Tyre Nichols – Say His Name

I’m supposed to be doing something else right now, but I can’t think of anything else but Tyree Nichols. 

Say his name. 
Say his name. 
Say his name.

I’m sick. I’m sick to my stomach. This is so personal. 

I’m the mother of a brown skinned young man. He’s a lively, fun-loving, young man and loves playing sports. He’s MY son. He will always be my baby. 

I know he will grow up and get married to someone one day, but he will be MY SON forever. I know as he grows and lives his life, I’ll have to step aside and allow him to be who God made him… but that’s not the point of this post. 

I’m also the wife of a black man. My husband used to get pulled over when he was younger. While in college, his folks bought him a brand new “sporty” looking car. He was pulled over numerous times for DWB (Driving while black.)

It was disgusting.
It was the audacity of the officers who pulled him over asking stupid questions like whose car is this? Huh?

This post isn’t about my husband or son, but it is so much more. It’s about ALL black men and boys. For that matter, it’s about black women as well (remember Sandra Bland?)

It’s the inherent trauma that’s inside all of us melanin-ated folks.

It’s about the sheer panic we feel when we see blue lights in our rearview mirror.

It’s the condescending tone we’re greeted with when police approach the car. If you’ve never been in the car with black man who’s been pulled over, be glad. It’s a feeling of PLEASE GOD, LET THIS BE UNEVENTFUL AND WE CAN LEAVE WITH NO DRAMA.

The unrest I feel in my spirit right now is very troubling. It’s the brutality of Tyree Nichols’ encounter and his subsequent death. It was a beating(more like lynching.)

For what? If there was a reason for him to be pulled over or some other reason, was there a reason for him to be brutally beaten and ultimately die from his injuries? He was literally beaten TO DEATH? That may not be grammatically correct but he was beaten and died.

• I’m not understanding the lack of humanity. 
• I’m not understanding the I’m not able to stop myself from killing this man.
• I’m not understanding the this is a fellow human being, a black man like myself, but I’m going to beat him TO DEATH. 

I had more to say but I can’t even end this post correctly right now. I’m done.

Y’all, pray for his family. 

DGR