Actor Jesse Williams Breaks Down Sandra Bland and Racist Hypocrisy in 24 Tweets
Leave it to Jesse Williams to break down what the public needs to know about police racism in the wake of Black Lives Matter activist Sandra Bland's death in custody—all in 24 tweets. The "Grey's Anatomy" star and activist, no stranger to using social media to advocate a position, took to Twitter Wednesday evening to make sense of the controversy surrounding Bland's death, as well as the disturbing dashboard camera footage from her arrest and the bizarre circumstances surrounding the lack of evidence in her death. We've included the 24 poignant tweets, which touch on the hypocrisy of American racism and state violence, below.
1 Some thoughts on #SandraBland & millions of Americans exhausted by paid servants destroying instead of defending lives. And those
— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 20152 reflexively parroting weak slogans; squealing for violence & murder from behind a centuries-old wall of perfectly visible privilege.
— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 20153 This country is FULL of Americans who actively exercise their rights when given unlawful, unclear orders by police.
— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 20154 Refusing to roll down windows, present ID, hand over assault rifles, answer ANY questions, etc.
— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 20155 THEY are lauded as heroes; patriots. Message boards swell w/ Police being ridiculed & laughed at by this Patriot-Class of Americans.
— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 20156 Without fail, when select Americans excercise their rights, message boards FILL w praise for the resisting citizen & mockery of police.
— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 20157 An entire political party [re]constructed loudly claiming to RESIST "gov't tyranny" while actively CELEBRATING [certain] gov't tyranny!
— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 20158 A select segment of Americans are granted the privilege of being able to resist said tyranny, scream at it, punch, shove or elude it.
— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 20159 For membership consideration, this club has ONE requirement: the citizen(s) resisting police/the law/status quo must be white.
— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 201510 Every time the story involves a black citizen, doing far less, presumed guilt BEGINS as their's to shed. But one cannot shed blackness.
— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 201511 Blackness turns "awesome!" or "badass!" to "thug" "nigger" faster than a speeding bullet. Whiteness turns villain to hero in a flash.
— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 201512 As we well know, police are not THE law. They swear to UPHOLD & ENFORCE the law in a professional, courteous manner, whenever possible.
— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 201513 Otherwise, whenever we had a problem, we'd just call our friends, local gangs or the mob to handle problems.
— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 201514 The mob, gangs and citizens can be prosecuted though.
— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 201515 Should there should be a discernible difference b/t thugs & police?
— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 201516 You can't arrest someone for "resisting arrest." That's bullshit. Clearly state the charge & when resisted, that's an additional charge.
— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 201517 WE DO NOT BEGIN AS POLICE PROPERTY, to be freed or detained based on some guy's mood or feeling. We are not theirs.
— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 201518 Police weapons & cuffs do not dissolve if we don't like their attitude. Our rights should remain intact if they're displeased w/ ours.
— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 201519 #SandraBland's treatment while attempting to travel freely on HER public roadways has been acknowledged as unlawful. She is already dead.
— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 201520 Blackness is born to be w/ 2.9 strikes. A life that can & will be snatched by it's nation at any time, any place. Any age, any gender.
— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 201521 Those who relentlessly excuse all anti-black state violence cheerlead when people born of their same complexion resist cops & presidents.
— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 201522 What follows is an easily searchable sampling of the glaring daily white privilege not afforded to millions of Americans
— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 201523 who's lives are forever damaged or destroyed, while millions cheer and/or avert their gaze:
— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 201524 Before we begin, please list ALL infractions punishable by spontaneous murder at the hands of any police or white citizen. #ShowYourWork
— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015Willams followed by tweeting several videos of white people who violated police orders and put officers in harm's way without making major headlines or incurring major violations of procedure or civil liberties from officers. He also tweeted what, to many, was breaking news about Bland's autopsy:
Coroner just texted #SandraBland family atty: they messed up autopsy & "have to do another one." Dashcam & jail tape missing chunks of time.
— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 23, 2015(H/t The Root)