An apology from a worthless ally

“Another black man was executed by the police last night.”

“I heard – the guy selling CDs.”

“No, another one. in Minnesota.”

Alton Sterling. Philando Castile. The latest two names on a list that I was going to try to write out here, but I don’t know how to do it right. How far back should I go? What about all the ones we don’t know about?

 “Seriously, fuck a white ally, I need a white accomplice, freedom fighter, revolutionary on our sides. The march I want to see go down: white folks marching on every damn police station in this country and shutting it down, filling up the jails, stopping the flow of traffic and disrupting commerce. It's not like we won't be out there, we always are, but can you all really step up in ways you have never imagined and take arrests, hits and blows, we need a rest. P.S. if this offends you, too bad. We are getting killed every 28 hours and less by the people that we pay to serve and protect.” – Rosa Clemente, via Facebook

I’m a person of color, but few know that by looking, and I get the attendant privilege that comes with being perceived as white. I once was driving in downtown Denver with two young black men – a colleague in the CU admissions office and a student volunteer – when we got pulled over for nothing. Once the cop ascertained that I was there of my own free will and we were heading toward a work event, he let us go.