I saw this story about the Martinsville Seven originally on Shaun King’s instagram. I feel its important for us to discuss here on SoPoCo.net. Charles Blow, also covered it for BNC News – scroll down to read my thoughts on all of this. Justice 50 years too late!
America has had a problem for it’s entirety, as far as I see it. As troubling and disturbing as this story is, it’s so important that we discuss it. Mostly it’s important that white people discuss this with one another. I love, that Charles Blow included the story of Emmitt Till. Sadly, the anniversary of his death also happened this weekend.
Ironically, both stories are related.
Both of these happened, during a time in America where killing black people was legal. It may ‘seem’ that it’s still legal today, as police continue to take away black lives. White society gets upset, at the notion that black lives matter. Most of those same white people feel that way, cause they too want to be able to end black life, when they see fit.
Where does this come from? Well, like we have talked about before on these pages, it’s inherited. This is white culture, and it’s been detrimental to black people for centuries. Several white people won’t like me saying that, but it’s the truth. That’s mostly why they won’t like it, as any truth about their race, that exposes wrongdoing is a no no. At least, that is how they feel.
America has been killing, jailing, and destroying black life for centuries.
It’s a great thing, worthy of celebration, that the ‘names’ of the Martinsville Seven have been cleared. Now, the history books won’t talk about them as rapists, but as wrongfully executed. Just as Emmitt Till was murdered without evidence of a crime, so were these seven men. Just as the black lives matter marches, posts on social media, and other coverage has shown, America continues doing this.
Sadly, far too many white people believe that black people in prison, All belong there. Telling a white person that a black person has been jailed simply cause they are black, sounds like hogwash to them. Whites have been conditioned to believe blacks are criminals, inherently.
Just as we see with the fight against critical race theory being taught in schools, white society shields white people from truth. White culture, by and large, is a culture of dishonesty. They lie to one another about themselves, about their ancestors, and they lie to their kids. In the same way parents lie to kids about Santa Claus and many kids believe he is real, whites learn lies about black people.
They come to believe, with every fiber of their bones, that the lies about blacks are true!
Mostly because, white society is constantly going out of its way to prove it to one another. This problem has been happening since blacks were allowed to leave white people’s plantations. They never wanted to let black people be free, in this nation. White culture aims to maintain power in this nation, over every other ‘race’. Arresting blacks, and then making it too costly for them to defend themselves, helps uphold their lies.
Whites, who already believe blacks are criminal, will side with George Zimmerman. If he says Trayvon scared him, they believe it cause they are afraid of blacks too. When Darren Wilson said Mike Brown charged at him, tried to take his gun, etc, it was easy for whites to believe.
That is how they view blacks to begin with.
There is no mechanism within white society, that tells white people, “Santa Clause” isn’t real. In this case, “santa clause” would be, their belief system of black people. It’s not real, and yet the ‘lie’ is constantly reinforced.
So, you take this case of the Martinsville Seven, and for all intents and purposes, the people who ‘knew them’ won’t know the new story. 50 years went by, and anyone who was in their 30’s, is in their 80’s if they are still alive. Anyone in their 40’s, at that time, is either in their 90’s or also, has passed away. None of those people who passed … had the opportunity to learn, the story they thought was true, was a lie. These seven black men didn’t rape anyone.
If any of them are still living, they’ve already told their offspring, that black men are rapists. This case, and many others like it, serving as examples that it’s true!
Unfortunately justice for the Martinsville Seven, is 50 years too late!!
Just like the woman who falsely accused Emmitt Till of assault. She confessed, on her deathbed, that her story was not true. By then, Emmitt had already been brutally and violently murdered. He’s been dead for decades now. Mr. Till never became a man, or dated women, nor have the opportunity to have children. He left no legacy, as his life was cut short.
For the Martinsville Seven, their ages ranged from as young as 18 to as old as 37. The ‘crime’ happened 70 years ago, but they were executed 50 years ago. That means yes, these men spent 20 years in jail, before being murdered for a crime, they most likely did not commit. I say most likely, cause this crime is eerily similar to the “Central Park 5” case. This again, shows that white people have been practicing the ‘same habits’ for generations.
The men signed, what most likely, were forced confessions. It’s more likely the confessions they signed/made were coerced, than it was that they raped anyone. Because, that historically is how justice has worked in white society, for black people.
Meanwhile, white people have told one another, the opposite is true.
Their view of it is, blacks are rapists, who cannot contain their sexual urges – especially for white women. When blacks confess to a crime, it’s cause they’re guilty of committing it. The mere suggestion that police are corrupt, in spite of all the tv shows and movies made about corrupt police, is always pushed out of their minds.
This is what makes almost every aspect of life in America, much harder than it needs to be. Whites will read this and say I’m just being racist. Because unfortunately lying, has become so much a part of their culture, it’s a default setting.
I’m glad these seven men, have had their names cleared. I am also glad the Exonerated Five, have been also, exonerated. But how many black men are in jail today, for a crime they did not commit? How many black men have already been put to death, who were innocent? At what point, will white people stop lying to themselves and one another about what kind of country this is?
Finally, just what kind of communities would black people be able to build, if white people weren’t constantly interrupting black lives?