Every Animal Matters, But Black People Don't?

Please watch the video before you read my blog post.
The video narrative is noted below for reference purposes.

"She [tiger] saw her mother hacked to death. Now, she faces life trapped in a tiny cage. He [bear] saw his mother shot. They beat him to make him dance. She [dog] saw her sisters drowned. Somehow, she escaped. He [elephant] watched his mother cruelly worked to death. He's next. So many young animals are traumatized before their life has barely begun. Abused by people who treat them as tools to do a job or a nuisance to be wiped out. How do you see them? World Animal Protection, sees them as living, feeling creatures. Are you with us? Please call the number [1-877-938-5889] on your screen or go online [ProtectTheAnimals.org] right now and give just $15.00 a month to help stop this horrendous cruelty. These vulnerable young animals need you to protect them. Just $15.00 a month will make a difference. You will make the difference. It’s so important that you take a stand--so important that you are side by side with animals when they need you the most. Call or go online right now. Don’t wait. Everyday counts. Every animal matters. That’s why World Animal Protection is there treating the sick and injured, protecting them from a life of misery. But, we can’t do this important work without you. We need your support. For just $15.00 a month, 50 cents a day, you can help us make sure pain and fear are only memories for abused animals around the world. Please don’t put this off. Call the number on your screen or go online right now and become an animal protector with World Animal Protection. These suffering animals need you right now. They need you to care. Thank you."

First of all, let me start my post by saying I love animals. Over the course of my life, I've had several pets that were dear to me and they were always treated like members of my family. I was raised with five dogs that my father brought into the house as puppies because he loved animals too. Four of them (2 males and 2 females) were brothers and sisters from a neighbor's litter of German Shepherds and we named them King, Duke, Queenie, and Duchess. In fact, we referred to them as 'The Royal Court'. The fifth puppy (male) came from another neighbor and I remember some people referred to him as a mongrel, a term that I personally dislike. He was a cross between a St. Bernard and something else (I don't remember because I was so young), and we named him Champ. When I became an adult, got married, had a daughter, and it was time to get her a pet, I decided to 'jump the fence' and bring home a kitten (female) from a litter that was offered to me by a co-worker. We named her Pebbles and because my daughter was an only child, she became her constant companion and sister (so to speak) for many years.

I am a person who values ALL forms of life created by God. But, unfortunately, I am constantly reminded that in America, my life as a Black person doesn't matter and never has throughout the course of history. As you watch and listen to the video, one can't help but wonder what happens to all of that commitment, empathy, passion, support, and sympathy when it comes to Black human lives? In many ways, we have suffered the exact same atrocities and far worst because of racism. In fact, with the exception of a few words here and there, you could actually use the same narrative and change the images in the video from animals to Black human beings and this so-called great country of ours would immediately become blind, deaf, and dumb to the problem. 

I challenge anyone who reads this post to brush up on our history and read about all of the unspeakable acts that have been committed against Black people and you will find that, much like these animals, we have been abused, captured against our will, dehumanized, discriminated against, hung from trees, marginalized, murdered in cold blood, separated from our families, sexually assaulted/raped, sold into slavery, treated like property, whipped into submission, and everything else you can imagine. What happened to the pleas for compassion and support for us? As far as I know, we never even received an apology from America for all of the un-Godliness that was (and, still is) inflicted upon us for no other reason than the color of our skin. And, why is it that no one is willing to 'stand with us' when we proclaim that Black Lives Matter, when you know all we're trying to say is that our lives matter too?

As a recent example, Colin Kaepernick dared to call attention to this problem because so many unarmed Black people are being murdered at the hands of trigger-happy police officers who always claim afterward they were 'afraid for their life'--even if the victim was laying on their back with their hands and feet in the air. It is physically impossible for someone in such a position to be a threat. And yet, we've seen time and time again examples of Caucasians assaulting police, resisting arrest, and armed with a weapon who are apprehended without being killed. Why is it that no one is willing to support Colin and the stand he is taking for fair and equal treatment of Black people under the law, which is our constitutional right as American citizens? Instead, his intentions are misconstrued and misinterpreted as disrespect for the flag and/or the national anthem, and he is blackballed from football.

For the sake of clarity, yes, the lives of every animal matters--but, the lives of every Black person matters too. What is happening to these animals is definitely wrong and it needs to stop. And yes, they deserve our help and support so by all means, feel free to respond accordingly. But, if you can't show the same care, concern, and support for Black human beings when the situation calls for it, something is wrong.