lady-billi:involuntaryadult:chescaleigh:edited to add this comment i posted on my FB:Lemme s
lady-billi: involuntaryadult: chescaleigh: edited to add this comment i posted on my FB: Lemme spell this out cause I’m already getting comments about how we “need” to see it. No. If YOU want to watch it, go for it. But I believe it is ok for people who are TIRED of seeing black death on repeat to put their mental health first and avoid watching it. Death is not entertainment. I don’t need to see gifs and vines of this man losing his life, I just don’t. I took the day off work after seeing Eric Garner being killed. It was that traumatizing for me. I took the day off when his killers weren’t acquitted. That shit HURT. I can’t afford to do that today. It’s more productive FOR ME to avoid the video and put my time and energy into creating work that educates and hopefully makes a difference. Because today I have to figure out how to turn this story into a piece for a political comedy show and create a message that will somehow hopefully resonate with people and motivate action. As someone who struggles with depression and anxiety my mental health is very important and seeing a video of Alton Sterling being killed is not informing me of anything I don’t already know. We have ENOUGH of these videos and yet….they still don’t lead to convictions. So what is watching ONE MORE VIDEO accomplishing other than upsetting me and keeping me from the work i so desperately need to do? Yes, we need to talk about this issue but no, I don’t need to watch his death in order to feel pain for him and his family. If you want to watch it, go for it. I’m not being “informed” by watching someone die. PLEASE respect my decision and the decision of those who are avoiding this video today. Shaming people who are practicing self care is really gross and I’m disappointed anyone in this space would think that’s appropriate. The idea that “awareness” in these instances of police brutality can only be accomplished by personally viewing the murder of black/brown bodies is something that makes no fucking sense to me, and I’ve NEVER seen people require that level of emotional labor in any other situation not related to the murder of black people. Like do people understand what they’re even asking? We’re somehow supposed to consume endless footage of people who look like us being slaughtered and still function in our day to day?! It’s not fucking possible! Our mental health is already at risk just by virtue of being black in this country; we don’t need to inflict further damage on ourselves when white people will just contort the situation to blame us for our own deaths anyway and refuse to actually do shit to affect change. That is why I can’t read or just watch or post these stories.. I be feeling bad but I can’t just look at these post every single day & not be affected. -- source link
#fuckin this