The real life case happened the same year I was born, so my only knowledge of it prior to the movie was by way of documentaries and news clips. Although I knew about what happened to those boys after that night in Central Park where they were accused of beating and raping that white woman, I had a hard time putting picturing the whole scenario in my head until “When They See Us” was released on Netflix.
Now that I’ve seen it I feel like this movie represents more then just those 5 boys, it could represent Black America’s relationship to White America as a whole.
If you have not heard of the “Central Park Five” or the “Central Park Jogger” case here’s some basic info:
On the night of April 19, 1989, Trisha Meili went for a jog in Central Park. Several hours later, the 28-year-old investment banker was found brutally beaten and raped, left to die in a ravine.
But the near-fatal attack on Meili, who suffered a fractured skull among other life-threatening injuries, was only one of several that took place in Central Park that night. A roaming group of more than 30 youths between the ages of 13 and 17 were suspected of assaulting other joggers, throwing rocks at bicyclists and harassing an elderly homeless man.
Investigators immediately grouped Meili’s assault in with the other reported attacks and began lengthy police interrogations of several teens who were suspected of being part of the group.
Lauren Cook, amny.com
Ultimately it came down to 5 boys being accused for a crime they did not commit: Raymond Santana, Kevin Richardson, Antron McCray, Yusef Salaam and Korey (formally known as Kharey) Wise.
While some people are arguing about facts of the case and whether or not the movie series matches perfectly with the facts I’m trying to look at the big picture.
The big picture in my opinion is: White America has historically been void of the capacity to relate to non-white people in a humane and empathetic way.
The same way the “Central Park Five” was stripped of their human rights, dignity, adolescence, piece of mind, and justice because they were ‘black in the wrong place at the wrong time’ is the same way white America has ALWAYS treated people classified as non-white, especially black.
- The indigenous Africans that were tricked, captured and sold by the Caucasian Man/Woman who forced their way into the land mass now called America were ‘black in the wrong place at the wrong time.
- The people indigenous to the land mass now called America were robbed of their land, murdered, raped in the name of White Supremacy. Since they were “non-white” and even “black” the were automatically deemed worthy of genocide and mistreatment. They were non-white or black ‘in the wrong place at the wrong time’.
- It is on the books, in most states across America that at one point it was literally illegal to black & free from the bondage of the pale face invaders. To be black & free ‘in the wrong place at the wrong time’ was a crime punishable by death.
- The American police from it’s inception all the way up to today’s time has made it an engrained part of law enforcement to suspect anyone who is black or non-white and asserts themselves as a free human being ‘in the wrong place at the wrong time’. This is still a crime punishable by death.
- These are just some of the black people recently murdered for being black ‘in the wrong place at the wrong time’: Jimmy Atchison, Willie McCoy, Emantic “EJ” Fitzgerald Bradford Jr., D’ettrick Griffin, Jemel Roberson, DeAndre Ballard, Botham Shem Jean, Antwon Rose Jr., Robert Lawrence White, Ramarley Graham, Manuel Loggins Jr., Trayvon Martin, Wendell Allen, Kendrec McDade, Jonathan Ferrell, Jordan Baker, Victor White lll, Dontre Hamilton, Eric Garner, John Crawford lll, Michael Brown, Ezell Ford, Dante Parker, Kajieme Powell, Laquan McDonald, Akai Gurley, Tamir Rice, Rumain Brisbon, Jerame Reid, Charly Keunang, and the list goes on and on.
When you start to really look at the big picture you’ll see the “Central Park Jogger” case is just one example of many exhibiting how white America has NEVER had the capacity to view and treat people that are classified as black or non-white as human beings deserving of life, liberty, and justice.
The system of white supremacy which aims to dominate all peoples and places in the known universe is NOT sensitive to ANYTHING other than it’s true purpose, white genetic survival in all areas of activity.
That’s how everything from the “Central Park Five” being accused and nationally harassed for a crime they didn’t commit, the Atlantic Slave Trade, and the genocide of indigenous Americans could happen at the hands of white America and they (in general) still feel absolutely no guilt or shame. White America has committed mass crimes against humanity and due to the fact they view the lives of “non-whites” especially “blacks” as less than human they actually feel in some sick twisted way they are doing the right thing.
The mindset of Linda Fairstein and Elizabeth Lederer, two of the main people responsible for the racially motivated intentional imprisonment of the innocent “Central Park Five”, is exhibited in every area of people activity in America.
That’s why even in 2019, when they see us, they see monsters worthy of imprisonment or death.
This is Amerikkka.
