Sick and Tired

• I'm sick of seeing innocent black men die. I'm sick of seeing innocent police officers die. I'm sick of these deaths not surprising me. I'm sick of people only seeming to care if the victim is on their "side." I'm sick that people think there are actually...sides.
• I'm tired of people saying we live in a post-racial world. What does that even mean? Yanno when we'll actually be in a post racial world? When everybody looks like Jesse Williams. We don't have to deny race to rid ourselves of racism. We just have to accept and embrace each others differences while realizing we have more in common than not.
• I'm sick of people blaming Barack Obama for race baiting. Really, are you serious? I'm sick of others saying Obama doesn't do enough for race relations. Do you realize the impossible position he is in? As he has said many times, he can't just be the black president, he has to be the President of the entire United States.
• I’m tired of people saying "comply with police officers and everything will be alright." If you’re reading this, you probably know me and know that I am a whiteboy. I’ve been pulled over numerous times in my driving life and while watching the officer approach my vehicle I’ve never once thought ‘Am I going to die today?’ It's not that way for everybody, but that's the way it SHOULD be.
• I'm sick of people stating on social media, "if you don't agree with what I have to say, then unfollow me." No, that's counterproductive; if you don't like what I have to say then engage me in a conversation. Maybe we can find some common ground and move forward, together.
• I'm tired of people thinking Pro-Black means Anti-White. I'm tired of people thinking Anti-Police Brutality means Anti-Police. I don't know about you, but I definitely have the capacity to see and understand the nuances involved. 
• I'm sick of when a police officer shoots a black person, many deflect by reminding us of how many blacks are killed by other blacks in places like Chicago. As if that is anywhere near a reasonable comparison. Policing is a social contract in which we the public, entrust officers with a great deal of power and responsibility. If an officer is not going to respect that contract, then they need to find another line of work. I'm sick of people being murdered in places like Chicago.
• I'm tired of people denying that racism, especially institutional racism still exists. Just because you don't have any friends that call blacks the N-word doesn't mean that the racism problem is solved. I'm tired of people using racism as an excuse to act a fool.
• I'm sick of the Blue Wall of Silence. Until police speak out about bad police, there will always be an us vs. them mentality. I'm sick of "no snitching." Until people force their peers to be held accountable for negative actions, the community will be continue to suffer the consequences. I'm sick of the fact these two dynamics are often looked at very differently when they are, in fact, the same exact thing.
• I'm tired of the term cultural appropriation being used even for people who humbly respect others' cultures. If true equality is embracing each others ways, then why are people condemned for doing just that?
• I'm sick of people who refer to #BlackLivesMatter as a terrorist group. I'm sick of people who commit crimes in the name of the #BLM when doing so does not represent the movement at all. 
• I'm tired of those who use the hashtag #AllLivesMatter being heavily condemned even when it comes from a genuine compassionate place of trying to bring us all together. I'm tired of those who use the hashtag #AllLivesMatter simply to be in contrast to #BlackLivesMatter. 
• I'm sick of people being afraid to say how they feel in fear that someone will jump down their throat. In order to have real conversations we can't always attack as soon as we hear something we may disagree with. People need to reserve the right to misspeak or to inadequately articulate their opinions. Some of these conversations are out of one's comfort zone and we all need to be cognizant and accepting of that. 
• I'm tired of hearing statistics that don't tell the whole story. Yes, more white people are killed by police than blacks, but did you also know that more white people kill police officers than blacks do? If you ask me, one lost life is too many.
• I'm sick of getting texts from friends telling me about the most recent shooting. I'm sick of searching for just the right response but only coming up with "I don't even know what to say anymore." 
• I'm tired of the 24 hour news cycle fueling more and more anger and more and more hate instead of using this as an opportunity to bring people together in one place and using it as a catapult for change. All you have to do is simply look at your timelines. People want to discuss these issues, we need to give them an avenue.
• I'm sick and tired...of...being sick and tired.

 P.S. These are the only types of bullets that should be used to address these issues.

2 Corinthians 4:8 (GW): In every way we're troubled, but we aren't crushed by our troubles. We're frustrated, but we don't give up.

*Shout out to Anthony Hamilton and Nappy Roots for subconsciously inspiring this format.*