Imagine an executive meeting room with a long table and perhaps a half-dozen chairs on each side. Two high-level conversations are about to take place between black and white leaders. Both conversations will be observed by two groups of audience members, one black and one white. These audience members cannot interfere with the conversations, but they will be given the opportunity to offer their opinions when the discussions are completed.
Let's call the first one THE BLAME-AND-DEMAND SCENARIO. We can't script out the entire session because it would be much too long. But a brief sampling might go something like this:
BLACK LEADER: Look, we've had it. This assault on blacks has to stop.
WHITE LEADER: What do you mean, "assault on blacks"?
BLACK LEADER: Are you kidding? Every week it's something new! Michael Brown in Missouri. Unarmed, and shot with his hands in the air by a police officer who was obviously racially biased.
And Tamir Rice, the twelve-year-old child in a Cleveland park with his toy gun. Shot dead in a matter of a seconds, before police could possibly assess if he was a threat. Shoot first and ask questions later, right?
And that's only two of many incidents. We're harassed continually. The point is this. You people obviously feel that black lives are less valuable than white lives. It's obvious! Well, we're here to let you know that black lives do matter! We demand immediate action be taken to assure that every police officer in this country understands the value of black
lives, and acts accordingly!
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