Thoughts on the Murder of Sean Bell

November 28, 2006 by Marc Lamont Hill

sean_bell_narrowweb__300x374,0.jpg

Yesterday, I received a flurry of e-mails asking why I hadn’t posted any commentary about the tragic murder of Sean Bell at the hands of undercover New York police officers.

To be honest, I just didn’t have anything to say.

Don’t get me wrong, I had plenty of thoughts about the incident. How could I not recognize the absurdity of 50 shots being directed at three unarmed Black men? How could I not identify the outright lie that police brutality had followed Rudy Giuliani out of office? How could I not see that this shooting was a public declaration about the emptiness of Black life?

Despite these thoughts, and countless others, I simply couldn’t muster the energy or power to say or write anything. Instead, I did the only thing that I was able to do.

I cried.

The thing is, I didn’t cry because of the absurdity of 50 rounds of unreturned gunfire being shot at three unarmed men as they were driving away. After all, this isn’t the first time that the police have used Black bodies for target practice. I didn’t even cry because Bell was murdered hours before his wedding. In fact, I find the whole “he was one of the good ones” conversation disturbing and counter-productive. Should we not be equally outraged if he were unemployed or homeless?

Upon hearing the news, I cried for a much simpler reason: I’m tired of Black people dying.

In spite of all of the protests, marches, speeches, books, articles, and legislation, Black people are still dying from poverty, drugs, violence, and preventable diseases. Even worse, very little about the world suggests that anyone cares. Although I refuse to believe that our efforts are worthless, I’m nonetheless struck by a deep and nagging pessimism of the intellect that clashes with the dogged optimism of my will. Most days, the optimism wins out. Yesterday, it didn’t… It couldn’t.

And so I cried.

I cried because another Black life was lost for no good reason. I cried because a wife lost her husband and a daughter lost her father. I cried because I knew that Sean was merely a proxy for millions of Black men whose very existence demands the use of deadly force. Most of all, I cried because there was nothing that I could do about any of it.

But that was yesterday. Today, I refuse to remain prisoner to this or any other event. Today, I choose to be different. Today, I will help to fight (and write) back. Today I will be neither helpless nor hopeless. Today, I know we will win.

Categories: MLH
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16 Comments

1. dumi wrote:

well put man. well put.

November 28, 2006 @ 12:47 pm

2. Brooklyn101 wrote:

^^^Changing and saving your neighborhood is a small step. But it is a step. So it seems you do have optimism…

I am glad you persist, Dr. Marc. Some of our great leaders died before they could see the fruits of their labor. (Even some of the bad fruit.)

November 28, 2006 @ 1:56 pm

3. Terrence wrote:

I learned about the incident last Saturday and did not have the energy to write about it either. So Dr. Hill I can definitely relate. I was sick to my stomach. I was also too angry and feared the words would be too hateful for readers of my blog. I was especially angry that people of color continue to be used to oppress and kill people of color.

I say never give up. NEVER. Giving up will only make the devil victorious. Give back in any way you can.

Stay strong Black people and People of Color!

November 28, 2006 @ 5:00 pm

4. Sarah wrote:

Thank you for your thoughts and your hope. I just wanted to hear your voice on this, even though it is difficult to find the words.

November 28, 2006 @ 8:09 pm

5. cynthia wrote:

#11 not sure I get the last sentence. But otherwise, well said.

November 28, 2006 @ 11:02 pm

6. jabari wrote:

what I meant by a revolution is a peaceful one to to end police brutality.

November 29, 2006 @ 9:33 am

7. titi wrote:

It is heart breaking.. I haven’t fund any word yet to express my own outrage.

November 29, 2006 @ 9:55 am

8. BROOKE AVED wrote:

How is it possible for a police officer to see a person reach for a weapon in his waist band while that person is seated? The officer would have to be eight feet tall and over the window to make that observation. It seems as though a lot more was going on with the officers than has been told.

December 1, 2006 @ 9:19 pm

9. Tribal Dance :: Sepultura wrote:

Jora Tribal Dance :: Sepultura Kontorskii …

July 9, 2007 @ 1:17 pm

10. Under A Pale Grey Sky (CD1) :: Sepultura wrote:

Jora Under A Pale Grey Sky (CD1) :: Sepultura Kontorskii …

July 9, 2007 @ 1:17 pm

11. Everybody In The Place :: Prodigy wrote:

Jora Everybody In The Place :: Prodigy Kontorskii …

July 9, 2007 @ 1:22 pm

12. Experience :: Prodigy wrote:

Jora Experience :: Prodigy Kontorskii …

July 9, 2007 @ 1:22 pm

13. U2 - Rattle And Hum wrote:

Ribi U2 – Rattle And Hum Netu …

July 17, 2007 @ 5:07 am

14. U2 - Studio Sessions'91 wrote:

Ribi U2 – Studio Sessions’91 Netu …

July 17, 2007 @ 5:07 am

15. Maria Lawrance wrote:

How sad. I’m a mix of Yugoslav and Maltese parents, born in England, living in Australia. I cannot comprehend racism nor xenophobia. No intelligent person can. A young unarmed man dies at the hands of the police. His colour is irrelevent, his religious beliefs are irrelevent, the ONLY relevence is that he died unnecessarily at the hands of people there to protect and serve, not to judge and execute.

My sadness extends to this young man’s family, to all others out there that feel violated by his death, and also for the police force. These errant officers behaved so outrageously that their actions cost their fellow officers the world over, the respect and goodwill that we should all feel towards them for doing the job they do. But behaviour such as this destroys that respect and reinforces the contempt often shown to the boys in blue.

This death should not be a Black issue, it should be an issue that EVERYONE must condemn. May peace go with you. God Bless.

December 10, 2007 @ 1:04 am

16. DJDawg wrote:

RIP Sean and best wishes to your friends and family. But on another note, look at that facial expression in that pic. Who grimaces like that when taking a picture with his family. What am I not getting here?

April 25, 2008 @ 10:34 am

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