Hands up, don't shoot!

The scariest thing about being a black woman in America is also the most beautiful thing about being a black woman in America. One day, I might give birth to a beautiful black boy. For me, I’ve already experienced that, almost 5 years ago. I gave birth to my little black Prince, who will one day be a king. And that is beautiful.

However, one day my little black Prince will realize that everyone doesn’t see him that way. See right now I can shelter him from it, hover over him, guard him and protect him from it, but one day I won’t be able to. One day he’ll grow up and one day he’ll face this world as a black man, and that scares me.

How do you prepare a child for a world that hates him? A world that only likes him if he’s on a basketball court or on a football field, performing.

How do you prepare a child to face a world that makes drugs, guns and alcohol so accessible, but a higher education almost impossible? How do you prepare him?

How do you tell him that the very police force he looks up to, might gun him down in broad day light, even while surrendering? How do you tell him if he ever gets in a car accident to just stay in the car, because the very door he knocks on might answer with a shot gun ready to blow? What do you say to the child that wants to walk to the store for candy and a drink on a cold night? Do you tell him no, because a crazy neighborhood watchman might chase you down in your own neighborhood and kill you?

You see my son, he loves music, and he loves to hear it loud. How do I tell him he can’t play it loud because it might upset someone and they might shoot up his vehicle and run?

How do I tell my innocent baby, that America would rather see him dead, or see him in jail over living a productive life.

I can’t tell my son that!! I can’t prepare him for that, and I shouldn’t have to!! It’s not fair, none of that is fair! It’s not fair that there is a community of black mothers and fathers, mourning together, because their babies were taken, their babies were murdered in cold blood, by hatred and evil. That’s a community I never want to be a part of. I never want to be able to personally relate to that kind of pain.

So I put my “Hands up……. Don’t… shoot!” looking towards heaven, surrendering my son into God’s hands once again, asking for his protection, asking for him to keep him always, asking him to help me raise, a black boy that sees his own value and importance to this earth, even when the world says otherwise.

The bible says train up a child in the way which he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.

So to answer my own question, “How do you prepare a child to face a world that hates him?” You teach him to “seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you”. (Matthew 6:33) You teach him to “don’t be weary in well doing, for in due season you shall reap if you faint not”. (Galatians 6:9)  You teach him to “bless them that persecute you and, pray for them which despitefully use you” (Luke 6:28). You teach him “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou prepares a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever (Psalms 23)

That is how we prepare our children, and remember,

After all, they hated God’s son too.

If you love someone, tell them.

I love you.

Signed, a black mother who's proud to be raising a black prince.