I’m baaaaaack.. While I’ve kept myself involved with all the current events that have been happening the past month, I’ve also been a busy guy working and enjoying the holiday season. Refreshed a little, saddened and disappointed a lot, shit going on that keeps my mind constantly churning and me in a state of uncertainty.

Lets talk about the two biggest events in current news lately. One, the decision not to indite in Ferguson, MO and the decision to not indite in New York. While I must admit that I’m not surprised by these decisions made to not bring those officers to trial, I will say that I am extremely disappointed, hurt, and sad. See as a Black man in America, I know that we are always guilty until proven innocent in the eyes of the law, unless we have lots of money.

I have never seen a case where a prosecutor decides to unload all the evidence in just a Grand Jury indictment proceeding. I’ve also never seen a state telegraph the decision of said Jury like I did in Ferguson. Unless you have been in the situation that Mike Brown was in you don’t know how threatening it is to be approached by law enforcement that don’t really have your best interest at heart.

I will never condone committing a crime, which yes Mike Brown did steal cigars, but if anyone thinks that taking some cigars is justification for you to be shot and killed then I’m sorry you lack basic humanity. Just the same, Eric Gardner was put in a choke hold and killed because he was selling single cigarettes on the streets.

Again, it was a petty crime and only a crime because New York wants to make their money on the taxation of cigarettes; but the fact remains when he was stopped by those officers, he did not have any cigarettes on him and also he was not being unruly or disobedient to the officers. He was shown on camera with his hands up in the air and kept repeating that He couldn’t breathe.

I’ve been in situations similar to both men. No, I have not committed a crime, but I did have someone anonymously call the police and accuse me of breaking into cars downtown. The irony is that I was just standing outside of my car eating my food and talking to a friend. I had no less than six marked and unmarked police cars pull on me, guns drawn, police dogs in the back waiting to unload their guns and sick their vicious dogs on me.

Never in my life have I felt more afraid, embarrassed in my life. I was being treated as a criminal when I had done absolutely nothing wrong. The police could not figure out who called and never offered any apology. They just laughed it off, got back in their cars and disappeared as quickly as they arrived. So when anyone speaks to me about these cases, my first question is have you ever had the experience these men had. If you answer no, then quite honestly I don’t want to discuss this with you because you will never understand.

And No, I do not ever condone vandalism or arson, but as Dr. King so perfectly said it, Vandalism is the act of the voiceless. When you feel that you have no where to go and no one to listen to you how else do you make your point? I do have the solution and hence the title of this blog. The people have the power and its called voting.

There is a reason that millions upon millions marched and fought for the right to give Black people the right to vote. They knew the impact and importance of voting. See we elect these people who run these states and counties and towns into office. We decide who will be hiring the folks to police our streets and protect us as citizens. If you really want to make your voice heard, the next time an election is held in your state VOTE!

And I’m not saying that this is the only thing that needs to happen, because lets face it, the Justice system is not really a fair system towards all people. The law does not necessarily look favorable of people of color. So there are many layers to this problem, but I do know that it starts with exercising your right to vote and to know what the folks running for office stand for.

Stop electing people whose policies don’t speak to your issues. Stop voting for people who don’t give a damn about you and allow new, fresh and caring blood to run for office and make a difference. My prayers and thoughts go out to the families of Mike Brown and Eric Gardner. America lets make sure we do our part; lets have the dialogue needed and make the necessary efforts to change our country.