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Gayle King was on The Talk this week, where they of course spoke about the recent protests. As we’ve heard from Gayle, she’s in New York while her adult children, son William Bumpus Jr., 33, and daughter Kirby, 34, live in LA. She said her son lives near wealthy neighborhoods and she’s worried about him and has been telling him not to take long walks with his dog.
I’m worried [about my son] saying ‘Will please don’t walk Scott. Please don’t take him for long walks. When you go out, don’t wear the black mask. Wear the one with the bands.’ He lives in the Santa Monica area. He can hear the police choppers. [It’s] a very affluent town. I’m worried about him walking his freaking dog.
Sharon: Do you worry for your son being a black man in LA?
I worry for him being a black man period. Another friend who has a son Will’s age called me and said ‘her son called crying saying, mom we do all the right things. We’re educated, we’re employed, we’re good human beings, we’re good to people. Still we are just considered suspects or prime targets.’ I worry a lot about his safety. Welcome to being black in America. This is not new but we are more amped up now than ever before.Sharon: Have you seen the footage of the guy that was an FBI agent? Big beautiful black man. Two cops were going to arrest him… and he was like ‘you’re never going to believe who I am.’ They saw he was FBI.
It’s so interesting how white people are processing this and how black people are processing it. I’ve had more white people reach out to me to say ‘how are you doing?’ ‘Not good.’ Nobody should be doing good right now. White people are viewing this like ‘holy cow. This happens in this country?’ The details are so horrific and shocking. Just maybe this will be the change.
[From The View on Youtube via People]
This has been the reality for Black people in the US for so long and so many white people are just waking up to it. Sharon Osbourne is such trash talking over Gayle to tell the story of a “big beautiful black man” arrested by cops who happened to be an FBI agent. She had to tell that story of a viral video everyone saw instead of letting Gayle finish. I hope Gayle is right, I hope this will be the change.
As for white people reaching out to their Black friends and acquaintances, I’ve read so much about how we should take a different approach to checking in and should just focus on being a friend. We should question why we’re asking our white friends if they’re ok too. Someone I haven’t heard from in a while, and who I know isn’t a Democrat, texted me on Tuesday to ask how I’m doing. I didn’t get back to her because I didn’t know what she wanted exactly. What do you even say? I’m great because I can just be uncomfortable with other people’s reality instead of worrying that my kid is going to get murdered? Also, we live in a rural areas and are so insulated from everything. We’re over an hour from the nearest mid-sized city and there hasn’t been any looting there, but they did gas protesters in that city because of course they did. The cops there have also murdered several black men that we know about and racist internal police documents have been leaked. All of that came out several years ago and of course nothing was done.
Also, that’s cute that her son has a dog named Scott! I was hoping to get some pictures of his dog for this but his Instagram is private.
Here’s that video:
Update: This article
No, white people. You can’t ease your guilt over racism by paying black people via Cash App, says columnist @Erika_D_Smith https://t.co/UP3SngzlGo pic.twitter.com/t62eWYZaB7
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) June 4, 2020
I like Gayle. She’s smart and compassionate.
My close friends, the husband is black and wife is white and kids are mixed, told us that it is exhausting to have so many people reaching out while dealing with their own emotions of the violence and suppression. They were glad so many people were interested and invested in letting them know they were an ally but so many times it turns into them educating or comforting the person who is reaching out. At his work, the husband has turned into the token ‘black person’, he is nervous to set boundaries as he wants to believe in the best in everyone.
It’s important to remember that we are responsible for catching up and being supportive. They are not responsible for educating us. There is TONS of insight and information and perspectives flooding the internet the last week, please use resources and find the information from someone who is willfully putting it out rather than solely seeking it from someone you have to ask. Do not talk over them (like Sharon, ugh) with your own stories, do not make them comfort you over your own guilt.
I wish this would stop.I didn’t just become black yesterday! It’s my personal state of being . If you want to help, read more – James Baldwin, examine your own biases and beliefs, etc. Just quit with those FN emails. Above all stop starting conversations about looting and forwarding those emails on looting
My partner and I live on Vancouver Island and are close friends with an African-American fellow. Really nice guy, super smart, funny, had a career in the military then became a public defender, now he’s a musician, so he’s not short on grey matter. We had a phone chat with him the other night and he told us something he’s never mentioned before in all the years of our friendship. When he was living in Philadelphia many years ago he was walking to a meeting – suited up holding a briefcase – and suddenly stopped by 2 white cops who were looking for a burglary suspect. When “George” tried to explain what he was doing they immediately got him to the ground, handcuffed and arrested him. He was taken to jail where he was held for 24 hours and repeatedly beaten up when he tried to explain they were mistaken and he just wanted to speak to a lawyer. Finally they let him go but it traumatized him to the point where he decided to move to Vancouver Island where his brother lived in peace and quiet. I’m not saying Canada is perfect, in fact we have a terrible stain on our past and present treatment of our own indigenous peoples, but here anyway, “George” feels safe walking the streets. Dark days….
All this to say this is one of the saddest, bleakest times for America – a sociopathic, white supremacist fascist for a president who is determined to bring back the worst kind of racism, intolerance and violence from his dedicated base, and that stain is reaching around the globe. The optimist in me says “this is a turning point, things will slowly but surely improve once Trumpolini is out of office” but it’s going to be a long, long road back to the light.
My 17 year old daughter continually talks to me about leaving the US and moving to Canada. She has actually got online and researched it. She discovered that it is rather difficult and expensive. Maybe we can apply as political refugees. If trump wins in november we will need a way out.
Here’s a link to a website that may offer some help. I really feel for so many good Americans caught in this nightmare. Good luck in any event!
https://canadianvisa.org/blog/immigration/how-to-immigrate-to-canada-in-2020
@jaded, if you are in Vic I would say that for the west coast it’s a lot better than even Vancouver.
I grew up in Vic but moved to TO and then moved back to around Van. It was fairly shocking the casual racism. If we could do it over we would have definitely moved back to Vic.
For sure. I moved here from the Toronto area in early 2016 and the difference was really noticeable. Maybe someday you’ll have an opportunity to move back to Vic.
I sent a note to a former colleague who is black letting her know that I was thinking of her and sending a big virtual hug. I didn’t think it was appropriate to send a laundry list of the things I’ve done, all I wanted to do was send love. I think we have to be careful not to shame people who are reaching out with love in their hearts.
A friends husband reached out to mine saying “I’m just checking on you my black friend”. Mine handled it pretty well but did end it by saying, I’m “a friend, not a black friend”. People try.
All of a sudden on my daily jogs all my neighbors who usually ignore me or cross the street are making eye contacts and smiling and saying hello. I asked some fellow melanated friends who said they’ve experienced the same. We all have the same side eye like reaction. Please don’t smile in my face if you’re just going to go back to being Karens and Billys. Fake niceness is more irritating, I’d rather be ignored.