Truest statement of the week

We know that a black person is killed by the police, security or vigilantes every day. Most of these victims remain unknown to the public. But sometimes a few of those cases make the news. When that happens we embrace the victim as if they were our own friend or family member.
Botham Jean was once such individual. He was killed by an off duty Dallas, Texas police woman while he was in his own home. She claimed to have mistaken his apartment for hers and believed he was a burglar. Jean was sitting in his home watching television when he was murdered. Only black people die the way he did.
There is always hope that justice will be done but also recognition that it is rarely the case. Yet in Dallas the killer cop was actually convicted by a multi-racial jury. But what should have been a cause for some relief turned into farce as some black people sank to the lowest levels of debasement they possibly could. A female bailiff comforted the murderer after her conviction and even stroked her hair. The victim’s brother gave the killer a hug and his father said he hoped to befriend her one day. The judge also felt compelled to hug the shooter and give her a bible, too.

-- Margaret Kimberley, "Freedom Rider: Botham Jean, Joshua Brown and Antonio Williams" (BLACK AGENDA REPORT).