Rosa Parks > Gridlock Protestors: Don’t Lose the Intensity

“I call these people the modern-day Rosa Parks — they are protesting against injustice and a loss of liberties,” Stephen Moore April 17th, 2020

“People always say that I didn’t give up my seat because I was tired, but that isn’t true. I was not tired physically … No, the only tired I was, was tired of giving in.” — Rosa Parks

Within the last week, scattered protests have popped up throughout the nation in opposition to lockdown restrictions put in place to stem the tide of Covid-19.

At the time of this writing, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin, Ohio, North Carolina, Kentucky, New Hampshire, and California have staged demonstations. Some have held signs saying “I need a haircut!”, “We want out the coop!”, and one woman in Huntington Beach shouted the famed Patrick Henry quote, “Give me liberty or give me death!” while standing in front of an open Baskin Robbins.

But perhaps the ultimate standard bearer for lockdown protests happened on April 15th, in Lansing, Michigan. Dubbed “Operation Gridlock”, many ignored the demand by organizers to stay in their vehicles to make their statement.

Some chanted “lock her up!” in reference to Governor Whitmer’s stay at home order. Others waved Confederate flags, gave racially charged impromptu speeches, held Trump + Pence signs, wore MAGA hats, still others brandished AR-15 assault rifles while standing on the capitol steps.

According to CATA, public transit and potential life sustaining medical travel was disrupted. In the aftermath, White House advisor Stephen Moore called the protestors the “modern day Rosa Parks”.

For those that might have forgotten, Rosa Parks was the civil rights activist who refused to surrender her seat to a white passenger on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama while living in the Jim Crow South. On December 1st, 1955 she was arrested for this act of civil disobedience (picture above).

Her defiance sparked the Montgomery bus boycott led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr and changed the nation. She became a civil rights icon until her death on October 24th, in Detroit, Michigan receiving countless awards and accolades over the course of her life.

As a black man living 65 years from the flashpoint of Rosa Park’s decision and 56 years since legal segregation was abolished in America via the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (which means less than 60 years ago, racial discrimination was legal and encouraged in America) under President Lydon B. Johnson I would like to provide a spoiler alert:

The coronavirus protestors have absolutely nothing in common with Rosa Parks.

In fact, the comparison deeply dishonors her memory and the true civil rights freedom fighters of whose shoulders I stand, and upon whose path we all walk.

I share that statement meaning no disrespect to the many that are suffering economically, personally, professionally, on the family front, etc.

I count myself as among that number.

My heart breaks for brave medical professionals that are on the front lines of this global pandemic, some of whom are my friends.

Over the past few days, I read news reports, looked at the debates on social media, and was stunned. Not because of what was being said, but what wasn’t being said.

-Where was the crescendo of voices condemning those that would equate the current coraronavirus inconveniences, to the true struggles of the original American Civil Rights movement pioneers?

-Where were those speaking out against the weaponry, Confederate flags, and overtly racist groups like the Proud Boys that were part of the protest in Lansing, Michigan?

-Where were the sorrowful laments for those that have died, the families that have been affected, or a heartfelt acknowledgement for those fighting to save the sick?

-Where were the cool memes and articles filled with biblical references telling people to pray for governmental leadership?

People shouted about haircuts, vacation homes, garden stores, among other things.

But they were largely silent about the things that matter most.

It reminded me of what former Dallas Cowboy great, Michael Irvin said to reporters after a criminal case lobbied against him was found to be a hoax:

“Rerun it, rewrite it, reprint it,” Irvin said. “Just like you did, with the same intensity that you did — the same intensity. Don’t lose the intensity. Don’t lose the intensity.” — Michael Irvin January 11th, 1997

So let’s speak with the same intensity that gun toting militia members screamed in Michigan’s capital city last week.

Let’s not lose the intensity when we speak about how Cov-19 is killing black and brown Americans at a much higher rate than white Americans.

Let’s not lose the intensity when we look at the rise of racial violence toward Asian Americans.

Let’s address with the same intensity a demonstration with armed white protestors is met with presidential affirmation, while a raised black fist or bent black knee is met with curses and condemnation.

Ibram X. Kendi says it well in his landmark book, ‘How to Be an Anti-Racist’:

“We are not meant to fear good White males with AR-15s. No, we are to fear the weary, unarmed Latinx body from Latin America. The Arab body kneeling to Allah is to be feared. The Black body from hell is to be feared. Adept politicians and crime entrepreneurs manufacture the fear and stand before voters to deliver them — messiahs who will liberate them from fear of these other bodies.”

Imagine for a moment, thousands of black protestors defying a governmental order and storming a state capital. Maybe protesting police brutality, institutional racism, racial health disparities, the school to prison pipeline or a host of other inequities rooted in the American racial caste system.

Hip hop thumping, multiple hats to the back, Kapernick jerseys here and there, armed black men with AR-15s slung over broad shoulders, marching in lock step with one another. Huge crowds of afros, cornrows, durags, headwraps, dreadlocks, fades, bald heads, mixed with black power and pride.

Now imagine no one getting arrested, no tear gas being thrown, no riot gear, no tanks, no helicopters, and no National Guard.

Imagine still the White House advocating for these protestors though they openly broke the law.

Hard to imagine, isn’t it?

In the real world, local jails would have been filled with black bodies, and there’s a good chance even lives would have been lost.

Rather than compassion, empathy, or lament there would have been a gigantic chorus singing the same song:

• “They should have obeyed the law.”
• “They should have gone about it another way.”
• “They should be happy to be here.”
• “They can just go back to Africa if they don’t like it.”

How many coronavirus protestors do you think were arrested in Lansing this past week, though they clearly disobeyed the law and brazenly disturbed the peace?

As of Monday, April 20th 2020 the count was one.

One arrest.

Thousands of civilian lawbreakers, one single arrested person.

No tanks, no tear gas, no National Guard, no weeping mothers in the street.

With the same intensity.

Don’t ever lose the intensity.

There are some among us, good people even, that believe that the specter of racism is a thing of the past. That if we just stayed quiet about it, didn’t speak about it, it would evaporate like a miracle.

I’ve had many racial “neutral” conversations. Don’t be too militant, too divisive, too passionate, too intense. Slow down, calm down, be patient, Rome wasn’t built in a day.

But neutrality in the face of racism and the denial of its existence only strengthens racism’s grip.

For those may think that this is an old story, check out this news article about a racist Tik Tok video made by two Georgia High School students.

We can’t calm down, slow down, or be more patient. In an age where the dragon of racism shouts, bridge building healers don’t have the option to quietly whisper.

We can’t lose the intensity.

With the same intensity Rosa, Coretta, Viola, Martin, Medgar, and Malcolm had in their day, as they pursued justice while standing against injustice, we must do the same in our generation.

We must bridge the breach, so we can have our breakthrough.

Like a huge mosaic of humanity, let’s come together and change things.

This is our moment. Let’s seize it.

With the exact same intensity.

“Racism is still with us. But it is up to us to prepare our children for what they have to meet, and, hopefully, we shall overcome.” -Rosa Parks