Have you ever wondered why Lady Justice is blindfolded? It's not an oppressive statement against women, no. In fact, it is a legal concept that when you come before a court of law that you are a human being void of color, religion, disability, or sexual preference. She holds a scale of innocence and guilt. As evidence is presented she holds that scale for everyone to see which outweighs the other. The presumption is always innocent. The evidence presented tips the scales in one direction or another.
My experience in the law is on the federal level where a defendant walks into a courtroom innocent until proven guilty looking at how the evidence presented tips the scales. In that ideal situation, I mistakenly said that "All Lives Matter" because in the ideal that is the way it is. If you were a defendant you wouldn't want it any other way. For example, if you were white and you walked into a courtroom and it tipped the scales before any evidence was presented, in favor of innocence, then justice wouldn't be blind. By the same measure, if you were black or gay, and it tipped the scales for guilt before any evidence was presented, it would make the legal system prejudiced or biased. What I am hearing is that all too often the black defendant's scales are tipping before any evidence is presented...that's not fair or legal, so in that case, Black Lives Matter. I was wrong for diminishing, in any way, that that is what this country is going through. In my judge's courtroom, I never felt that way. A defendant was a person no matter what their skin color was; sexual preference, religious beliefs, or disabilities as well. I guess my judge was just that kind of teacher. He was a defense attorney for many years and I am so glad that he taught me what I already felt in my heart.
My amended position in our very volatile time still falls with the minorities. All Black LIves Matter which includes all gay black members of the LGBTQ community that I represent. I've heard from my friends that are black that the black community is not as supportive of them as other black people. I guess the challenge is that if Black Lives Matter that I am not seeing as much support for black people of LGBTQ as I am for others in the black community. Maybe it's not my place to say that, but they are members of MY minority and they are members of the black community as well. Sometimes with two black parents. Sometimes with one. Who makes the distinction as to where black begins and ends? I'm hearing that it isn't my discussion to have, but how can I fairly represent all the beautiful members of the LGBTQ community if the black community isn't supporting them exactly the same as heterosexual black people.
I'd love to learn more about my role in this regard. Perhaps LGBTQ people of color, black people, need to express that for themselves with me as their ally? I just wanted to be clear that I, as I always have and will, support the black community as human beings equal in every way the law says.
Please help me to understand so I can do what I need to do for the black people of the LGBTQ community that I love and cherish. I don't want to be a problem for any minority. I don't want to see any of us suffer through police brutality or any other means. I want to hear lawyers for the black community include the highest percentage of black violent deaths; transgender black women. Isn't that part of Black Lives Matter? I've seen far too many trans black women lose their lives and suffer the humiliation of receiving no attention at all from the black community. Black Lives DO Matter...all the way across the board. I just want to be certain that when I stand with the black community to demand justice that the black community, in turn, stands with the black LGBTQ community of color to fight just as hard for their families and their lives. ALL Black Lives Matter...is my best expression of that position.
I hope nobody is offended by my pointing this out. If we are going to succeed in justice for ALL, our community has some people that need to be supported by someone. Let's pray the Black Lives Matter supports these beautiful people and their families as well.
God bless all of us, the black community especially, and even more important are the marginalized black lives of gay and trans people who are just as black and just as proud. Am I allowed to say that? In America, I am.
