theroot--2020-07-16--The Trumps Are Eating Goya Beans, and I Need Someone to Fix the Flux Capacitor and Get Us the Hell O

The Trumps Are Eating Goya Beans, and I Need Someone to Fix the Flux Capacitor and Get Us the Hell Out of 2020

If you had Trump hawking Goya products on your 2020 bingo card , then I would like you to email me at stephen.crockett @ theroot.com as I ’ m going to need three-digit and four-digit numbers to play before 8 p.m .
ET .
Seriously , what the fuck is going on ?
Has anyone seen Doc so he can come fix the goddamn flux capacitor and get us that hell out of this bizarro 2020 ?
!
Seriously , I believe that there is an alternate universe 2020 in which the president is Hillary Clinton and she ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harris .
Right now , though , we are stuck in this shitty as version in which the president—during a global pandemic in which he and his cronies continue to fail to do anything to slow the spread of the virus—posed with some fucking Goya products all because the CEO of the Hispanic-owned food brand is a Trump supporter .
The beans obviously didn ’ t sit well with at least one CNN host .
“ You tell me how a president , in the middle of a pandemic , has got time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me ?
Hawking products ?
” Chris Cuomo , the host of Cuomo Prime Time asked .
He added , “ Resolute desk !
This is what he ’ s resolute about , ” the Washington Post reports .
Seriously , look at the president of people whose taste buds are about to blow straight the fuck out of the back of their mouths with all those Latinx flavors : After Goya ’ s CEO Robert “ Big Goya ” Unanue praised the president ( triggering a boycott ) , Trump , his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to social media to suck up to the brand they knew nothing about before the vote of confidence , the Post reports .
On Wednesday , the president tweeted “ The Radical Left smear machine backfired , people are buying like crazy !
” Donald Trump Jr. , aka “ Fuck this guy , ” took to Instagram late Wednesday to claim that his dinner including “ a lot of Goya products , ” but he ’ s probably lying because everyone knows that Goya products don ’ t go well with eel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m actually drinking my Goya Malta , supporting some people who have some guts in the culture war , ” said Trump Jr. , showing off the nonalcoholic malt beverage .
“ [ I ] like those that have guts , it ’ s sort of nice .
Unfortunately , it ’ s lacking these days , but it ’ s okay .
When we win , we ’ ll be able to enforce that a little bit better.
” What the fuck are you enforcing , Don Jr. ?
Guts ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ truly grown into a fine woman since her last appearance on Dr. Phil ’ s program in which she became famous for her catchphrase “ Catch me outside , how bout dat ?
, ” was also shown holding a can of Goya beans on her social media with the caption , “ If it ’ s Goya , it has to be good.
” Many believe that the photo and caption is a clear violation of federal ethics laws , which don ’ t allow for federal employees “ to endorse any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Post reports .
“ Only the media and the cancel culture movement would criticize Ivanka for showing her personal support for a company that has been unfairly mocked , boycotted and ridiculed for supporting this administration—one that has consistently fought for and delivered for the Hispanic community , ” White House spokeswoman Carolina Hurley said .
“ Ivanka is proud of this strong , Hispanic-owned business with deep roots in the U.S. and has every right to express her personal support.
” Who are they kidding ?
The Trumps didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Big Goya ran out here bootlicking ; now , they are all “ Goya this ” and “ Goya that.
” Don Jr. is literally out here drinking a malta and 2020 can ’ t come to an end fast enough !
[ News Editor Monique Judge : I ’ m really pissed that “ This nigga eating beans !
” did not make it into this story ]

If you had Trump hawking Goya products on your 2020 bingo card, then I would like you to email me at stephen.crockett@theroot.com as I’m going to need three-digit and four-digit numbers to play before 8 p.m. ET. Seriously, what the fuck is going on? Has anyone seen Doc so he can come fix the goddamn flux capacitor and get us that hell out of this bizarro 2020?!
Seriously, I believe that there is an alternate universe 2020 in which the president is Hillary Clinton and she’s about to lose her office to Kamala Harris. Right now, though, we are stuck in this shitty as version in which the president—during a global pandemic in which he and his cronies continue to fail to do anything to slow the spread of the virus—posed with some fucking Goya products all because the CEO of the Hispanic-owned food brand is a Trump supporter.
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The beans obviously didn’t sit well with at least one CNN host.
“You tell me how a president, in the middle of a pandemic, has got time for this bullshit. Are you kidding me? Hawking products?” Chris Cuomo, the host of Cuomo Prime Time asked. He added, “Resolute desk! This is what he’s resolute about,” the Washington Post reports.
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Seriously, look at the president of people whose taste buds are about to blow straight the fuck out of the back of their mouths with all those Latinx flavors:
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After Goya’s CEO Robert “Big Goya” Unanue praised the president (triggering a boycott), Trump, his children and White House officials have taken to social media to suck up to the brand they knew nothing about before the vote of confidence, the Post reports.
On Wednesday, the president tweeted “The Radical Left smear machine backfired, people are buying like crazy!” Donald Trump Jr., aka “Fuck this guy,” took to Instagram late Wednesday to claim that his dinner including “a lot of Goya products,” but he’s probably lying because everyone knows that Goya products don’t go well with eel spline and fox blood.
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“I’m actually drinking my Goya Malta, supporting some people who have some guts in the culture war,” said Trump Jr., showing off the nonalcoholic malt beverage. “[I] like those that have guts, it’s sort of nice. Unfortunately, it’s lacking these days, but it’s okay. When we win, we’ll be able to enforce that a little bit better.”
What the fuck are you enforcing, Don Jr.? Guts? GTFOHDJYOUPUNKASSBITCH.
Ivanka Trump, who has truly grown into a fine woman since her last appearance on Dr. Phil’s program in which she became famous for her catchphrase “Catch me outside, how bout dat?,” was also shown holding a can of Goya beans on her social media with the caption, “If it’s Goya, it has to be good.” Many believe that the photo and caption is a clear violation of federal ethics laws, which don’t allow for federal employees “to endorse any product, service or enterprise,” the Post reports.
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“Only the media and the cancel culture movement would criticize Ivanka for showing her personal support for a company that has been unfairly mocked, boycotted and ridiculed for supporting this administration—one that has consistently fought for and delivered for the Hispanic community,” White House spokeswoman Carolina Hurley said. “Ivanka is proud of this strong, Hispanic-owned business with deep roots in the U.S. and has every right to express her personal support.”
Who are they kidding? The Trumps didn’t know who the fuck Goya was until Big Goya ran out here bootlicking; now, they are all “Goya this” and “Goya that.” Don Jr. is literally out here drinking a malta and 2020 can’t come to an end fast enough!
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[News Editor Monique Judge: I’m really pissed that “This nigga eating beans!” did not make it into this story]


theroot--2020-07-16--Florida, Man: House Candidate K.W. Miller Has a Problem With Black Peen and I Can Prove It!

Can we have a discussion about this guy K.W .
Miller , who is running for a seat in the U.S. House to represent Florida ’ s 18th Congressional District ?
Can we talk about how this man ’ s toxic Twitter feed rivals that of Donald “ Give Me Goya or Give Me Death ” Trump in terms of baseless conspiracy theories and general trolling ?
A recent tweet posted by K.W .
Miller ( by the way , I have no idea what the “ K ” or “ W ” stands for and I don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he doesn ’ t believe Black Dick Matters .
Wait , don ’ t stop reading in disgust , it gets better ( and by “ better , ” I mean “ much worse ” ) .
On Wednesday , Kill Whitey Miller tweeted , “ Most white women join Black Lives Matter to fornicate with black men.
” But it ’ s entirely possible that Khakis-Without-pockets Miller is lying .
( And by “ possible , ” I mean “ probable ” and by “ probable , ” I mean , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grown up looking mother fucker said that shit !
” ) Sure , it ’ s possible that Touré ’ s cousin has stopped fucking with family and is now trolling white congressional candidates instead , but I absolutely believe that Klan Whisperer Miller is not here for the Movement for Black Dick and has vowed to protect white vaginas at all costs from the growing Mandingo-meat threat plaguing the Caucasian community since the Black Lives Matter invasion began .
Unlike Komplete Wack-job Miller , I don ’ t just make bold claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The same day that Kiss-me , I ’ m Wild-racist Miller allegedly tweeted out his disdain for white women partaking of Black peen , he tweeted photos of three protest signs .
One sign , held by a Black man , reads , “ Your daughters love every INCH of us so why can ’ t you ?
” Another reads , “ I only suck Black [ dick ] .
” The last one reads , “ We just need to keep fucking each other until we ’ re one color.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this be considered ‘ Self-Deprecating ’ by White Females ?
” This man clearly sees Black penises invading white vaginas as an example of how white women “ undervalue oneself.
” In a tweet that appears to have been deleted , Kilmonger-but-White Miller wrote , “ Beyoncé is not even African American .
She is faking this for exposure .
Her real name is Ann Marie Lastrassi .
She is Italian .
This is all part of the Soros Deep State agenda for the Black Lives Matter movement .
BEYONCÉ YOU ARE ON @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WWG1GWA # Trump2020.
” A lot of people thought this tweet was truly bizarre—even coming from a man who appears to be the wypipo equivalent of hoteps—but , in light of recent evidence , the tweet makes sense .
Clearly Kick-it With-a-bigot Miller simply can ’ t stand the thought of Jay-Z ’ s Black penis sullying poor , white Ann Marie Lastrassi ’ nether regions .

So…
Can we have a discussion about this guy K.W. Miller, who is running for a seat in the U.S. House to represent Florida’s 18th Congressional District? Can we talk about how this man’s toxic Twitter feed rivals that of Donald “Give Me Goya or Give Me Death” Trump in terms of baseless conspiracy theories and general trolling?
A recent tweet posted by K.W. Miller (by the way, I have no idea what the “K” or “W” stands for and I don’t care to look it up) revealed that he doesn’t believe Black Dick Matters.
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Wait, don’t stop reading in disgust, it gets better (and by “better,” I mean “much worse”).
On Wednesday, Kill Whitey Miller tweeted, “Most white women join Black Lives Matter to fornicate with black men.”
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Full disclosure: Karen’s Widower Miller claims his Twitter account was hacked.
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But it’s entirely possible that Khakis-Without-pockets Miller is lying. (And by “possible,” I mean “probable” and by “probable,” I mean, “Nah, this Eddie Munster all grown up looking mother fucker said that shit!”)
Sure, it’s possible that Touré’s cousin has stopped fucking with family and is now trolling white congressional candidates instead, but I absolutely believe that Klan Whisperer Miller is not here for the Movement for Black Dick and has vowed to protect white vaginas at all costs from the growing Mandingo-meat threat plaguing the Caucasian community since the Black Lives Matter invasion began.
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Unlike Komplete Wack-job Miller, I don’t just make bold claims without backing it up with evidence so…
Exhibit A:
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The same day that Kiss-me, I’m Wild-racist Miller allegedly tweeted out his disdain for white women partaking of Black peen, he tweeted photos of three protest signs. One sign, held by a Black man, reads, “Your daughters love every INCH of us so why can’t you?” Another reads, “I only suck Black [dick].” The last one reads, “We just need to keep fucking each other until we’re one color.”
King Whataburger Miller asked, “Would this be considered ‘Self-Deprecating’ by White Females?” This man clearly sees Black penises invading white vaginas as an example of how white women “undervalue oneself.”
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Exhibit B: Beyoncé is not secretly a white Italian woman named Ann Marie Lastrassi.
In a tweet that appears to have been deleted, Kilmonger-but-White Miller wrote, “Beyoncé is not even African American. She is faking this for exposure. Her real name is Ann Marie Lastrassi. She is Italian. This is all part of the Soros Deep State agenda for the Black Lives Matter movement. BEYONCÉ YOU ARE ON NOTICE!#GreatAwakening #QAnon #WWG1GWA #Trump2020.”
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A lot of people thought this tweet was truly bizarre—even coming from a man who appears to be the wypipo equivalent of hoteps—but, in light of recent evidence, the tweet makes sense.
Clearly Kick-it With-a-bigot Miller simply can’t stand the thought of Jay-Z’s Black penis sullying poor, white Ann Marie Lastrassi’ nether regions.
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The prosecution rests.


theroot--2020-07-16--Home Sweet Home: NBC Orders Ava DuVernay's Unscripted Family Social Experiment Series on Race, Relig

Home Sweet Home: NBC Orders Ava DuVernay's Unscripted Family Social Experiment Series on Race, Religion, Economics and Gender

Ava DuVernay and her arts advocacy collective ARRAY has another project in the works—and this time they ’ re diving into reality TV .
Or since she is a documentarian , perhaps “ docu-series ” fits better here .
NBC has ordered 10 hour-long episodes of an upcoming unscripted family social experience series called Home Sweet Home , which will be produced by Warner Horizon Unscripted Television and ARRAY Filmworks .
This will be DuVernay ’ s first primetime unscripted project .
The scoop , from NBC Universal ’ s press release sent to The Root : Each episode of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lead very different lives for a life-changing experience through this full-immersion cultural experiment .
The show chronicles the fierce curiosity and sense of adventure it takes to walk a mile in another person ’ s shoes by challenging racial , religious , economic , geographic , gender and identity assumptions as participants exchange homes for a week and experience the life of someone unlike them in intimate and dynamic ways .
So , basically it ’ s giving me Trading Spouses or Wife Swap vibes , only it ’ ll specifically touch on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these discussions about people checking their family members in regards to racism , sexism , homophobia and other forms of bigotry , this series is especially timely .
And then there ’ s the obvious : We ’ re living in an administration headed by a Goya papaya pudding president .
“ The idea for Home Sweet Home came to me during the strange and important times we ’ re all experiencing .
The premise is that we are farther apart than ever , yet bound by what we have in common–concerns with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
These notions manifest in each of us in different ways , but nowhere more striking than in the privacy of our own homes , ” DuVernay said in a statement .
Adding , “ I ’ m thrilled that NBC and Warner Horizon embraced the challenge of this moment to celebrate the specificity of our differences as we discover the many beautiful things that we have in common.
” “ We are honored to partner with Ava for the first time to bring ‘ Home Sweet Home ’ to life at NBC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alternative and Reality Group , NBC Entertainment , said in a statement .
“ Led by Ava ’ s powerful and hopeful creative vision , these stories will reveal genuine moments of change that we hope will spark thought-provoking conversations and encourage compassion , empathy and understanding.
” NBC Universal is having a big week , as the company recently launched its streaming platform , Peacock .
“ Ava is an extraordinarily gifted and thoughtful storyteller , ” Mike Darnell , president of Warner Bros. Unscripted & Alternative Television , said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rich experience affording families an opportunity to see life through a new lens.
” We don ’ t know the premiere date yet , but we ’ ll keep an eye out for the trailer !

Tonja Renée Stidhum on The Grapevine, shared by Tonja Renée Stidhum to The Root

Ava DuVernay and her arts advocacy collective ARRAY has another project in the works—and this time they’re diving into reality TV. Or since she is a documentarian, perhaps “docu-series” fits better here.
NBC has ordered 10 hour-long episodes of an upcoming unscripted family social experience series called Home Sweet Home, which will be produced by Warner Horizon Unscripted Television and ARRAY Filmworks. This will be DuVernay’s first primetime unscripted project.
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The scoop, from NBC Universal’s press release sent to The Root:
Each episode of Home Sweet Home taps two families who lead very different lives for a life-changing experience through this full-immersion cultural experiment. The show chronicles the fierce curiosity and sense of adventure it takes to walk a mile in another person’s shoes by challenging racial, religious, economic, geographic, gender and identity assumptions as participants exchange homes for a week and experience the life of someone unlike them in intimate and dynamic ways.
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So, basically it’s giving me Trading Spouses or Wife Swap vibes, only it’ll specifically touch on social issues. Since we always have these discussions about people checking their family members in regards to racism, sexism, homophobia and other forms of bigotry, this series is especially timely. And then there’s the obvious: We’re living in an administration headed by a Goya papaya pudding president.
“The idea for Home Sweet Home came to me during the strange and important times we’re all experiencing. The premise is that we are farther apart than ever, yet bound by what we have in common–concerns with health, safety, justice and community. These notions manifest in each of us in different ways, but nowhere more striking than in the privacy of our own homes,” DuVernay said in a statement. Adding, “ I’m thrilled that NBC and Warner Horizon embraced the challenge of this moment to celebrate the specificity of our differences as we discover the many beautiful things that we have in common.”
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“We are honored to partner with Ava for the first time to bring ‘Home Sweet Home’ to life at NBC,” Meredith Ahr, president of Alternative and Reality Group, NBC Entertainment, said in a statement. “Led by Ava’s powerful and hopeful creative vision, these stories will reveal genuine moments of change that we hope will spark thought-provoking conversations and encourage compassion, empathy and understanding.”
NBC Universal is having a big week, as the company recently launched its streaming platform, Peacock.
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“Ava is an extraordinarily gifted and thoughtful storyteller,” Mike Darnell, president of Warner Bros. Unscripted & Alternative Television, said. “This life-changing journey promises to be a rich experience affording families an opportunity to see life through a new lens.”
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We don’t know the premiere date yet, but we’ll keep an eye out for the trailer!


theroot--2020-07-16--A Veteran Wants to Restore Faith In America—And Protect Black People While Doing It

One of the key elements of Pam Keith ’ s message as she runs for the Democratic nomination for Florida ’ s 18th Congressional District seat is restoring the integrity of American institutions and making it work for Black Americans who are often left out of the process of justice .
A labor lawyer by training and Navy veteran with experience as defense counsel during her deployments , Keith sees her ideal goal in Congress as repairing the fissures within the legislative branch of government and bringing an experienced national security voice to Washington , where so many other elected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their duties protect the homeland she risked her life to defend .
She will have a chance to convince Floridians that she is the person to do that on August 18 , when she takes on her primary opponent Oz Vazquez .
If Keith wins , she ’ ll take on GOP incumbent Brian Mast , who voted against impeaching President Donald Trump .
Keith ’ s endorsement list includes U.S .
Senator Elizabeth Warren and VoteVets.org .
Keith , who earned her law degree from Boston College , spoke with The Root @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policing , labor law , the environment and national security issues that she would take on if she wins her seat .
The interview has been edited for length and clarity .
The Root : How do you view yourself within this new climate because , in 2018 , we saw all these black women overthrow establishment candidates .
There ’ s this big push within these uprisings around policing .
So with you , how are you framing yourself within this movement ?
Pam Keith : I walk in the skin as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ walk in the lanes of corporate America .
So , in a way , I kind of connect those dots .
I was starting on Black Lives Matter back in 2015 .
Miami had a really active BLM , and some of that was connected to My Brother ’ s Keeper and Dream Defenders and these other groups .
And I just kind of bopped around to listen , because I wanted to know what ’ s on their mind ?
So , where I am is I ’ m a person who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s the way that I think of myself .
I have a corporate background , but I ’ m a progressive .
I bridge that gap .
I ’ m African American , but I ’ ve lived all over the world .
So I had that , I ’ m military , but I also am very anti-deploying our troops everywhere .
The Root : Would you say anti-imperialist , per se ?
I mean , that ’ s my language , but ... Keith : I would reframe that to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be the top dog in the world so long as we are top dog in a way that ’ s based on our values and is decent and is uplifting and is centered on mutually beneficial , not exploitative .
We have the economic power and the political power to make the existence of regular people in Liberia or Rwanda or Vietnam , better .
We have the ability to do that .
And , if we ’ re playing in their country for our purposes then it has to be part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for their benefit as well .
That ’ s the way that I think about it .
The Root : Got you .
So , when you hear all these calls for demilitarization of the police and the defunding of the police , you come from this military background , I just want to ask , one , what ’ s your reaction to it ?
Keith : Well , the first thing I ’ ll say is , I don ’ t like the word defund because it ’ s not the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really talking about .
What they ’ re talking about is reinventing what community safety and policing should look like .
What ’ s it supposed to do ?
And where are we putting our money ?
Because we seem to be putting all the money into these extreme , aggressive forms of policing and zero money into community building and job training and mental health counseling , and other things .
So , to the extent that that ’ s where they want to go , I ’ m with them .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the word “ defund , ” that ’ s just not what that word means .
As a person who was in the military , I know that our military is trained to engage combatants .
Because before engaging an enemy , it ’ s not to just wound them , right ?
If we get to the point where we ’ re shooting , we ’ re shooting to kill .
And that mentality is appropriate for warriors engaging combatants .
It ’ s totally inappropriate for police engaging citizens , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve allowed many of our police departments to take on this kind of militaristic thinking , and to the extent that they do , they think that the combatants that they ’ ve got to contain and control are young Black men and people of color and poor folk .
And I have real problems with that .
The Root : What do you think is the most consequential mistakes in a national policy standpoint that Donald Trump has made and how would you , as a member of the House , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Senate , if Democrats win the majority , what would be some priorities that you would take with you ?
Keith : Priority No .
1 has to be restoring the Voting Rights Act , and funding full-throated , full broad-based election security .
Because we can really fix nothing that is wrong if we do not protect and preserve our ability to vote good people in and bad people out .
No .
2 , we have to reestablish that we are a global player and that our allies can trust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lane in terms of Congress ; that ’ s more like a State department , but we ’ ve got to work together and that ’ s going to probably require some appropriations and things like that .
Because it ’ s that network of information that keeps us safe .
If we think about national security , you ’ re talking about vulnerabilities , both external and internal .
And if our allies are not talking to us anymore , there ’ s a whole lot of information that we ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ establish that .
The Root : What ’ d you think about the New York Times report that the Kremlin paid the Taliban to kill U.S. troops .
The White House was briefed .
We know they were briefed .
Right ?
The Root : And so Trump says , no , they weren ’ t , but which ultimately is if you were briefed , you failed .
If no one briefed you , it ’ s also a failure .
The Root : So what are your thoughts ?
Keith : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As a member of the military who was in Bahrain for two years , I can personally speak to the anxiety that you face when you start to get intel that you ’ re being targeted .
Because most of the combat and interaction out there is what we call a low-intensity conflict .
So , that causes everybody to be a little bit on tenterhooks .
But when you are literally in-country in Afghanistan , you no longer have a way of knowing who you ’ re fighting , because we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Most of the major Taliban fighting has dispersed .
A lot of these guys had gone back to shepherding their goats and whatever else they do , raising poppies , whatever .
And so for the most part , our troops over there are engaging with people that they can ’ t really tell are the combatants .
Are they friendly ?
Are they foe ?
Because they ’ re kind of just all living there .
And so Russia paying bounties on their heads created a material incentive for those people to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s not constant combat .
Do I expect Russia to do that ?
They ’ re our enemy .
Yeah .
Do I expect Iran to do that ?
Yeah .
They ’ re our enemy .
Do I expect the Taliban to do that ?
Yeah .
They ’ re our enemy .
Do I expect the United States president to be OK with that ?
No .
Not on any level .
The Root : National security is a very essential thing that Americans should know , but it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as you know , there ’ s not a lot of Black people who even engage in the conversation .
So what are some constructive ways that you talk about the urgency of these matters in ways that they can grasp it ?
Keith : Well , the first thing I tried to tell them is that national security is not just military over there .
National security is about protecting citizens right here , from any threat .
Climate change is a threat .
White supremacy is a threat .
Drug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a threat .
Those are all part of our national security conversation .
If we look at national security holistically , then we ’ re going to want to say , ‘ Okay , what are the things that are threatening our people ?
’ Coronavirus is a threat .
It ’ s killing a lot of Americans , but we don ’ t ever talk about the management of coronavirus as a national security issue , and I don ’ t understand why .
Because if the goal is to stop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it matter whether it ’ s a virus or it ’ s drugs or it ’ s a terrorist ?
You ’ re still dead .

One of the key elements of Pam Keith’s message as she runs for the Democratic nomination for Florida’s 18th Congressional District seat is restoring the integrity of American institutions and making it work for Black Americans who are often left out of the process of justice. A labor lawyer by training and Navy veteran with experience as defense counsel during her deployments, Keith sees her ideal goal in Congress as repairing the fissures within the legislative branch of government and bringing an experienced national security voice to Washington, where so many other elected officials—on the Republican side, especially—have abdicated their duties protect the homeland she risked her life to defend.
She will have a chance to convince Floridians that she is the person to do that on August 18, when she takes on her primary opponent Oz Vazquez. If Keith wins, she’ll take on GOP incumbent Brian Mast, who voted against impeaching President Donald Trump. Keith’s endorsement list includes U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren and VoteVets.org.
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Keith, who earned her law degree from Boston College, spoke with The Root’s Terrell Jermaine Starr about the policing, labor law, the environment and national security issues that she would take on if she wins her seat.
The interview has been edited for length and clarity.
The Root: How do you view yourself within this new climate because, in 2018, we saw all these black women overthrow establishment candidates. There’s this big push within these uprisings around policing. So with you, how are you framing yourself within this movement?
Advertisement Advertisement
Pam Keith: I walk in the skin as a Black woman, but I also walk in the lanes of corporate America. So, in a way, I kind of connect those dots. I was starting on Black Lives Matter back in 2015. Miami had a really active BLM, and some of that was connected to My Brother’s Keeper and Dream Defenders and these other groups. And I just kind of bopped around to listen, because I wanted to know what’s on their mind? So, where I am is I’m a person who bridges the gap. I guess that’s the way that I think of myself. I have a corporate background, but I’m a progressive. I bridge that gap. I’m African American, but I’ve lived all over the world. So I had that, I’m military, but I also am very anti-deploying our troops everywhere.
The Root: Would you say anti-imperialist, per se? I mean, that’s my language, but ...
Advertisement
Keith: I would reframe that to say that I want the United States to be the top dog in the world so long as we are top dog in a way that’s based on our values and is decent and is uplifting and is centered on mutually beneficial, not exploitative. We have the economic power and the political power to make the existence of regular people in Liberia or Rwanda or Vietnam, better. We have the ability to do that. And, if we’re playing in their country for our purposes then it has to be part of our mission that we make it for their benefit as well. That’s the way that I think about it.
The Root: Got you. So, when you hear all these calls for demilitarization of the police and the defunding of the police, you come from this military background, I just want to ask, one, what’s your reaction to it?
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Keith: Well, the first thing I’ll say is, I don’t like the word defund because it’s not the right word for what they’re really talking about. What they’re talking about is reinventing what community safety and policing should look like. What’s it supposed to do? And where are we putting our money? Because we seem to be putting all the money into these extreme, aggressive forms of policing and zero money into community building and job training and mental health counseling, and other things. So, to the extent that that’s where they want to go, I’m with them. But to the extent that they use the word “defund,” that’s just not what that word means. As a person who was in the military, I know that our military is trained to engage combatants.
Because before engaging an enemy, it’s not to just wound them, right? If we get to the point where we’re shooting, we’re shooting to kill. And that mentality is appropriate for warriors engaging combatants. It’s totally inappropriate for police engaging citizens, but what we’ve done is we’ve allowed many of our police departments to take on this kind of militaristic thinking, and to the extent that they do, they think that the combatants that they’ve got to contain and control are young Black men and people of color and poor folk. And I have real problems with that.
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The Root: What do you think is the most consequential mistakes in a national policy standpoint that Donald Trump has made and how would you, as a member of the House, particularly with the majority, along with the Senate, if Democrats win the majority, what would be some priorities that you would take with you?
Keith: Priority No. 1 has to be restoring the Voting Rights Act, and funding full-throated, full broad-based election security. Because we can really fix nothing that is wrong if we do not protect and preserve our ability to vote good people in and bad people out. No. 2, we have to reestablish that we are a global player and that our allies can trust us. That may not be my lane in terms of Congress; that’s more like a State department, but we’ve got to work together and that’s going to probably require some appropriations and things like that. Because it’s that network of information that keeps us safe. If we think about national security, you’re talking about vulnerabilities, both external and internal. And if our allies are not talking to us anymore, there’s a whole lot of information that we’re not getting. So we need to establish that.
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The Root: What’d you think about the New York Times report that the Kremlin paid the Taliban to kill U.S. troops. The White House was briefed. We know they were briefed. Right?
Keith: They were.
The Root: And so Trump says, no, they weren’t, but which ultimately is if you were briefed, you failed. If no one briefed you, it’s also a failure.
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Keith: Right.
The Root: So what are your thoughts?
Keith: How’s he still president? As a member of the military who was in Bahrain for two years, I can personally speak to the anxiety that you face when you start to get intel that you’re being targeted. Because most of the combat and interaction out there is what we call a low-intensity conflict. So, that causes everybody to be a little bit on tenterhooks. But when you are literally in-country in Afghanistan, you no longer have a way of knowing who you’re fighting, because we’ve been there for 19 years.
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Most of the major Taliban fighting has dispersed. A lot of these guys had gone back to shepherding their goats and whatever else they do, raising poppies, whatever. And so for the most part, our troops over there are engaging with people that they can’t really tell are the combatants. Are they friendly? Are they foe? Because they’re kind of just all living there. And so Russia paying bounties on their heads created a material incentive for those people to target our guys from that existence that’s not constant combat.
Do I expect Russia to do that? They’re our enemy. Yeah. Do I expect Iran to do that? Yeah. They’re our enemy. Do I expect the Taliban to do that? Yeah. They’re our enemy. Do I expect the United States president to be OK with that? No. Not on any level.
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The Root: National security is a very essential thing that Americans should know, but it’s a country club type of culture, as you know, there’s not a lot of Black people who even engage in the conversation. So what are some constructive ways that you talk about the urgency of these matters in ways that they can grasp it?
Keith: Well, the first thing I tried to tell them is that national security is not just military over there. National security is about protecting citizens right here, from any threat. Climate change is a threat. White supremacy is a threat. Drug trafficking is a threat. Opioid overuse is a threat. Those are all part of our national security conversation.
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If we look at national security holistically, then we’re going to want to say, ‘Okay, what are the things that are threatening our people?’ Coronavirus is a threat. It’s killing a lot of Americans, but we don’t ever talk about the management of coronavirus as a national security issue, and I don’t understand why. Because if the goal is to stop Americans from being killed, then does it matter whether it’s a virus or it’s drugs or it’s a terrorist? You’re still dead.


theroot--2020-07-16--Kanye West Is Officially on the Presidential Ballot in Oklahoma Because 2020 Is Chock-Full of Headac

Kanye West Is Officially on the Presidential Ballot in Oklahoma Because 2020 Is Chock-Full of Headaches

Despite a report on Tuesday alleging that Kanye West was “ ending ” his 2020 Presidential campaign ( which I would rather be writing about ) , the Oklahoma State Election Board announced that the rapper/producer is on the ballot for the Sooner State .
Per XXL , a tweet sent out by the OSEB explained that West qualified to be on the ballot as an independent candidate on the state ’ s deadline day for Independent and Unrecognized party candidates “ to file statements of candidacy with their petitions or filing fee.
” West is running as a member @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of course he is .
A representative for West told People that the “ Wash Us In The Blood ” musician spent $ 35,000 to pay the filing fee and also submitted a statement declaring his candidacy .
The publication also reports that West appears to have filed with the Federal Election Commission on Wednesday , a requirement to run for president ( but also , not a high bar to hurdle ) .
His team reportedly filed the FEC ’ s Form 1 , the Statement of Organization , which must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exceed ( s ) the applicable threshold.
” This includes raising or spending $ 5,000 or more towards their campaign .
Despite his name making it on the ballot in Oklahoma , West missed deadlines to register in several states including New Mexico , Florida and Texas .
However , in his interview with Forbes , he says he ’ s trying to use his coronavirus diagnosis as a loophole to get on the ballots regardless .
We hope it doesn ’ t work .
Chance the Rapper is one of the only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ run for the most powerful seat on Earth .
( Elon Musk did at first , but has since reconsidered his support . )
Not surprisingly , Chance came under fire on Monday morning after questioning why people would rather vote for Joe Biden over West .
After attempting to double down on his comments amidst backlash , he realized his mistake .
“ I understand the improbability of Ye winning the 46th Presidential seat and I understand that everyone voting for Biden isn ’ t necessarily doing so enthusiastically , ” he @ @

J'na Jefferson on The Grapevine, shared by J'na Jefferson to The Root

Despite a report on Tuesday alleging that Kanye West was “ending” his 2020 Presidential campaign (which I would rather be writing about), the Oklahoma State Election Board announced that the rapper/producer is on the ballot for the Sooner State.
*Deep sigh*
Per XXL, a tweet sent out by the OSEB explained that West qualified to be on the ballot as an independent candidate on the state’s deadline day for Independent and Unrecognized party candidates “to file statements of candidacy with their petitions or filing fee.” West is running as a member of the “Birthday Party,” because of course he is.
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A representative for West told People that the “Wash Us In The Blood” musician spent $35,000 to pay the filing fee and also submitted a statement declaring his candidacy. The publication also reports that West appears to have filed with the Federal Election Commission on Wednesday, a requirement to run for president (but also, not a high bar to hurdle). His team reportedly filed the FEC’s Form 1, the Statement of Organization, which must be done after a prospective candidate “exceed(s) the applicable threshold.” This includes raising or spending $5,000 or more towards their campaign.
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Despite his name making it on the ballot in Oklahoma, West missed deadlines to register in several states including New Mexico, Florida and Texas. However, in his interview with Forbes, he says he’s trying to use his coronavirus diagnosis as a loophole to get on the ballots regardless. We hope it doesn’t work.
Chance the Rapper is one of the only celebrities who has endorsed West’s run for the most powerful seat on Earth. (Elon Musk did at first, but has since reconsidered his support.) Not surprisingly, Chance came under fire on Monday morning after questioning why people would rather vote for Joe Biden over West. After attempting to double down on his comments amidst backlash, he realized his mistake.
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“I understand the improbability of Ye winning the 46th Presidential seat and I understand that everyone voting for Biden isn’t necessarily doing so enthusiastically,” he tweeted.


theroot--2020-07-17--The Worst Day of My Life and the 20 Years of Trauma That Followed

Twenty years ago , my life changed forever .
When I woke up on July 16 , 2000 , I never could have predicted how different my life would be by midnight .
But it was .
And I was .
And still am , if I ’ m being honest .
As I was scrolling my social media feeds this morning , I noticed that my son ’ s godfather posted a tweet that said , “ there are certain things in life you will never get over , but there is nothing in life that you can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more accurate .
On July 12 , 1991 , ( a little more than 29 years ago ) Boyz N The Hood was released to theaters nationwide .
The movie was and is a game changer .
While there may be other movies that are more “ real , ” so to speak , what Boyz N The Hood did was show the heart of south central Los Angeles .
We cared about Ricky and Tre , and even Doughboy ( Ricky ’ s brother ) who was never quite a villain but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ either .
When Ricky was killed , we all cried .
I still cry .
Ricky ’ s death cut down a shot at a better life , a chance to make it out of circumstances intended to trap , if they let you live at all .
In one of the film ’ s most iconic scenes , the day after Doughboy exacted revenge on the rivals who killed Rick , and as he sits in a moment of vulnerability on Tre ’ s porch , he utters the famous words and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t know , don ’ t show or don ’ t care about what ’ s going on in the hood.
” As he walks away from Tre and as an emotional saxophone blares in the background , the subtitles inform us that Doughboy buried Ricky the next day , and that two weeks later , he too was murdered .
To drive the point home , Doughboy fades into the ether as he walks across the street , disappearing into the South Central mist that ’ s claimed the lives of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tre watches Doughboy walk away from his porch after letting him know that though Ricky is gone , Dough will always have a brother .
Obviously , that promise would be short lived .
The saxophone ’ s tone changes slightly—it ’ s as hopeful as it can be given the circumstances—as we are informed that in the fall , Tre would head to Morehouse College , in Atlanta , Ga. , and that Brandy , his girlfriend , would be right across the street at Spelman College .
It ’ s supposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the darkness of the day ’ s events .
At least that way , while we ’ re all still in tears , we can feel a little better knowing that Tre ( and Brandy ) got out .
And they both did ... and didn ’ t .
Presumably it ’ s October in whatever year it ’ s supposed to be .
They ’ d just taken the SATs , preparing to send out college applications , etc .
They ’ re kids , probably all 17 .
Maybe Doughboy is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still teenagers , still kids .
Tre just watched his best friend die .
And then one of his other closest friends , even if some distance occurs for various reasons , also dies .
His entire world is different .
He has to make it through his senior year of high school and then the rest of his life reliving what I can only imagine is the most traumatic moments of his life over and over .
Because you never forget it .
You don ’ t stop seeing it .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ real time isn ’ t something you just get over , you get through it .
Eventually , over time .
Boyz N The Hood wasn ’ t a movie that had time to delve into the hell I ’ m sure Tre ( and Brandy ) had to go through .
Maybe where they live they ’ ve become desensitized to the violence , but it ’ s always different when it hits home .
Always .
The pain more sincere .
More visceral .
More forever .
Senseless violence against one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violence persists in the form of memories and nightmares ; the living experience it over and over .
That is a trauma Tre had to carry with him as a 17-year-old , while still trying to make it to graduation , while still trying to be the best version of himself , while still trying to find a reason to go outside and be .
In the scenes we don ’ t see , I hope Tre was able to talk to somebody—his parents were supremely active in his life and concerned about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whatever they could to help him through those moments , but you ’ re never the same .
For me , July 16th started out like most days .
I had just turned 21 and it was the summer between my junior and senior years of college—at Morehouse , coincidentally—and I remember hanging around my apartment for most of the day , running errands here and there .
On July 24th , I was heading to the University of Maryland , College Park , for a month-long math immersion program in preparation for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in economics that following year after graduation .
I had a full-time job so I did most of my running around on weekends .
I made plans for that evening , with my cousin ( A ) , to go see Scary Movie , at the Magic Johnson ’ s Theater at Greenbriar Mall .
We must have gone to a 9:45 p.m. showing .
My cousin lived with my Grandmother in Adamsville , about 5-7 minutes from my apartment , also on the westside of Atlanta .
From my Grandmother ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We went to see the movie , and neither of us liked it very much , but what stands out most about that night , until about 11:45 p.m. , is that we spent a lot of time talking about religion and our upbringing in church and how that shaped our views on so many things .
I remember it being a very in-depth conversation .
We left Greenbriar at around 11:30 p.m. and got back to my grandmother ’ s house at around 11:45 p.m. My Grandmother has a split driveway @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the split because my other cousin ’ s car , a cousin I ’ ll call T , was parked on the left side , which sloped downwards towards the basement level of the house .
A fortuitous decision , it turns out .
There were also two entrances to my Grandmother ’ s house .
The street-level entrance and the basement level entrance , both facing the street .
Directly next to the basement-entry door , to the left was a rarely used carport .
At 11:45 p.m. , it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a flood-light that faces the street providing all of what seemed like the light needed .
Instead of going into the street-level entrance , A and I walked towards the basement .
As we got to the door and opened it , T was just leaving .
For context , my cousins A and T are siblings ; they have a younger sibling J .
A and J , at the time , lived at the house with their mother and my Grandmother .
As T was leaving , we dapped each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked why I hadn ’ t called him in a few days .
I told him my bad , a joke since we talked pretty frequently , and I told him I ’ d call him tomorrow .
I told him “ you know I love you , bruh ” and he hugged his mother and sister and walked out the door .
I started to make my way towards the steps , maybe 10 feet from the door and all I hear is “ DON ’ T HIT ME , FOLK !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the door and all I see is T going down , standing next to his open car door .
To this day , I do not remember the sound of the gunshot .
But there he was , shot , laying on my grandmother ’ s driveway , a bullet through the heart .
It was 11:47 p.m. Whoever did it must have been hiding in the shadows of the carport .
They did what they came to do ; then they were gone .
The next few minutes were a blur of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Menace II Society where Kaine is shot and Stacey is holding him , trying to revive him , with blood everywhere .
That was our life .
My cousin A took off running down the street .
My Grandmother prayed .
T ’ s mother just held him .
The paramedics who eventually showed up told me that he died instantly .
The official record and news said he died on July 17 , but he never made it to midnight .
That has always frustrated me because they gave him more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than we had with him .
T was gone .
At my Grandmother ’ s house , in my Grandmother ’ s driveway .
I always wondered , and still wonder to this day , had I decided to park behind his car , would I still be here ?
Would A still be here ?
Whoever killed him planned on killing somebody that night .
I ’ ve never been able to shake that .
That night lives on in my memory .
Constantly .
Even twenty years later .
But what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mess I was .
In the immediate blur of everything I don ’ t know that I processed what happened .
I had to make the phone calls to folks in the family to let them know what happened .
And then the police showed up .
And then lots of other people showed up .
I had just lost my cousin , somebody I loved dearly and somebody very close to me and it didn ’ t sink in .
Eventually , in a moment where nobody asked me anything and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I lost it .
I broke down and cried .
And cried tears I didn ’ t even know I owned .
I don ’ t think I got home until 7 or 8 that morning .
The funeral was that Friday and then I was leaving for Maryland that Sunday .
I couldn ’ t wait to leave .
I needed space .
I needed to be away from Atlanta , and from home , and from reminders of what I ’ d seen and how much it hurt me and everybody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ summer program and stuffed it .
I don ’ t think I told anybody in the program what happened to me until near the end of the program .
A mere five weeks after a tragedy that changed me forever , I sat in a room with people I ’ d just met and re-lived a moment I wouldn ’ t wish on anybody .
And I was not looking forward to getting back to school .
My friends love me .
In that sense , it was both a gift and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wanting to be there for me but I had no idea what that looked like .
At times I felt suffocated by all of the compassion and love ; their love kept reminding me of what I ’ d been through and I was trying to forget .
And I had a senior year of college to get through .
I remember one time being in one of my boys rooms chillin ’ .
I have to point out here that I did really appreciate all of my friends ’ support , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I needed .
While watching videos , some song came on and I just lost it .
I had a full break-down in his dorm room .
That happened several times at the oddest moments .
Out to eat , at a party with friends .
At work .
I probably needed to go see somebody because I thought I was okay .
In my mind I ’ d dealt with it by not pretending it didn ’ t happen or that I didn ’ t see it .
I tried to stay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I was different .
I knew it .
I wasn ’ t angry , I was actually more positive .
I felt like I was supposed to have died or at least I ’ d convinced myself of this , so I was playing with house money and on borrowed time .
If I had any money who knows what I would have done , but I was broke so I was just more intent on hanging with the homies and enjoying life .
But I had nightmares .
I can still see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was twenty years ago .
I pushed through but I needed help that I never went out to get .
My whole senior year I had minor breakdowns , some publicly , most privately .
And even for years after .
The processing never quite came .
Until a terrible day in 2011 , it stood , and still largely does stand , as the worst day of my life .
The feelings associated with it are still present .
I ’ m better ; I got through it and have managed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the pain but I ’ ve never gotten over it .
I ’ m not sure I ever will .
It ’ s a presence I drag with me everywhere that has helped shape who I am and my perspective on things .
And I know I ’ m not the only person who has gone through tragedy ; tragedy is a common visitor for a great many people .
But when I see Boyz N The Hood , and see Tre standing there , a day after a day he ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reminded about the journey he has in front of him to get through something that he ’ ll never get over .
Tragedy changes you , and only time will tell if it is for better or worse .
I can ’ t even completely say I got through it .
I was explaining to my wife what happened and I felt myself starting to cry .
I felt the raw emotions start to bubble up and I didn ’ t expect that .
I guess I ’ m still processing .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ miss my cousin and I don ’ t even really remember who I was before that night or how others saw me , I just remember who I ’ ve been since .
That ’ s what Tre ’ s life probably looked like .
That ’ s what happens when your life changes forever .
That ’ s what happens when you have to “ get through .
”

Panama Jackson on Very Smart Brothas, shared by Panama Jackson to The Root

Twenty years ago, my life changed forever. When I woke up on July 16, 2000, I never could have predicted how different my life would be by midnight. But it was. And I was. And still am, if I’m being honest. As I was scrolling my social media feeds this morning, I noticed that my son’s godfather posted a tweet that said, “there are certain things in life you will never get over, but there is nothing in life that you can’t get through.”
Nothing could be more accurate.
On July 12, 1991, (a little more than 29 years ago) Boyz N The Hood was released to theaters nationwide. The movie was and is a game changer. While there may be other movies that are more “real,” so to speak, what Boyz N The Hood did was show the heart of south central Los Angeles. We cared about Ricky and Tre, and even Doughboy (Ricky’s brother) who was never quite a villain but never quite a character you rooted for either. When Ricky was killed, we all cried. I still cry. Ricky’s death cut down a shot at a better life, a chance to make it out of circumstances intended to trap, if they let you live at all.
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In one of the film’s most iconic scenes, the day after Doughboy exacted revenge on the rivals who killed Rick, and as he sits in a moment of vulnerability on Tre’s porch, he utters the famous words and societal indictment, “either they don’t know, don’t show or don’t care about what’s going on in the hood.” As he walks away from Tre and as an emotional saxophone blares in the background, the subtitles inform us that Doughboy buried Ricky the next day, and that two weeks later, he too was murdered. To drive the point home, Doughboy fades into the ether as he walks across the street, disappearing into the South Central mist that’s claimed the lives of so many young, Black men.
Tre watches Doughboy walk away from his porch after letting him know that though Ricky is gone, Dough will always have a brother. Obviously, that promise would be short lived. The saxophone’s tone changes slightly—it’s as hopeful as it can be given the circumstances—as we are informed that in the fall, Tre would head to Morehouse College, in Atlanta, Ga., and that Brandy, his girlfriend, would be right across the street at Spelman College. It’s supposed to be a glimmer of light in the darkness of the day’s events. At least that way, while we’re all still in tears, we can feel a little better knowing that Tre (and Brandy) got out.
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And they both did...and didn’t.
Presumably it’s October in whatever year it’s supposed to be. They’d just taken the SATs, preparing to send out college applications, etc. They’re kids, probably all 17. Maybe Doughboy is a year or two older, but still teenagers, still kids. Tre just watched his best friend die. And then one of his other closest friends, even if some distance occurs for various reasons, also dies. His entire world is different. He has to make it through his senior year of high school and then the rest of his life reliving what I can only imagine is the most traumatic moments of his life over and over. Because you never forget it. You don’t stop seeing it. It changes you. Watching death happen in real time isn’t something you just get over, you get through it. Eventually, over time. Boyz N The Hood wasn’t a movie that had time to delve into the hell I’m sure Tre (and Brandy) had to go through. Maybe where they live they’ve become desensitized to the violence, but it’s always different when it hits home. Always. The pain more sincere. More visceral. More forever. Senseless violence against one person almost never stops there. That violence persists in the form of memories and nightmares; the living experience it over and over.
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That is a trauma Tre had to carry with him as a 17-year-old, while still trying to make it to graduation, while still trying to be the best version of himself, while still trying to find a reason to go outside and be. In the scenes we don’t see, I hope Tre was able to talk to somebody—his parents were supremely active in his life and concerned about his well-being so I presume they did whatever they could to help him through those moments, but you’re never the same.
Trust me, I know.
For me, July 16th started out like most days. I had just turned 21 and it was the summer between my junior and senior years of college—at Morehouse, coincidentally—and I remember hanging around my apartment for most of the day, running errands here and there. On July 24th, I was heading to the University of Maryland, College Park, for a month-long math immersion program in preparation for my impending entry into a doctoral program in economics that following year after graduation. I had a full-time job so I did most of my running around on weekends. I made plans for that evening, with my cousin (A), to go see Scary Movie, at the Magic Johnson’s Theater at Greenbriar Mall. We must have gone to a 9:45 p.m. showing. My cousin lived with my Grandmother in Adamsville, about 5-7 minutes from my apartment, also on the westside of Atlanta. From my Grandmother’s house, Greenbriar is maybe 10 minutes.
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We went to see the movie, and neither of us liked it very much, but what stands out most about that night, until about 11:45 p.m., is that we spent a lot of time talking about religion and our upbringing in church and how that shaped our views on so many things. I remember it being a very in-depth conversation. We left Greenbriar at around 11:30 p.m. and got back to my grandmother’s house at around 11:45 p.m. My Grandmother has a split driveway; I parked on the right side of the split because my other cousin’s car, a cousin I’ll call T, was parked on the left side, which sloped downwards towards the basement level of the house. A fortuitous decision, it turns out.
There were also two entrances to my Grandmother’s house. The street-level entrance and the basement level entrance, both facing the street. Directly next to the basement-entry door, to the left was a rarely used carport. At 11:45 p.m., it’s dark and shadowy; there’s a flood-light that faces the street providing all of what seemed like the light needed. Instead of going into the street-level entrance, A and I walked towards the basement. As we got to the door and opened it, T was just leaving. For context, my cousins A and T are siblings; they have a younger sibling J. A and J, at the time, lived at the house with their mother and my Grandmother.
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As T was leaving, we dapped each other up and hugged, and he asked why I hadn’t called him in a few days. I told him my bad, a joke since we talked pretty frequently, and I told him I’d call him tomorrow. I told him “you know I love you, bruh” and he hugged his mother and sister and walked out the door. I started to make my way towards the steps, maybe 10 feet from the door and all I hear is “DON’T HIT ME, FOLK!” I turned around and looked out the door and all I see is T going down, standing next to his open car door. To this day, I do not remember the sound of the gunshot. But there he was, shot, laying on my grandmother’s driveway, a bullet through the heart. It was 11:47 p.m. Whoever did it must have been hiding in the shadows of the carport. They did what they came to do; then they were gone.
The next few minutes were a blur of activity. If you remember the scene from Menace II Society where Kaine is shot and Stacey is holding him, trying to revive him, with blood everywhere. That was our life. My cousin A took off running down the street. My Grandmother prayed. T’s mother just held him. The paramedics who eventually showed up told me that he died instantly. The official record and news said he died on July 17, but he never made it to midnight. That has always frustrated me because they gave him more time than he had. More time than we had with him.
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T was gone. At my Grandmother’s house, in my Grandmother’s driveway. I always wondered, and still wonder to this day, had I decided to park behind his car, would I still be here? Would A still be here? Whoever killed him planned on killing somebody that night. I’ve never been able to shake that.
That night lives on in my memory. Constantly. Even twenty years later. But what also lives there is how much of a mess I was. In the immediate blur of everything I don’t know that I processed what happened. I had to make the phone calls to folks in the family to let them know what happened. And then the police showed up. And then lots of other people showed up. I had just lost my cousin, somebody I loved dearly and somebody very close to me and it didn’t sink in. Eventually, in a moment where nobody asked me anything and everybody else was being tended to, I lost it. I broke down and cried. And cried tears I didn’t even know I owned. I don’t think I got home until 7 or 8 that morning.
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The funeral was that Friday and then I was leaving for Maryland that Sunday. I couldn’t wait to leave. I needed space. I needed to be away from Atlanta, and from home, and from reminders of what I’d seen and how much it hurt me and everybody. I got to Maryland for the summer program and stuffed it. I don’t think I told anybody in the program what happened to me until near the end of the program. A mere five weeks after a tragedy that changed me forever, I sat in a room with people I’d just met and re-lived a moment I wouldn’t wish on anybody.
And I was not looking forward to getting back to school. My friends love me. In that sense, it was both a gift and a curse. I vividly remember my friends wanting to be there for me but I had no idea what that looked like. At times I felt suffocated by all of the compassion and love; their love kept reminding me of what I’d been through and I was trying to forget. And I had a senior year of college to get through.
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I remember one time being in one of my boys rooms chillin’. I have to point out here that I did really appreciate all of my friends’ support, but I didn’t even know what I needed. While watching videos, some song came on and I just lost it. I had a full break-down in his dorm room. That happened several times at the oddest moments. Out to eat, at a party with friends. At work. I probably needed to go see somebody because I thought I was okay. In my mind I’d dealt with it by not pretending it didn’t happen or that I didn’t see it. I tried to stay focused and was fairly successful, but I was different. I knew it. I wasn’t angry, I was actually more positive. I felt like I was supposed to have died or at least I’d convinced myself of this, so I was playing with house money and on borrowed time. If I had any money who knows what I would have done, but I was broke so I was just more intent on hanging with the homies and enjoying life. But I had nightmares. I can still see it as vividly right now as it was twenty years ago. I pushed through but I needed help that I never went out to get.
My whole senior year I had minor breakdowns, some publicly, most privately. And even for years after. The processing never quite came. Until a terrible day in 2011, it stood, and still largely does stand, as the worst day of my life. The feelings associated with it are still present. I’m better; I got through it and have managed to live a life even with the memories and the pain but I’ve never gotten over it. I’m not sure I ever will. It’s a presence I drag with me everywhere that has helped shape who I am and my perspective on things. And I know I’m not the only person who has gone through tragedy; tragedy is a common visitor for a great many people. But when I see Boyz N The Hood, and see Tre standing there, a day after a day he’ll never forget, I’m reminded about the journey he has in front of him to get through something that he’ll never get over. Tragedy changes you, and only time will tell if it is for better or worse.
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I can’t even completely say I got through it. I was explaining to my wife what happened and I felt myself starting to cry. I felt the raw emotions start to bubble up and I didn’t expect that. I guess I’m still processing. It’s been 20 years; I miss my cousin and I don’t even really remember who I was before that night or how others saw me, I just remember who I’ve been since. That’s what Tre’s life probably looked like. That’s what happens when your life changes forever. That’s what happens when you have to “get through.”
Twenty years ago, my life changed forever.