What if The Media Treated Paris Like They Treat Black People?

Onyx Contributor:  Johnny Silvercloud (@JohnnySilverclo)

First and foremost, I’m going to let you know that I find the acts of terror in Paris deplorable.  I do not condone terrorism against any group, nation, race or tribe.  I know some people will still miss the point, but I’m going to have to ask:  What if mass media treated Paris as if it was a black community?  What if, Paris, was black?

#AllNationCapitalsMatter.

I wonder what would happen if such a thing took off on social media.  Someone claiming “all nation capitals matter” in the wake of people acknowledging the pain and suffering of the terror acts in Paris.  I wonder how many people would shit their pants.  Most importantly, I wonder how many white people would finally understand what it’s like to be a black person, especially in America, when whites pompously proclaim “all lives matter” in the wake of racial tragedy.  I often wonder if such an analogy would help white people understand the arrogance of such words.  Is it possible for white people (and their conservative constituents) to truly understand what it’s like to deny acknowledgement of pain inflicted?  Nine times out of ten, folks would be pissed, call you names… without ever realizing the point just flew over their heads at Mach Four.

“What About Parisian on Parisian Crime?”

Technically, this statement is correct; the French do kill the French more than any other group.  It would be a shock to the senses to see a media pundit like Bill O’Reilly utter these words in the wake of the terror attack in Paris, France.  What if when Islamic terrorists strike France, Google searches for “French on French crime” skyrockets at 400%?  What if a Muslim said this whimsically on a national (international) news broadcast?

*National Investigation Agency Fails to Call it Terrorism*

Anyone remember this guy named Dylann Roof who, under the ideology of white supremacy, committed a terrorist act against a black church, murdering nine people?  Anyone remember the fact that numerous other churches were burned to the ground in the Southern United States?  Anyone seen recently, multiple colleges have their black students terrorized with death threats under the ideology of white supremacy?  Anyone remember the public lynchings designed to terrorize black people?  Why does the KKK exist today, knowing their history in America?

What if all national investigation/intelligence agencies failed to call the terror strike in Paris, terrorism?  If that were to ever occur, 2.2 million Parisians would understand what it’s like to be a black person.  Maybe.

“The People of Paris should Forgive them”

As a black person, it’s always painful to see the media attempt to force the black community into forgiving a spree killing terrorist.  What if, for some reason, we were all treated  *ahem* equally and the media shoved the French into the “forgiving stage” without ever allowing time to acknowledge the pain and suffering that just took place?  What if the media found some French woman, a Christian perhaps, placed her on stage to proclaim her forgiveness for the terrorists?  What if the French were forced to say they “care” for their (terrorists) families and will “pray” for them?

“Tsk Tsk French People… Don’t be angry at your bullies.”

One of the most frustrating things to observe is how the media tries to tell black people that they have no right to be angry.  This is also related to how white people always are concerned with the tone at which you speak versus what’s being said.  What if we did that to French people?  What if we talked to the French in a condescending tone whenever we sense anger and frustration from them?  If we ever did that, I’m quite sure that someone will go ballistic.  While we are only imagining this being done to the French, understand that this reasoning (or lack of) is always inflicted onto black people.  This is precisely what the media does, especially white, conservative types, to black people.  It’s painful.

Overall, I can only hope that this critical thinking exercise aids people in understanding a different perspective, specifically, what it means to be black in America.