Why Do They Fear Us?
The dog prevented us from leaving. We turned around and three pairs of eyes just stared back.
A month ago, one of my sons had a problem with his car and needed something to weld. He called several places in the Tampa area where he lived and got one about thirty minutes away.
It was a machine shop that did various types of welding. They close at five PM and by the time we got there, we had only forty-five minutes to conduct our business.
My son parked in the parking lot, and we walked towards the warehouse where several white males were working on various machines. The look on their faces as we approached sent chills down my spine and I grabbed my son’s left hand as one of the workers said pointing to our right, “The office is that way.”
My instincts warned, ‘Turn back! Get out!’
“You ok Mom?” my son asked as I gripped his hand tighter.
I couldn’t explain my feelings to him. A huge black and brown Doberman pincher greeted us, barking from behind a small counter as we entered the office.
“Good afternoon,” we said.
A white female and two white males were inside. They stared at us weirdly, then responded accordingly.
Again, my instincts warned. I held on to my son’s hand tighter. He squeezed my hand.
I explained why we were here, as one of the males looked at the dog and he eased over to us, then sat at the exit behind us. My son’s eyes were on the dog as he eased forward away from the dog towards the small counter nearby.
It was one way in and one way out.
He stared at the dog while I continued to explain why we were here.
The female said, “Can I see the thing you want to weld?”
My son turned around and handed it to one of the two males. Then turned back to the dog, then back to the three people staring at us. I read their fear.
He examined it.
Then said, “Since we are closing soon, it’s $125 for the service plus tax. You will have to come back for it tomorrow.”
My son couldn’t understand what was going on, his eyes on the dog behind us.
I know he couldn’t afford that. So, we thanked them and turned to leave. The dog prevented us from leaving. We turned around and three pairs of eyes just stared back.
A brief staring match progressed until I said, “Your dog has to move.”
“Oh,” the female said calling him. He got up and we exited.
“They are afraid of us!” My son exclaimed as we walked to his car. “But what did we do to them?”
I have experienced racism, but this was the scariest incident I have encountered. My sons are just getting more taste.
I remained silent as his brain went back to the Black history classes he did in high school and what we taught him.
“Mom,” he went on. “They think we are going to retaliate for what was done to us from the slave trade and the laws they put in place to hinder us. I don’t walk around with hatred in my heart for something that happened hundreds of years ago!”
“They don’t know that son,” I explained.
“Can you imagine the pain gripping their body, heart, mind, and soul walking around with so much fear inside of them?”
“What just happened inside there, is how humans respond when they carry fear inside of them,” I elaborate.
“I don’t have the time to retaliate Mom. Neither do I want to. I just want to live a good life without racism and discrimination. You didn’t teach any of us to hate. I will not follow the stereotype that is attached to young black men. They don’t have to fear me because I just want to live in peace!”
I battled tears. How do I explain to my son that his race will never be able to live in peace no matter where in the world he goes? And that Racism will never go away. I didn’t know how. But I do know how to teach him how to handle racism and discrimination when it happens, without hatred.
Most blacks don’t have the time or intention to retaliate. We know our history and we just want to live a good life without Racism, hatred, and fear.
The hatred must stop. Not all black people are threats. Not all of us hate our oppressors. We understand life, and the value of forgiveness and are learning from history and each other.
We just want to live a good and happy life. That is our right!
Thank you for reading this piece. I hope you enjoy it and will savor more from some talented writers on this platform, whose links are below.
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