I covered the removal of the Confederate Memorial in Dallas. As I was walking away from it I had a conversation that sticks with me whenever this topic comes up...
As I crossed the street, I noticed a Black DPD Officer sitting in his car. I gave a head nod and walked past, then stopped, and decided to turn around. I introduced myself, told him what I was covering, and asked a question...
I asked, “Whenever you look up and see that memorial, what goes through your head?”
He paused, thought about it a bit. Looked at it, looked at me, and spoke his truth.
“Whenever I see that,” he said pointing at the statue, “I see them reminding me, they used to own us.”
He paused, thought about it a bit. Looked at it, looked at me, and spoke his truth.
“Whenever I see that,” he said pointing at the statue, “I see them reminding me, they used to own us.”
We chatted a bit more, but that line stuck with me.
A few minutes before during an interview, I had been asked “How could anyone feel oppressed by a statue?”
I guess if you never ask, you’ll never know.
A few minutes before during an interview, I had been asked “How could anyone feel oppressed by a statue?”
I guess if you never ask, you’ll never know.
