5. Stay Woke
Source: Noam Galai / Getty
Jussie Smollett sent chills through many people’s hearts when he said he was the victim of a racist and homophobic attack back in January.
Almost a month later, the Chicago Police Department announced that Jussie allegedly staged his attack by paying two brothers $3,500 to be his assailants. They say the reason he staged it was because he was “dissatisfied with his salary” as an actor and entertainer. He was charged with one count of felony disorderly conduct for filing a false police report, which could carry up to three years in prison plus fines.
Since the CPD’s announcement on February 29, more info has surfaced that could complicate the case even more, including a photo of the $3,500 check Jussie paid the brother that says the money was for a nutrition and workout plan, rather than a staged attack.
Old homophobic tweets also surfaced that were allegedly made by one of the brothers. It was later deleted as soon as the press brought attention to it.
The story and case are still ongoing.
But one thing’s for certain…
Whether Jussie lied or not, this is bigger than Jussie.
Over the past few years, hate crimes have increased in America, according to the FBI, and these are only the ones that have been reported.
Black LGBT people are especially vulnerable to violence.
Will Jussie’s lies or non-lies change these facts.
No.
If Jussie, a Black gay man, lied for money, it would be reprehensible, but it won’t necessarily cause further harm to Black LGBT people in the same way that bigots, the government and say, the CPD, have done historically.
These are all things to consider as we leave Black History Month and we move forward with Jussie’s case.
Always stay conscious, stay informed on who has the power and who doesn’t, and though sleep is wonderful…
Always stay woke.
Whew! 5 Lessons Learned During This Struggle Black History Month was originally published on globalgrind.com
