Mary Canty Merrill Ph.D. - Why Black Lives Matter (Too): A Revolutionary Call to Action

WHY
BLACK
LIVES
MATTER
( TOO )

A Revolutionary Call to Action

Mary Canty Merrill, Ph.D.

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2016 Mary Canty Merrill, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 05/10/2016

ISBN: 978-1-5246-0120-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5246-0119-5 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016905795

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Contents

For the Voices for Equality Community:

Warriors committed to the good fight to protect human dignity

and help make this world a better place

The Black Lives Matter movement evolved as a protest against police brutality. This book is a contribution that extends beyond police brutality to revolutionize the national conversation about racial injustice and inequality and advocate for freedom and justice for all. We are not the Black Lives Matter movement. We are the Voices for Equality .

The African symbol above, which you will see throughout this book, represents strength and courage .

Evil triumphs each time we refuse to stand up for whats right. Despite any criticism or controversy that I may incite in speaking truth to encourage others to think, do and be differently, I will not be deterred. I refuse to slink back and silence my voice knowing that another human being is suffering or in distress. Either Im a force for good, or Im nothing at all.

If I cant speak and own my truth, Im no good to myself or to anyone else. The essence of the Black Lives Matter movement is to affirm Black lives. However, when a movement counters the dominant narrative with unapologetic truth, it is misunderstood and misinterpreted. I chose this book title to reiterate that the statement Black Lives Matter is not an anti-white proposition. Inherent in the statement is an unspoken, but implied, too . Hence the title, Why Black Lives Matter (Too) .

Recognizing that the fight for social justice and equality is bigger than any one person, and that that there is room for diverse talents and expertise of anyone who is committed to freedom, I chose to lead a collaborative effort in the form of this multi-contributor anthology. Although we attempted to maintain consistency in grammar, spelling, and stylistic elements, in some instances certain writing components have been kept intact to preserve the authentic voices of the writers. Chapters in this book address a range of hot button issues and racial disparities that disproportionately impact the Black community. This project is not about perfection, but about sharing honest and heart-felt stories in the best way that we collectively know how to provoke thought and inspire change.

All proceeds from this book will benefit The Sentencing Project , a national non-profit organization engaged in research and advocacy on criminal justice issues and dedicated to changing the way Americans think about crime and punishment. The Sentencing Project is a leader in bringing national attention to disturbing trends and inequities in our criminal justice system with the publication of groundbreaking research, aggressive media campaigns and strategic advocacy for policy reform. Our gift will help the organization work for a fair and effective U.S. criminal justice system by promoting reforms in sentencing policy, addressing unjust racial disparities and practices, and advocating for alternatives to incarceration.

Sometimes people hold a core belief that is so strong that when presented with evidence to contradict that belief, they cannot accept it because it would create cognitive dissonance, a very discomforting feeling. And because they feel it is so important to protect this core belief, they will go to any length to rationalize, ignore and deny anything that doesnt align with it. The book that you hold in your hands may or may not fit within your current core beliefs. If it doesnt, it can potentially be life changing. I challenge you to confront your discomfort and use these words to examine your own views on racial justice and equalityin a refreshing way.

Mary Canty Merrill, Ph.D.

Fighting for social justice and equality is hard work. It taxes the mind, body and soul. Disappointments, betrayals, and losses they all come to weigh us down and conspire to create a type of paralysis if we allow them to linger too long. Sometimes, its our perspective that will make a remarkable difference lifting us from the mulligrubs and saving us from ourselves.

Several months ago, a member of Voices for Equality, a Facebook Community that I created and co-facilitate, shared with me this quote by Robert Louis Stevenson, which continues to resonate in my heart, mind and soul today: Dont judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant. I would like to acknowledge the following contributing authors, who so graciously planted a seed by lending their time, intellect, passion, energy, financial contribution and voice to this project. Thank you for your unwavering commitment. Thank you for having the courage to rise up and speak out against social injustice and inequality. Thank you for your ongoing encouragement and support. And most importantly, thank you for helping to win a victory for humanity!

Our contributing authors are:

Tamera CJ Baggett

Laurie Baker

TaNesha Barnes

Mirthell Bazemore

Cat Chapin-Bishop

Jodi Crane, Ph.D.

Aine Dee

Dawn A. Dennis, Ph.D.

Sevgi Fernandez

Kellie Fitzgerald

MarySue Foster

Susan Foster

Shaay Gallagher-Starr

Joella Glaude

Sandi Gordon

Kjerstin Gould

Susan Oldberg Hinton

Erin Hooton

Steven Jarose

Christie Kendzior

Susan M. Kuhn

Nicole Lattery

Matthew Lecki

Teresa C. Lewis

Candace Lilyquist

Emma Kate Lomax

Autumn Lubin

Natalie Manuel

Jennifer Watley Maxell

Auburn McCanta

Don Miller

Jared Lucas Nathanson

Linda Neff

Leslie Nelson

Kevin Odom

Kendra Penland

Michelle Rashid

Rhonda Lee Richoux

Bee Schrull

Judy Shepard

Dan Spencer

Valerie Stephens

Susanne Sulby

Erin Conyers Tierney

Muthu (Jordan) Weerasinghe

Crystal Combs White

Rebecca Wiggins

Anthony Wiley

Denise M. Wisdom

A special word of gratitude goes to our very talented Ian Frank for donating his time and talents to our cover design. Ian is an awe-inspiring photojournalist and the owner of Ian Frank Gallery in Atlanta, Georgia. To view other aspects of Ians work, please visit his website at: http://ianfrankgallery.tumblr.com/ .

By Mirthell Bazemore

I would like to express my appreciation to Dr. Mary Canty Merrill for publishing this book bringing awareness to the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement, and for allowing me to share my insights surrounding the plight of Black America.

I was born on JuneteenthJune 19, 1964. Juneteenth or June 19, 1865, is the date when the last slaves in America were informed of their freedom. Although the rumors of freedom were widespread prior to this date, actual emancipation did not come until General Gordon Granger rode into Galveston, Texas and issued General Order No. 3, on June 19 th , almost two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. Though Texas and Oklahoma are the only states to have made Juneteenth a legal holiday, more than 200 cities in the United States have annual observances. Some cities sponsor week-long celebrations, culminating on June 19 th , while others hold shorter celebrations. In my birth year, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Pub.L. 88352, 78 Stat. 241, enacted July 2, 1964) was a landmark piece of civil rights legislation in the United States that outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin.