Did my young men’s father and I give our sons enough information to keep them safe? Is there enough information parents can provide their off-spring within a society hell-bent on violence?

In a society hell-bent on attempting to dehumanize African American men and African American families is information enough?

As a woman, I have been stopped for speeding several times, by white policeman. When I am stopped, I automatically know that I have been placed in a subservient role. My response is to cry and give them a sob story. As a result they feel sorry for me and begin to feel that I need comfort and not a ticket.

This procedure has always worked for me. It does not take much for me to cry. All I have to do is think of our collective traumas in American. I can cry rivers. It would not work for an African American man. The police automatically see them as foes.

I am being real cool, but like most African American activists I am consumed with rage that I need to redirect. I cannot protect my children, no parent in America can protect their children and that makes me feel impotent. That feeling of impotence is the feeling that I believe this society wants to invoke.

Therefore, it has to be temporary.

The feelings of impotence must lead to action. We must all take action to protest the mass killings of our men. From my observations and experiences the best way to express the outrage and anger is through direct action.

We have so many positive outlets for our rage that we have to plug in to one or two and ACT! We must act not for the short term but for the long term. We cannot continue to be like the “Raisin in the Sun”, that festers and runs.