The Massive Protests Against Institutional Police Racism And the Too Minimal Protest Response From Black men

by Kenray Sunyaru

Recently I was having a discussion with a Brother, a ‘Solid’ grassroots leader in Detroit who was giving his perspective on the massive George Floyd protests against institutional police racism; that the marches he’s been involved in there were not a lot of Black men protesting.

One point he raised to explain our absence is too many Black men are overwhelmed by personal survival; many drugging and drinking their wounds away, trying to fuck their wounds away, ego-tripping their wounds away; and shooting other wounded Black men to cathartically release their wounds away.

Regularly when I meet a cross-section of Black men greeting them by saying what’s going on with you, a common response is a sense of resignation “I’m just trying to stay out the way.” How are you going to stay out of the way of racism in America?

Also I hear a lot of so-called conscious Black men say protests are ineffective, yet these same Brothers aint engaging in self-determination to build institutions in our communities. 

These brothers must don't know that the Black Panther Party protested against police racist murdering of Black men. Moreover Malcolm X led a protest outside a New York City police station when a Black man was brutally beaten by racist police.

These Brothers say protesting aint about nothing spouting-off George Soros is controlling Blacks Lives Matter and the protests, yet they spend countless hours ineffectively debating religion that aint stopping racist police murders!

These are the same type of Brothers will tell you wearing masks to protect against COVID-19 is a conspiracy theory. As Black men what are we saying to our children, to our communities, to rest of the world, and to ourselves when we are sparsely participating in protests we should be leading.

I say Fuck George Soros, we should be protesting against racist police murders because it’s personal! Racist police have killed our Paternal Ancestors, killed our Black male Leaders, killed our Grandfathers, killed our Fathers, killed Our Brothers, killed our Black Boys, killed our male Cousins, and killed our male Friends – the BOTTOM LINE!!!!!!!!

Black Lives Matter: Some thoughts on ANKH and Wearing Masks During This COVID-19 Pandemic

by Kenray Sunyaru

Thousands of years before there was a slogan ‘Black Lives Matter’, our Ancient Afrikan Nile Valley Ancestors had a supreme symbol representing that their Black lives mattered the ‘ANKH’ which means the ‘KEY of LIFE’. 

Our Ancient Afrikan Ancestors overstood and understood that their LIFE was KEY; that their Black lives definitely mattered’, that their lives were indeed ‘Sacred’ and ‘Immortal! Our Ancient Afrikan Ancestors came to realized that ‘ANKH’ the KEY of LIFE is 'LIFE' itself; that LIFE ‘emanates’ from LIFE, that LIFE ‘begets’ LIFE, that LIFE ‘sustains’ LIFE, and that LIFE ‘protects’ LIFE! 

From my philosophical-spiritual view the KEY of LIFE is Knowing, Breathing, Nourishing, Moving, Growing, Valuing, Appreciating, Respecting, Remembering, Venerating, Determining, Building, Preserving, and Defending.

Regarding the defending ‘Protecting’ aspect of the KEY of LIFE from a health perspective, our LIFE inherently protects itself by the way of its ‘immune system’ that defends itself from infections. In light of the current COVID-19 pandemic as Black folks we have been dying super-disproportionately from this potent infectious virus that causes multi-organ failure. 

Due to institutional racism and massively having pre-existing medical conditions (chronic diseases) that compromises our health which has weakened our immune system ability to protect us from COVID-19. 

To both protect and recover from COVID-19 we must boost our immune system holistically: spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically (diet, exercise). We must also protect our lives and others by wearing masks! 

Unfortunately, I see a lot of younger Black adults under 40 ignorantly and carelessly not wearing masks who are infecting others deadly. However I know some Blacks in this age group who say they are ‘health conscious’ not wearing masks.

These individuals diet and exercise to boost their immune systems to protect themselves from COVID-19 but don’t wear masks to protect themselves; in other words they throw a health punch but they don’t want to block an infectious punch, this is contradictory behavior because in a fight you have to 'punch' and 'block'!!

Black folks speaking from ‘ANKH’, when you are truly health conscious you know it is key to protect your LIFE from all health social detriments from racism to health illiteracy. Needing to wear a mask aint no conspiracy theory, we’re dying super-disproportionately from COVID-19 and it’s for real, just ask somebody who’ve lost love ones. 

For us right now during this coronavirus pandemic wearing a mask matters, it’s a key aspect in protecting Black lives.