Afraid While Black:

When Black Fear Becomes the Threat

I read an essay by writer Average Joe that began with Black parents being afraid enough of what might happen to their mixed-race child at the hands of police that they were considering delaying kindergarten.



What should have been the beginning of an honest inquiry into that which could make parents contemplate reorganizing their child’s education around fear of police brutality reversed polarity such that instead, at least for the writer, the parents’ fear became the problem.



That head-turning reversal of fear caught my attention immediately because it performs a remarkable piece of causal trickery so typical of people who don’t bother dealing with reality on the ground and instead lean on caucasity for reasoning.



Consider his thinking: Black parents fear the police because they know what can happen to Black people during encounters with police. Fair enough. So, they warn their children accordingly. Alright. Their children become afraid. That fear may make them behave differently around police. Their behavior may frighten police officers. Frightened police officers may respond violently. At this point anyone should see the sleight of hand.



Suddenly, Black fear of police has become part of the explanation for why police might kill Black people. Sound logical? Only if killing the person who is afraid can be made a reasonable response to the…