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Charles Robinson Sr., a mediator, college professor, former administrative law judge and member of Pastors United, writes that ceremonies must be created to heal the sadness and grief of lives cut short by violence.
A few months ago, I had a conversation about the senseless loss of black lives with Elyria Zuniga, a dear friend, psychiatric nurse, and professor, who resides in New Orleans. We met in 1974 in Madison, when we were both pursuing our post-graduate degrees. We maintained our friendship, and, from time to time, share thoughts about the state of the world and our communities. Some of those conversations have turned into action. After discussing “food-deserts,” our block club evolved into an association and created four community gardens inside a 10-block area. Our last conversation has resulted in this article addressing the healing of life forces ended by violence and demeaned by the media.
In the conversation about the demeaning of black lives in death, we concluded that more emphasis should be placed on the mourning process when loved ones suffer loss. Also, the media should not attempt to justify the use of deadly force by focusing on the deceased’s poor judgment and unsuccessful episodes in their life history. Life’s journey encounters challenges and ordeals, which aids the birthing process for our life purpose to be revealed and shared with others in our community.
Recent studies indicate that approximately 50 percent of those incarcerated suffer from some sort of mental illness. There is evidence that individuals growing up in stressful and impoverished conditions have abnormalities inside their brains. Lead in the water and in old paint, mold on the walls of old buildings, the experiencing of chronic stress all produce chemicals that are toxic to the brain and other vital organs. In addition to the inherent conditions associated with socio-economic conditions, there is another layer of structural racism in the form of police practices and media reporting. The image of African-American males is the poster boy for crime in America even though this is factually unsupported.
The media seems to promote old stereotypes about African-Americans, who have been historically characterized as non-human. The apparent systematic propaganda creates an image of lazy, shiftless, ignorant people not worthy of the American Dream. According to historical documents, many white people actually believed that African-American skulls were thicker, that they had tails and other animal traits. One of the first full-length motion pictures, “Birth of a Nation,” portrayed African-Americans as sub-human, in general, and the African-American male, overly sexually aggressive towards white women.
In our conversation, Elyria and I discussed whether there was a deliberate attempt on the part of the media to create a false reality regarding the African-American male and crime. Michelle Alexander, in her book, “The New Jim Crow,” says this stereotype results in labeling the African-American male with three words as one word: “criminalblackman.” So, when an African-American man is killed by the police, a rap sheet is published immediately, despite relevance. In addition, his picture is displayed continuously throughout the media. As a result, the minds of people are conditioned to perceive an African-American killed by the police as a criminal, whether he was armed or whether he actually committed a crime. This compounds the suffering for those who lost a loved one.
An effective mourning process, including a ceremony to acknowledge the loss of life and to reinforce our humanness is necessary. According to Malidoma Some, an African shaman, who also earned two Ph.D.s and three master’s degrees, writes in his book, “The Healing Wisdom of Africa,” that “the West has not learned how to mourn.”
For the last two years, there have been approximately 1,000 unarmed African-American men killed by the police each year. As a result, a “Black Lives Matter” movement has emerged. Unfortunately, there has been a backlash to this movement. Nevertheless, there must be acknowledgement of these life forces cut short of delivering on their purposes. There must be ceremonies to heal the sadness and grief of those killed to recognize their life purpose, realized or not, and, in some cases, unborn undelivered gifts.
Yes grieving is part of the “solution” and will stop some of the follow-up shootings and murders but it will not resolve the underlying issues that must be addressed. Please share this with your friend and I would love to talk with you about the next steps that need to be taken. A broad overview follows.
Morning Thoughts 12/22/17
As always working in the extremes helps to see the continuum.
But first a thought problem of opposites
War – Peace
Hate – Love Some question here but most agree
Violence – Yes what is the opposite of violence non-violence but that is not helpful as it is not an adequate description Just a description of what it is not
If we work with “Psychological Trauma” and the continuum is from normal to extreme lets look at it closer
Normal Psychological Trauma Is the pain suffered in growing and it is resolved through Care Nurturing Empathy Love
The opposite end of the continuum
Extreme Psychological Trauma Is the pain suffered in growing when it is NOT ONLY NOT resolved BUT it is compounded by Hate and behavioral training to use violence.
This along with the three articles
These may be articles
One to deal with each Schools primarily elementary Prisons Gang infected neighborhoods
The essence for schools is All belligerent behavior ie suspensions, in school or out of school, MUST be treated as if the child has a broken back and Tuberculous. The Adverse Childhood Experience(s) (ACE’s) must be identified and treated and healing must be visible ie change in behavior. Yes, lots of child abuse will be uncovered. Sort of like the sexual abuse of those in power. This might be the right time. Lot’s of stuff out there just not grounded in the work of Dr Lonnie Athens.
The essence for prisons is All incarcerated individuals must participate in Treatment for their multiple ACE’s. They must figure them out and write about then and discuss them with their group etc. There are two programs that I know of Community Building Workshop as practiced by Robert Roberts and in Milwaukee WI now and the work of Lee Gerdes Brain State Technology. ALL incarcerated individual MUST be treated for the multiple ACE’s that they have experienced
The essence for GANG infected Neighborhoods ALL gang “members” younger than 18 are picked up and placed in protective custody and seen as the victims of child abuse not as “young criminals”. They also MUST be treated as if they have a broken back and Tuberculous. The Adverse Childhood Experience(s) (ACE’s)must be identified and treated and healing must be visible ie change in behavior
At the same time
The adult gang members will be arrested for child abuse not released on bail and again just like those in prison MUST be treated for the ACE’s that they have experienced.
All of this is based upon the foundation that Dr Lonnie Athens has hypothesized and now is proven theory.
Three articles???
An Institute that basically monitor where these practices are being implemented and used and also to highlight where they are not as in Lincoln Hills School for Boy in Wisconsin where kids on a daily basis were and still are to a lesser degree being Tasered.
An Institute that certifies Therapist of all stripes that they understand that the underlying PAST AND PRESENT abuse, trauma, brutalization, Adverse Childhood Experiences, ALL must be addressed if the patient is to HEAL.
Peace
Tom Spellman