This has been one week! I’m still reeling from the emotions that so forcefully came over me regarding the Troy Davis case. I really want to get my feelings on paper (or screen) but am having trouble exactly expressing the feelings of anger, hopelessness, despair and sadness. My twitter stream has been a great source to help me address some of these feelings that have made me more introspective this week.
First I have to give shout outs to Ray Davis, who tweets as Affirmation Spot. I was feeling so low watching the news and this tweet came across the screen.
Every time you allow your mind and world to be segmented into “us” vs. “them”, you hand the dividers a victory.
I am a reasonably intelligent woman but my feelings were so hot that I started to think stupidly. Reading and then having a conversation with Ray calmed me and made me let go of some of the pain I was holding.
Minky Moo shared a post about her father’s murder and her waning belief in the death penalty. Thankfully I do not share her experience; I have been fortunate enough not to have anyone violently taken from me. However I can totally understand her ambivalence about the death penalty. I was outraged by Troy Davis…not so much about Lawrence Brewer, the man who was accused and convicted of dragging James Byrd to death.
A blog I love, The Field Negro, wrote about the case and voiced some of the things I touched upon during my conversation with The Bee. Field, as he calls himself, also shares his opinion about the execution of Lawrence Brewer also. I laughed at his suggestion for punishment:
As far as I am concerned, being raped over and over by Tyrone and Bubba would have been punishment enough for you.
Actor Jeremy Irons is featured in a video about capital punishment. Again, I have never known the horror of having someone I love and care about snatched away from me but it does seem that money talks.
Judge Greg Mathis (yup, that one from the show) also weighed in and shared his thoughts about the case. Per the judge: This was without a doubt a grave miscarriage of justice.
Yup.
Black Girl in Maine shared this post about Twitter Activism posted on the site Black & Bougie. During the height of the Troy Davis frenzy my stream was all about this man. Two days later and its back to the norm. I am not saying that everyone should be all about seriousness every second of the day but where is the passion that united so many people and forced awareness? I did learn about some new Tweeples to follow so that I can get some balanced information and I was able to have a conversation with The Bee about the case.
My heart is still heavy but I feel better having taken some time to educate myself and learned a little more about the world around me. I still wish for peace for both families and hope that the Troy Davis case will be the start of the change we all need.
Wishing you a peaceful weekend,
-r
No Comments