Where Are My Black Brothers & Sisters?

[Dolores Fair]

"As an African American, I have experienced many hate crimes. The two worst were: 1) the beating to death of my Uncle Johnny, a minister, by Houston police officers because Uncle Johnny fell in love with a white woman--I still miss him so much!; 2) the doctors revived my Mother with paddles after a wealthy, white woman ran a stop sign, ran into Mom's car, and left her for dead. Mom sustained a traumatic brain injury that day and has never been quite the same. Both crimes were ignored! All perpetrators exonerated! Houston lives happily ever after! And, THAT'S why I don't claim Texas!

I hope you will read the following and sign the petition in favor of an investigation. We must stand against hate crimes and those who commit such acts of violence! Petition address: "
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What you just read is the beginning of an article I posted on my facebook page a few days ago . It is related to the article I posted on my blog today. I added it because there is something happening in our community that stuns and saddens me. And, actually, it is not only our country, it is our nation. I may be totally wrong, but if what I suspect is actually true, it would appear that we are ignoring some of the same atrocities that were committed against our people, and allowing them to happen, unchallenged, to our Latino Brothers and Sisters.

I have not been on this website very long, but since I've been here, I've shared about my plight regarding my son's illness and near death and my struggle to save my home. I shared my letters to legislators regarding the difficulty of finding jobs, health care for my son and help with my mortgage. So far, the only local person who has commented was George Puckett. Now, I'm not saying that everyone has to comment on everything, I just wondered if my Brothers & Sisters knew of possible jobs they could recommend to me or maybe knew of resources I could use. One woman did write that she would pray for me after I wrote her directly.

When I look at the ACORN website, I see all these Latinos, Blacks and many other cultural groups working together to make their neighborhoods better. I met the CEO of ACORN last Saturday in Phoenix and she is brimming with new ideas to improve ACORN and it's image. Recently, I marched in the May Day Parade and saw a very precious few Blacks---and there are more of us in Tucson than what I saw. I wondered, of course, where are the people who can relate to civil rights violations, who have family members who were murdered or maimed, who have had to fight to keep good jobs, or have suffered some other form of discrimination? Why are Tucson's Urban League, ACORN and other groups mostly Latinos or Whites? Where are my Black Brothers and Sisters?

Maybe I am expecting too much of my people, but to me, we Blacks are in the best position to stand with the Latinos, calling for an end to the brutality of Sheriff Arpaio in Maricopa County. We are the most knowledgeable about the sleight of hand that results in "accidental deaths" and racial lay-offs. Many of us have lost so much, not just our homes. Some of us manage to beat the odds and not deal with much discrimination, but our Ancestors went through so very much for us to have the privileges we have today. They were bought, sold, traded, demonized, murdered, raped, tortured, marginalized, humiliated and sterilized. And, in the words of our great poetess, Maya Angelou, "And still (we) rise."

However, if we rise and say to ourselves, "Well, I've got mine. If those Latinos don't have theirs, its not my problem," then, we are no better than those committing the discrimination and violence. And, my Brothers and Sisters, I'm telling you that it IS your problem!!! Because once those who hate discover that they can continually murder Latinos with impunity, what is to stop them from turning their hate on us more openly yet again. We will be returned to times past when every single step was a belabored one. Many Blacks and some Whites stood in the gap for us in the tough times, it looks like it is our turn.

I quoted Barack Obama in my blog from his speech at the Democratic National Convention last August as he said, ""That's the promise of America, the idea that we are responsible for ourselves, but that we also rise or fall as one nation; the fundamental belief that I am my brother's keeper; I am my sister's keeper."

Let's not make our new President out to be a liar. Let us remember that we are only a moment away from being the target of hate crimes. We CAN NOT stand by and let other people of color endure these atrocities alone. We need to join with them and with a loud voice proclaim to the nation, NO, IT IS NOT OKAY TO COMMIT HATE CRIMES AGAINST ANYONE. WE WILL NOT TOLERATE IT. Let's not sit by, complacently, on our laurels. Let's remember Whose we are and that we stand for civil rights, not just for Blacks, but for everyone, and most especially, for people of color. Our Latino Brothers and Sisters need our support!

I hope you will find ways, whether it is through ACORN, NAACP, or whatever you choose; but let your voice be heard. Do not stand by and watch people of color be murdered and mistreated. We can and do make a difference!!! Yes we can!!!