Why White Males Walk & Black Males Are Imprisoned

What we know for certain, is that there are two Americas. One America for people of African ancestry, and another for those of European ancestry. While we also know there are different races inside of America, the founding principles and ideals of this country were bought with Black blood. This week, Dr. Venus goes deep on why it is that a White Male can walk, but a Black Male ends up in prison. It’s not only an issue of race, but being with the notion that Black Men are seen as non-human, and it happens from when they are babies. To walk it back, Dr. Venus explores how the criminal justice system was built for ONE thing and ONE thing only: to protect Whiteness by criminalizing Black Male bodies. Since the 1800s, after the Nat Turner Rebellion, America has constructed systems of oppression to enslave, jail, in-prison & murder Black Men—legally.

When we see Kyle Rittenhouse acquitted of all charges and Julius Jones sentenced to life WITHOUT parole, we can see how the “system” is working.

Let's talk about it.

Key Takeaways:

[5:30] The difference between Kyle Rittenhouse and Julius Jones is that as a Black Male, Jones is seen and positioned as a criminal before he even steps out of the door.

[6:44] Dr. Venus discusses how the 13th Amendment was created to abolish slavery and said that slavery no longer existed, except for criminals. The loophole was when they say “except for criminals”, which was to protect White people and keep Black Men enslaved.

[7:54] Yes, you are right saying there is systemic racism. You are right about racial dynamics. All of that is correct. But Dr. Venus also invites you to contend with the fact that Black Men are seen and POSITIONED as criminals, while White Men, like Kyle Rittenhouse, are positioned as innocent from the beginning.

[10:00] What Rittenhouse had that Black Men never get, is mercy, grace, compassion, and empathy. Black Men are criminalized, and not even humanized.

[13:44] Until we as Black Women see Black Men as humans that have feelings and who make mistakes but are worthy of love, we will never win or be able to give each other the support structure needed to create our own lanes. No one wins until we see Black Men as humans, and until then, people will think they have the right to kill a Black Man on the spot with no judge, or no jury.

[18:36] What’s missing in our relationship with Black Men is that they are human too. They make mistakes, and they do awful stuff that every human being on this planet does. If Kyle deserves grace and empathy, then so does Julius Jones. So did George Floyd, and so did Ahmaud Arbery.

[19:42] Your marches are valid, but Dr. Venus explains why she thinks it’s foolish to expect justice from an organization and a group that has demonstrated for over 400 years that they have no interest in you.

[20:21] When you position Black Men as criminals and non-human, people think they have the right to shoot at them at will or take everything from them. They think Black Men have no feelings or no ability to think through complex ideas. They view them as nothing more than an animal that needs to be caged. Until that conversation shifts, we will always be held back.

[23:18] If we can evoke change in terms of political and social norms and laws, then we can change how we relate to Black Men.

[23:38] Some people try to blame Hip-Hop music and the Black men who are the artists, but why not include the record labels and distributors who are promoting violence and the degradation of music? We focus so much on justice that we ignore the humanity of Black Men, and then it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy where they become all kinds of things that White people and the media have taught us to say about them.

[26:43] Dr. Venus says we are instruments of White Supremacy, and most of us don’t even know it. She’s not blaming anyone, but instead shining a light on somethin