Breathing

“I Can’t Breathe…”

Public Schools and urban police forces formed within a decade of one another in the first half of the 19^th century in America.  Although altruistic motives influenced the development of Public Schools, the greater influence was fear and ethnic prejudice.  Affluent fear lead to the development of the New York City police department and thus two institutions were born that focus on control and conformity.   Adolescent males were running amok in cities and they needed to be reigned in.   Later, schools and police were two means to enforce segregation.  It is often said that people seek the path of least resistance.   Our fear impulse is an example of this.  If there is an unknown, be afraid.  Set up walls.  Hire someone to keep out the boogieman.  Form a police force. Institutionalize fear. 

 As a person builds walls to keep others out, more walls are required as the individual is surrounded.   Fraternal organizations are formed to build walls.  Priests throughout the centuries, kings, soldiers, police and, in many cases, schools all act to protect, to control.  Eric Garner’s plea that he could not breathe therefore becomes the perfect metaphor for those who cannot afford walls.  Those who are loathed by a society that builds walls to promote fear are justifiably afraid.  

Fear becomes the default position for those of means and privilege.  It allows us to rationalize oppression without guilt.  The trouble is that the walls created by fear eventually cave in.   We suffocate in an environment that we initially built to keep others out.  It is not just that we are a racist country.  We are a scared country.  We killed one another in an attempt to continue slavery.  We murdered African Americans, Native Americans, Latinos and Chinese immigrants.    We promote gun ownership.  None of the strategies to keep others away has worked.  As we move through the path of American development our attempts to assuage our fears through tools of oppression make circumstances worse.  Many of us cannot breathe.   People of color are losing oxygen.

As there are fewer reasons to be afraid, we fear more.   Anecdotal

dangerous events displayed in the 24 hour news cycle, or on social media, reinforce our primal responses while numerical data shows that we may be safer than ever.  The wealthy horde more, the “Tea Party” trusts no one, the Elizabeth Warren fan club believes no one, institutions become defensive and the rest of us throw up our hands.  It’s time we got up and took a long walk.  It’s time we looked for good and not blame.  It’s time we forgave one another.   It’s time we realized we always have the potential to reach out and be ok.  It’s time to breathe…