Held My Breath Again.

After the terror attack in the Boston Bombing on Monday, April 15th, 2013, the suspects were described as dark-skinned. As soon as that description hit the airways, I held my breath, hoping that they were not Black men.
Like it or not, there was a little sigh of relief when the FBI released the pictures. I don't know where they are from, but they are not American Black men. Thank goodness!

As a people we have had great strides, we have President Obama. But we have had some serious embarrassments, and this was one that I was hoping didn't link back to the people that look like me. After this report was given on CNN, by John King, I assumed that they were dark-skinned from the perspectives of a white person. That they were tanned or olive-skinned.

But after watching the angry rant by Reverend Al Sharpton on MSNBC I was concerned that maybe they were Black. I have to admit that after 9/11, Black people stopped being enemy #1 in the U.S. We were no longer THE suspicious people walking into stores, traveling on planes, or checking into hotels.

I am not saying that Black people don't commit crimes, but at least for a moment we were NOT ALL SUSPECTS just because of our pigmentation.

Other Times
There have been several other times when I have held my breath, only to be disappointed by my people. The first I remember was the Washington DC Sniper. I was not the only one who thought that this was an angry white male; so did the FBI profilers. Alas, it was not only one Black man, but it was two. Although I argue that the second was just a child led astray.

Then I held my breathe again when the former Los Angeles Police Officer was on a killing spree all over LA county, I hoped he wasn't Black. But very quickly his picture was everywhere. After reading his manifesto myself, I felt a connection, in the sense that it is hard being Black in America, even harder for a Black man. But that is where our connection ends. I do not condone his rampage under any circumstances.

It has not been our experience to have snipers to kill random people. How many Black men do you know who kill random people to get custody of his kids? We don't take the lives of loved ones because we were fired from a job. If that was the case, how many people would be dead? We get fired everyday.

I am appalled by what these terrorists have done to the country, no matter their race. Living in Connecticut is getting scarier with each incident. We are between Boston and New York City. When does it land on our doorstep?

My point is that Black people are in solidarity with the rest of the country. Terror on our streets is unacceptable. We just don't need any crazies making us look worse. Lets keep it together.

Lala