The United State of America, the land of the free and the home of the brave. This is the country were we all get alone and enjoy unlimited opportunities. Well, at least this is the picture that has been painted about america. The truth is that there is an Elephant in American that some are attempting to ignore even after bumping into it. This elephant is in representation of the systematic racism which continue to exist here. This is a nation with problems which can’t be overlooked. If not addressed this problem will continue to divide this great nation. This racism against african-americans must come to an end. I am not asking white america to love african-americans. What we must all demand is that systematic racism will not be allowed to operate without being called out.

I have heard some say that blacks are racist also. Let’s take a look at this. Black racism is in most cases a response to the treatment received here in America. Black racism doesn’t affect whites, as a whole, in the same way that white racism has the potential to affect blacks, as a whole. Systematic racism can affect blacks Americans through employment opportunity, education, healthcare, housing, media coverage, public opinion, and even police brutality. I included police brutality because it is rare that a black police officer kills an unarmed white male. On the other hand, there have been multiple cases of white officers who murdered unarmed black males. I can also include the denial of or unequal access to civil, political, as well as human rights.

In Florida, 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was shot and killed by a neighborhood watch who pursued this young man after being told to stand down by a 911 dispatcher. In Ferguson, Micheal Brown’s body lay on the ground as he bleed to death after being shot and killed by law enforcement. In Texas, Sandra Bland was arrested for a simple traffic stop and later found dead in her cell. In New York City, Eric Garner can be seen being choked to death by an NYPD officer while telling them that “he can’t breath”. In Cleveland, 13-year-old Tamir Rice was shot down by law enforcement while holding a toy gun. In Baltimore, Freddie Grey died while police custody and was found to have a severed spine. In Wilmington, Delaware, a wheelchair bound man by the name of Jeremy McDole was shot multiple times, as he fell out of his chair to his death, by law enforcement. He was said to have a gun on the side of his wheelchair. In Minneapolis, 24-year-old Jamar Clark was shot and killed by law enforcement.

In some cases these individuals were unarmed. In other cases there was no serious or imminent threat to the officer at the time. Then on top of that these male victims are, in most instances, demonized while the officers are quickly portrayed as the victim. In Chicago Laquan McDonald was shot sixteen (16) times. The initial report claimed the McDonald lunged at the officer. Employees at the local Burger King told the press that police officers came and deleted video footage of the incident. When the dash-cam footage was released a year later, yet without audio, it clearly showed Mr. McDonald walking away from officers. In the South Carolina, Walter Scott was shot in the back multiple times as he ran away from the officer. The officer can be seen, on video footage, dropping something next to the lifeless body of Walter Scott. These are real people with real family and loved ones in the community. All African-Americans should be outraged with this pattern, All Americans as well as the entire world should be outraged about this pattern of police brutality on African-Americans.

I am proud to be a Black Man. Black lives do matter! No one should be offended with this statement. White lives have always mattered in this country. As a matter of fact, black lives have been devalued, humiliated, disrespected, beaten, murdered, lynched, and diabolically represented to the world as less than human. So let’s not get offended when African-Americans finally stand up with the words and movement of “Black Lives Matter!” This movement is as diverse as the civil rights movement. There are individuals of all races and nationalities who have peacefully protested against injustice and police brutality.

While watching CNN Live other day; I saw several different individuals attempt to justify the officer’s murder of Laquan McDonald. I guess that the threat was when Mr. McDonald’s body moved too much as he was being shot multiple times while laying there lifeless. The elephant was in the courtroom when an all white jury acquitted the four white Los Angeles police officers in the Rodney King case. The video footage showed the four white officer beating Rodney King with billy clubs for several minutes. In such cases I guess that black lives didn’t matter to a system who has a dark history when it comes to treatment of African-Americans and the black community.

Why are law enforcement officers not using the de-escalation training when it comes to African-Americans? With all that is going on in our society, there are some people who continue to believe that we either don’t have a problem or everyone is making things up. Maybe even recent video footage must be lying to our eyes!

During the 1960’s, African-Americans were blamed for the vicious attacked on them by law enforcement. Law enforcement released K-9 Dogs and sprayed them with fire hydrants. On Bloody Sunday while attempting to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma Alabama, law enforcement officers teargas and beat peaceful protesters with billy clubs. Black leaders were demonized by the media whenever they spoke against police violence and injustice. During nonviolent marches blacks were blamed for the violence done by whites and law enforcement.

After the assassinations of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr and brother Malcolm X, the focus was on the character assassination of Reverend Jesse Jackson. Later there was an attack on the Reverend Al Sharpton for speaking against injustice. There has been a rash of attacks against the Minister Luis Farrakhan for continuing to speak against the treatment of African-Americans in this country. African-American leaders are attacked on a regular basis. Now there is an attack on the Black Lives Matter movement for standing against police brutality.

In mentioning a few other problems that exist. The rich will continue to get rich and the poor will have to figure it out. Economics is one of the main elements which contribute to criminal behavior. Poverty is a main factor in criminal activity. Minimum wages is a concern in the African-American and other minority communities. During the Republican debate, several of the candidates openly admitted that they would oppose raising the minimum wages. Their reasoning was that raising the minimum wage would hurt the market and that we would lose jobs.

There appears to be a current attack on blacks, other minorities, and the poor constitutional right to vote. In Alabama they now have a voter ID law. Individuals are required to have an ID in order to vote. To add insult to injury the Governor of Alabama (Governor Robert Bently) has ordered the closing of a number of driver license offices, where those ID’s are sold. He claimed that this is done due to a lack of funding. In the very same counties where he closed driver license offices he allowed state-run liquor stores to remain open.

There has been a number of individuals who have come out and declared that the shooting of Laquan McDonald was a justified. While watching CNN Live I saw the interview done by anchor Chris Cuomo with the attorney of the officer who shot Laquan McDonald. Attorney Daniel Q Herbert who represents Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke said that his client’s actions were justified. Cornell William brooks, president and CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) addressed the issue of police brutality and the continual disregard in which even some law enforcement officers have for the lives of black males. This is not an attack on law enforcement but the truth must be spoken.

We must wake up and stop ignoring this elephant in American. Lets stop pretending that we don’t see racial inequalities.Then there are the disproportion of African-Americans and other minorities who receive longer prison sentences than whites with similar charges. There are issues with employment, advancement opportunities, and equality. This elephant in america is brewing into something dangerous. Let’s deal with it before it explodes into something disastrous.

Freelance Journalist Brandon Smith, a white male, filed a law suit in order to get the video released of Laquan McDonald being shot by officers. On behalf of the entire African-American Community, I would like to thank you for having the courage to take a stand. Leave feedback below. Watch the video below.

Check out books by Author, Mark L Baynard “100 Years: A Journey to End a Vicious Cycle” and “These Are Your Flowers” available on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00TLXK5L6