The Naked Truth/Jamala Rogers
Murder in the Market
In Buffalo, 13 African Americans were gunned down by a white racist, ten died. The safe places for Black folks seem to be dwindling. And the predators who hunt them down are becoming more calculating, more intentional — and always deadly. This is some deep stuff.
Black folks in America have been shot down in cold blood in their places of worship, their homes, their schools, their workplaces, their front yards, the streets — virtually no place is off limits.
Payton Gendron was on a racist rampage to kill Black people. He had done his homework, researching his target for months. Thanks to structural racism and subsequent segregation, Gendron’s mission was made easier. Zip code 14208 has a high concentration of Black folks.
In Wisconsin, Madison’s 53713 zip code and Milwaukee’s 53206 are bull’s eyes for future white domestic terrorists looking for ways to direct their hatred and get the biggest bang for their buck. Milwaukee 53206 is a powerful documentary that tells the story about the challenges in Black life in America, not just one Milwaukee zip code.
There is also evidence the shooter chose Tops Friendly Market because of its political and social significance to the African American community. The grocery store was the effort of a decades-long fight by that community in the midst of a food desert. Finally opening in 2003, it was the place to not just buy groceries. You could pay your utilities, fill a prescription and read notices about upcoming events. The market was centered in community and was also a social space — a place to meet church members or your child’s teacher or even a relative. Tops Friendly Market was a cherished landmark for the Black residents of Buffalo.
This horrific shooting and the one following it at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde have prompted more empty discussions about gun control. In Uvalde, 21 lives were taken by a lone gunman, 19 of these were children. The massacre is on record as being the deadliest mass shooting in Texas
There still needs to be a serious discussion about gun control in America and the role of guns in our society. We own more guns per capita than any other country. There needs to be more laws and enforcement of laws as to who can buy and own guns. Is there a way to keep racist white men and other mentally disturbed men from legally buying a gun?
Our national discussion should be on racism and the hateful misinformation that make innocent people the target of right-wing wrath. Racist theories like the so-called replacement theory are fueling the fear and hate of white men who are being fed an incessant diet of how they’re losing everything from jobs to political power for ultimate replacement by people of color. Their desperate and deadly responses to a concocted situation is made real in communities like mine across the country.
Guns and lack of gun control is not the main problem here. All kinds of weapons have been used to terrorize and murder Black people since being kidnapped and brought to these shores. From fire to baseball bats to vehicles — it’s about the intent and not so much about the weapon of choice.
White terrorists are hiding behind the First and Second Amendments to justify their acts and chill any discussion about why they should be able to spew racist hate 24/7 on all airwaves. This is an area that deserves our undivided attention and well thought out actions before another community has to mourn the deaths of their loved ones.
