If you haven't heard the news, a story come out a little while ago about Kam Chancellor. For those that don't watch football, Kam Chancellor is a pro-bowler and Super Bowl champion for the Seattle Seahawks. Without getting into his accomplishments or achievements on the football field, I want to talk abut what happen to him off the field a few weeks ago.
I am truly sick of having this conversation. The conversation of race and stereotypes. The true life events about being minimized into just race or a conversation of race. However, it needs to be highlighted and discussed. It shows the fact that no matter how much green you got, your brown skin stills makes you a subject for stereotypes and racism. That you can not hide from the skin your in. And, that at any time a brother must be able to be honest with himself about the nature of people in this world.
Anyway, here is a summary of what happened.
As stated, Kam Chancellor is a football player. Because this is the off-season of the NFL, Kam Chancellor was looking for a gym to workout at during the offseason. It is important to state the team of people he had with him. He had (2) Black Males, (2) Women (one black and one white), and (1) White Male with him.
He was not by himself or with by any means a treating group. However, the police was called on him. Basically, he went looking for a gym to rent out for the offseason to train. He went with his group and went to assess/find a adequate place to workout. They were taking pictures of the place and checking the grounds.
It was during the day, but when he went to go inside, the doors were locked. The knocked on the doors and call to see if anyone was inside. However, instead of being met with a simple no or just being denied entry, the police was called on him. Yes, the called the police on the brother. So, you know where I am going.
I can't tell you exactly what happened, but this is the part that has everyone angry. When the people at the gym called the cops on him, they got a dispatcher. Here comes the major part.
When the people at the gym called the police, the gym employees gave a description of the group as a whole. However, all the dispatcher wanted to know was there black males there. She completely ignored the statements from the gym employees that two women and a white male were also there. The dispatcher asked and acted accordingly, because she heard Black Male. That is all she wanted to hear.
See this kind of thinking is the same thing that happened with Tamir Rice, Monroe Bird, and many more. People with a "certain" kind of thinking hear the description of the suspect and they react based solely off that. They think or see a black man in the worst view possible. And, at times completely ignore the facts or the situation. Only wanting to figure out the "suspect." It is guilty, until proven innocent. That within itself is shameful.
The situation ended without tragedy, thankfully. The police officers and those in charge handled the situation, and everything was resolved. However, based on the actions of the dispatcher, the situation could have been deadly.
The idea that not only was a NFL superstar, hometown hero was potentially arrest. Not only the idea that the brother was just looking for a place to train and workout. Forget the fact that he is a millionaire with nice cars and that he was clean cut or whatever decent impress imaginable. These things could not save him from the ideas of others. Ideas that have caused too many deaths to count.
I believe that Kam Chancellor eyes are truly open. That although, he won a championship for this very city and state, the only championship. That although he is beloved and admired by the masses, the ideas/actions of a few can bring you down to a level that is unnatural. Sub-human in natural and one that lacks the benefit of the doubt. Or the comfort of being safe from people and situations that are dangerous to your very life, being, and existence.
http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcwest/post/_/id/121925/kam-chancellor-the-911-call-was-all-i-needed-to-hear
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekpsnTHl8no
I am truly sick of having this conversation. The conversation of race and stereotypes. The true life events about being minimized into just race or a conversation of race. However, it needs to be highlighted and discussed. It shows the fact that no matter how much green you got, your brown skin stills makes you a subject for stereotypes and racism. That you can not hide from the skin your in. And, that at any time a brother must be able to be honest with himself about the nature of people in this world.
Anyway, here is a summary of what happened.
As stated, Kam Chancellor is a football player. Because this is the off-season of the NFL, Kam Chancellor was looking for a gym to workout at during the offseason. It is important to state the team of people he had with him. He had (2) Black Males, (2) Women (one black and one white), and (1) White Male with him.
He was not by himself or with by any means a treating group. However, the police was called on him. Basically, he went looking for a gym to rent out for the offseason to train. He went with his group and went to assess/find a adequate place to workout. They were taking pictures of the place and checking the grounds.
It was during the day, but when he went to go inside, the doors were locked. The knocked on the doors and call to see if anyone was inside. However, instead of being met with a simple no or just being denied entry, the police was called on him. Yes, the called the police on the brother. So, you know where I am going.
I can't tell you exactly what happened, but this is the part that has everyone angry. When the people at the gym called the cops on him, they got a dispatcher. Here comes the major part.
When the people at the gym called the police, the gym employees gave a description of the group as a whole. However, all the dispatcher wanted to know was there black males there. She completely ignored the statements from the gym employees that two women and a white male were also there. The dispatcher asked and acted accordingly, because she heard Black Male. That is all she wanted to hear.
See this kind of thinking is the same thing that happened with Tamir Rice, Monroe Bird, and many more. People with a "certain" kind of thinking hear the description of the suspect and they react based solely off that. They think or see a black man in the worst view possible. And, at times completely ignore the facts or the situation. Only wanting to figure out the "suspect." It is guilty, until proven innocent. That within itself is shameful.
The situation ended without tragedy, thankfully. The police officers and those in charge handled the situation, and everything was resolved. However, based on the actions of the dispatcher, the situation could have been deadly.
The idea that not only was a NFL superstar, hometown hero was potentially arrest. Not only the idea that the brother was just looking for a place to train and workout. Forget the fact that he is a millionaire with nice cars and that he was clean cut or whatever decent impress imaginable. These things could not save him from the ideas of others. Ideas that have caused too many deaths to count.
I believe that Kam Chancellor eyes are truly open. That although, he won a championship for this very city and state, the only championship. That although he is beloved and admired by the masses, the ideas/actions of a few can bring you down to a level that is unnatural. Sub-human in natural and one that lacks the benefit of the doubt. Or the comfort of being safe from people and situations that are dangerous to your very life, being, and existence.
http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcwest/post/_/id/121925/kam-chancellor-the-911-call-was-all-i-needed-to-hear
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekpsnTHl8no
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