The iconic civil rights activist Fannie Loue Hamer is known for having said, “I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired.”  I sympathize with Mrs. Hamer’s frustration for I too am tired. 

“I’m tired of watching Black bodies be hunted like prey.” 

“I’m tired of  overt and covert racism being ignored and dismissed in our schools and communities.” 

“I’m tired of apathy in the Black community. 

“I’m tired of White and Black Americans denying that systemic racism exists or behaving as though it does not exist.”

“I’m tired of saying, “Wake up.”

“I’m tired of saying, “Oh no, not again.”

“I’m tired of people watching racism play out like it’s a movie and then doing nothing to stop the horror show.”

“I’m tired of racially and culturally motivated attacks on innocent, unarmed people.”

“I’m tired of being presented with a soiled Band-Aid or no aid at all for the gaping, oozing, stinking wound that is racism in America.”

Last night my husband asked me if I had heard about the shooting in Buffalo, New York.  At the time, I had not but my heart immediately sank – again.  My first thought, was, “Not again, how many more times are Black bodies going to be gunned down?” I have felt this way many times over the last few years. 

As I learned the details of the story, I became outraged that a Buffalo New York grocery store, a total of 13 people had been shot, 10 people had been killed and 11 of the victims were Black. 

The mass shooting was committed by an 18-year-old White man who according to New York governor, Kathy Hochul carried out a “military-style execution” on innocent people. 

It was reported that the attacker and murderer planned the assault and livestreamed it for the world to see him hunt down innocent people. 

United States Attorney General, Merrick Garland said that “the shooting is being investigated as a hate crime and an act of racially motivated violent extremism.”  Garland added that the suspect was in “tactical gear.”

This sickens me.  Does it sicken you?

How does a person harbor the hate and muster the audacity to commit an unprovoked and unthinkable hate crime such as this? 

I’ll tell you where; he was taught.  He was taught that his life has value while Black people’s lives do not.  He was taught that he has the right to murder a Black person.  He was taught that White people are superior to Black people.  Where this teaching came from, I do not know but he learned it.  It could have been taught in his home.  He could have learned it in school. He could have learned it in his church.  He could have learned it from friends, mentors, the Internet, or social media.  This is one reason why accurate, truthful, anti-racist teaching is so important.

This person felt comfortable planning and executing the murder of innocent people simply because they were Black.  This type of hate is  not only dangerous; it is historical.  Black people have been hunted like dogs by racists who often were not held accountable for their horrible actions.  Black people have been bought, sold, raped, whipped, lynched, and gunned down by racists who were supported by a justice system that favored them and their humanity while denying the value and humanity of Blacks.  How many more times do we need to mourn Black bodies that have been the victims of racially motivated attacks? 

How many more times must we be reactive instead of proactive?

While I am tired of these heart attack moments in this country that give us all the opportunity to look in the mirror and reconcile the idea that is America and how we want to show up in this country, I am not tired of working toward racial justice.  I am not tired of forging relationships and partnerships that will keep he truth of racism front of mind and give us all an opportunity to actively value all Americans regardless of skin tone.  I am not tired of educating adults and children  on how America’s racist past is related to its racist present.  I am not tired of reaching out to White people who want to be allies and accomplices.  I am not tired of working to provide effective avenues for our individual and collective voices to be heard.  It is my hope that you are not tired either and that you will keep seeking racial justice in our communities.

Our lives depend on it.

(Editor’s Note: The preceding guest editorial reflects the views of the author only and not necessarily of PW Perspective, LLC or its stakeholders.)