It should come as no surprise when we see peaceful black protestors and their allies being confronted and strong-armed by the National Guard and police in military-grade equipment while officers treat white protestors of state shelter-in-place policies civilly. Why?
Because Black protest and resistance have been illegal in this country since the 1600s. Just about every colony and state had legislation on the books which outlawed black resistance even when black people feared for their lives.
Some colonies and states passed laws that called for the execution of enslaved people who ran away (i.e. wanted to be free) or enslaved people who hit a white person and bruised them or “drew blood” (i.e. who hurt but didn't kill them), no matter what the circumstances.
Virginia made it lawful to “casually kill” an enslaved person. South Carolina permitted any white person to maim/kill an enslaved person who actively resisted attempts to capture them.
And, of course, the Constitution included a provision that empowered Congress to “call forth” the militia to “suppress insurrections.”
Bottom line, the government has long treated Black people, Black resistance, Black protest, Black rage, and most profoundly, Black freedom, as threats to national security.
