I know I couldn’t possibly be the only person “thinking it”…wondering about it. You were thinking it too. When you came to this post on this blog to see where I might take this discussion, you KNEW you weren’t the only person thinking it and reading this post confirms your suspicion.

It doesn’t matter if you are White or Black and devoid of any racist bone in your body or conscience, the question crossed your mind. In fact, it didn’t even matter if you were a White supremacist, hell-bent on starting a race war, the question popped in your mind. You wanted to know or at the minimum, in the back of your mind you knew the ramifications.

All of us wanted to know. If you say otherwise, I’d say you’re lying. If you say you didn’t notice even when you found out…I’d still say you’re lying. You did, I did and everyone else willing to be honest enough with themselves to have this discussion “did.” We “thought about it.”

Two White women, deep south…both murdered, one allegedly included attempted rape.

Some folks may think wrong of me for saying this, but hear me out…it’s probably not what it may seem. Besides, we might as well attempt to deal with the 12,000lb elephant in the room before it decides to trample us after turning our backs on it.

18-year old Auburn University freshman Lauren Burk (pictured left), and 22-year old North Carolina Chapel Hill senior Eve Carson (right) were both violently and tragically murdered recently near their respective campuses.

Both of the lead suspects as of this writing are African-American.

I was holding my breath, hoping and praying that neither of the suspects were Black. Some may say such a thought-process is selfish and inconsiderate given the tragedies that have occurred surrounding these Georgia natives.

No, in fact I would argue that the prospect of African-American suspects will only increase the scope of the tragedy and we’re only just getting started.

I wouldn’t wish the death of a child on anyone and there are no “mitigating” factors under any circumstances. Parents are not supposed to bury children. It’s just not supposed to be that way.

But on the heels of the Duke lacrosse miscarriage of justice, the Jena 6 and nooses all around the country; an environment of hatred will inevitably grow in an exponential fashion. No, don’t even think of saying that this post “creates” a situation that didn’t exist. We should already agree that you, I and everyone else have already had this conversation with ourselves. I’m simply being bold enough to stop talking to myself and starting to talk to each of you.

If the suspects aren’t African-American, arguably there isn’t any collateral damage going forward. Now, even MORE lives are in jeopardy.

You can be mad at me for saying it…but don’t deny it. You thought about it, as did I.

If you thought the blowback from the “Jena 6” was bad…just you wait until these two murder cases are solved, or heaven forbid not solved.

This is not meant to be an entry point into the discussion of whether we as African-American men are predisposed to be violent or unlawful. Those who believe so won’t be convinced otherwise by any words found here. Slow your roll, that’s not why I’m here. That is one of those “different discussions for a different day.”

This is not even to address those who refuse to believe that we as African-American men have played a significant role in placing said stigma on ourselves. Those who refuse to acknowledge our own level of responsibility in reinforcing such stereotypes won’t be convinced otherwise by any words found here either. I’ll have that “different discussion” with you as well…but some other day.

The operative question is, “why then are we here?”

To be clear, this isn’t about “stirring the pot.” Don’t get it twisted, it’s already stirring, with a 60 ft. long ladle. It’s just that some of us would rather believe it’s a figment of our collective imagination, against the backdrop of Senator Barack Obama’s historic presidential run. Having states like Iowa, Wisconsin and Wyoming punching that hanging chad for Obama has nothing to do with and does not obfuscate the real issue here. The two concepts are separate and distinct in nature, yet inextricably linked in many ways.

Invariably, America is going to become reacquainted with itself in the months following these murders. Senator Barack Obama securing a presidential nomination is no doubt a symbol of immeasurable “progress,” but the alleged murder of White women in the deep south by African-Americans (note: who are only suspects at this moment) strikes a chord deep within the American psyche. It calls to our collective consciousness, both Black and White, painful memories that this country has been loathe to wrestle with for many decades.

It will put to the test the veracity of the Obama sycophantic chants that “race doesn’t matter.”

The hell it doesn’t…watch.

It will provoke the worst of what’s hidden away in so many Americans’ hearts; like the old girlfriend we “say” we’re over, but then a chance encounter reminds you of all the previous pain endured. It regurgitates all of the contorted emotions in the deep recesses of our supposed “humanity.”

ass="MsoNormal">Mainstream media is not going to touch this issue…because they already know. Two young, attractive and intelligent White women murdered while attending historically White universities in the deep south…and the lead suspects are African-American. No newspaper is going within 50 miles of that subject and I completely understand as to why.

But we need to talk and get this out right now, while cooler heads are still prevailing.

Pray to God that all hell doesn’t break loose. That’s not said for hyperbole or for inflammatory rhetoric sake.

Pray to God that all hell doesn’t break loose and it becomes open season on Black men. Well, more so than it already is.

If you thought that the Duke Lacrosse case didn’t indirectly impact the Jena 6…you are a fool. If you thought that the incarceration of Genarlow Wilson wasn’t indicative of modern day Jim Crow…you are a fool. And if you thought that either of these “contentious” issues was a “big” deal, watch what happens after the death of two White women (allegedly) at the hands of Black men.

We are acutely aware of the media’s fixation on figures such as Natalee Holloway or Jon Benet Ramsey. It is a reflection of the disposition of the country in which we live. The value of the life of a White woman in America is clearly superior to any other in this country. That’s not offered as a value judgment, it is simply indicative of the behavior of this country since its inception and recorded history agrees. The maligning of African-American men is also equally well-documented. The tragic consequences of their intersection can only be a conflagration of disastrous proportions.

Pray to God that all hell doesn’t break loose.

There will be no celebrity legal dream team, or 3-ring circus to save the Black men accused as was the case with OJ Simpson. In fact there won’t be any of that to save any of the Black men (including myself) around the country in the wake of the over-correcting prison pendulum in response to these heinous murders.

These murders will reverberate across the nation and all young Black men need to be made aware of the significance of these events.

Pray to God that all hell doesn’t break loose. My thoughts and prayers are first with the families of the deceased…but also those who will now be in harm’s way.

RELATED:
* The Important Lesson of the Jena 6
* It’s Time to be Honest About Duke

The Mo’Kelly Report is an entertainment journal with a political slant. It is meant to inform, infuse and incite meaningful discourse…as well as entertain. The Mo’Kelly Report is syndicated by Newstex. For more Mo’Kelly, http://www.mokellyreport.blogspot.com.

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Morris W. O’Kelly can be reached at mokellyreport@sbcglobal.net and he welcomes all commentary.

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