My Truth: I am traumatized

By Cheryl Smith Oftentimes when I see or read of people who say they can’t watch certain movies about the peculiar institution of slavery I have usually responded, “at least you don’t have to live through it.” For me, everyone needs to see what slavery was about. Unfortunately, however, there are legislators who don’t want those stories shown or told. And I totally understand because I wouldn’t want anyone to know if my people were part of some of the most savage and inhumane acts ever. Sure I believe everyone needs to see the atrocities of an era in this country’s history and hopefully they will say, “never again.” I say never again when I think about how brutal society has been to women, especially women of color. It saddens me. Actually it pisses me off. Which brings me to my truth. I’ve read so many books and watched numerous movies about slavery and I have actually cried with the victims and cussed the perpetrators. I have been traumatized so much that watching the pain and suffering of Black women today, sometimes perpetrated by other women, causes me so much stress. Recently I watched the travesty in Mexico where someone filmed Shanquella Robinson getting beaten by another lady as if it were a sport.  An autopsy revealed that Ms. Robinson suffered a broken neck and cracked spine. That her death doesn’t receive the outcry as is the case with others is not surprising to me. The message is clear to me and has been all of my life. The lives of Black females are not valued. As I get older I see this constantly and I am committed to not being one of those beasts.  I will not be one who was on that side of history — being one who perpetrated atrocities against another human being, especially another woman. Then there’s the most recent case that I viewed on Black Star Network’s Roland Martin Unfiltered where  and the punches were characterized as “open palm hand strike” when he actually punched the crap out of her. Sure the officer is on administrative leave, but he is just one and there have been so many instances when it has been okay to hit a Black woman the way he did actually any way at all. Aren’t these officers trained? According to WHIO-TV, officers were called to McDonald’s after receiving a complaint from employees who said they wanted Latinka Hancock trespassed from the property following an argument about a piece of cheese missing from her Big Mac. I am so incensed and although I know some wonderful people who are affiliated with McDonald’s—like Anthony Grissett, Roland Parrish and several other Black operators, especially in the DFW area, I am mad at the manager who felt it was necessary to call the police, instead of handling the simple request for a slice of cheese. While I am pleased that the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is launching an investigation into the sergeant’s violent attack and there have been reports that the FBI and U.S. Attorney General’s are also involved; I am concerned over the silence by so many women’s groups. I guess I want to hear an outcry, to hear from the many organizations that purport to serve and support Black women.  I want to hear from the organizations whose member’s ancestors nursed on the breasts of Black women.  I want to hear from the organizations whose members were birthed by Black women. Then I want to hear from those with a brain, a heart, and a conscience. That’s right, how about everyone lifting those voices and speaking out when a wrong occurs regardless of the color of the victim or perpetrator. I want Sergeant Todd “Pookie” Stanley, whose punches caused several injuries to Ms. Hancock, including a closed head injury, busted lip, loose teeth and a back injury, to lose his job. Before he loses his job I want Officer Tim “Pookie” Zellers to tell me if he knew that tasing could cause injury to the brain, what did he think would happen if he put a taser to someone’s head?  Then he should be fired because he could have killed Ms. Hancock. I can envision the outcry had Ms. Robinson or Ms. Hancock been white and I am not mad at those outcries.  I am mad about the silence surrounding the assaults of others. We have to start putting equal value on all lives.