“Turn and look the other way”

#blackouttuesday

By: M.L. Andrews

Photo by Jeremy Lishner on Unsplash

He started touching her when 
she was just 6 years old. 
He was 12 years older than his sister. 
Creeping in the stillness of the night, 
removing her innocence, 
exposing decades of generational 
dysfunction--he was a monster. 
Even though no one saw it happening, 
they could smell the 
stench of wickedness in the atmosphere. 
They all knew something was off. 
For years.... 
they all turned and looked the other way. 

On Sunday mornings 
the sun shined the brightest. 
The choir sang 
as the walls drenched with sweat. 
Black feet effortlessly danced 
under a mysterious spell. 
Some were shouting "Amen", 
others were clapping, 
even crying, 
as a preached word was 
being delivered across the pulpit. 
At the altar, 
placed his oversized hand on my forehead,
he would prey on me, other boys,
And men.
Ministers and elders said God called them 
to serve and protect a flock of sheep. 
Where were they when I told them 
he was a child molester? 
They turned and looked the other way. 

In 2016, 61.9 million Americans 
turned and looked the other way 
and gladly elected 45. 
He accused Obama, saying
"he doesn't have a birth certificate,
Nigerians would never 
"go back to their huts" 
after seeing America, 
"black people are of an 
inferior intelligence," 
Maxine Waters has an "extremely low I.Q.,"
"Wouldn’t you love to see 
one of these NFL owners, 
when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, 
'Get that son-of-a-bitch off the field 
right now. Out! He’s fired," 
and referring to Haiti, 
El Salvador, and Africa 
he said "Why are we having 
all these people from 
shithole countries come here?" 
Unfortunately, 63 million Americans 
are forced to endure 4 years of torture,
but refuse to endure another 4 years of this. 

Wealthy parents and their unmotivated children 
attend the top colleges and universities 
across America. 
Hundreds of thousands of dollars are shelled 
out like fake monopoly money. 
Bribery, wire, and mail fraud are just a few 
of the charges tacked onto the doting parents 
pristine rap sheet. 
With a slap on the wrist, 
the privileged easily 
evade the law as the parents, 
educators, and justice system 
turn and look the other way. 

A black man named George Floyd 
allegedly forged a $20 bill. 
One officer lodged his knee in George's neck. 
He gasped for air for 9 excruciating minutes 
until his last breath. 
Where were the other officers when 
George pleaded for water? 
They turned and looked the other way.

No longer can you afford to 
turn and look the other way. 
The life and well-being of your 
mother, father, wife, husband, 
sister, brother, daughter, son, 
niece, nephew, uncle, aunt, cousin, 
and friend is on the line. 
If we turn the other way now, 
then we will die. 

By: M.L. Andrews

Originally published at https://iammichaelandrews.com on June 2, 2020.