ the wear… Read more »
[…] the current turmoil raging across the United States (discussed yesterday in detail on the A4A blog here), Adam4Adam blog will be dedicating this first week of pride month to the black LGBTQ community and […]
[…] Hey, guys! As we have discussed these past few days with you here on the A4A blog, we will be dedicating our posts to our Black LGBTQ community and allies by celebrating and highlighting the lives of important black LGBTQ people and allies in our community. If you don’t read the blog every day and you have no idea what we’re talking about, you can check here. […]
“Also if they/we need to burn shit down to get equality, why not? … I’m all for it! (oh and this is MY personal opinion, not necessarily A4A’s opinion.)”
The poster is promoting violence. A4A allowed the post and are therefore condoning it. Something is very wrong here.
lol, but you realize the stupid comment you just said? You speak like Donald cunt! If there was no murders, arrestations, racial profiling, there would never be building on fire. So yes, I’m all for it, since the orange face (and his disciples) doesn’t want to recognize the problem. That’s the only way to be seen, then be it.
“Violence as a way of achieving racial justice is both impractical and immoral.” Martin Luther King.
Says the one with the ratings here of -1 to -5 on his comments in this thread as of this post. Even if you don’t “approve” this comment, blog readers have responded to your militant hate.
dude we raised 10,000$, so intelligent and loving people have spoken!
Bai Felicia!
[…] Said protests was sparked by the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old African-American man who died during a police arrest on Minneapolis last May 25, 2020. The arresting officer named Derek Chauvin kneeled on a handcuffed and unarmed Mr. Floyd’s neck as he was pinned chest down to the ground. Mr. Floyd pleaded repeatedly, saying, “Please,” “I can’t breathe,” “Mama,” “Don’t kill me,” and “I’m about to die.” Chauvin kept his knee on Mr. Floyd’s neck for three full minutes after he stopped moving and nearly two minutes after he apparently ceased to breathe or speak. You can read… Read more »
[…] course, the entire Adam4Adam community has not only shown its support but also, it gave back to the Black LGBT community for Pride Month 2020 in its own special […]
[…] similar incident occurred on May 25, 2020 (the same day as the George Floyd incident) where Amy Cooper, a white woman, called the cops on Christian Cooper, a gay Black man. […]
[…] the death of Kobe Bryant, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Chadwick Boseman, John Lewis, Sean Connery, and George Floyd‘s death that awakened the protests to end systemic racism in the U.S., to name a few. Please […]