According to 17 Republican members of the West Virginia State Senate, the phrase, “Black Lives Matter,” is “hate speech.” I find that intriguing. While the Black Lives Matter movement has lasted longer than the Confederate States of America, I cannot help but ask those 17 Republicans if that also means the Confederate Battle flag is an expression of hate endorsing treason, disunion, and white supremacy. What about a statue of a Confederate general on the capitol grounds of the only state born of the Civil War?
Furthermore, how many of those angry Republicans spoke up and denounced the displays on GOP Day on March 1, 2019 deemed by many as anti-Muslim and Islamophobic? How many of those 17 Republican senators spoke up to support “The Fairness Act” in order to ensure LGBTQ West Virginians are not discriminated against when applying for jobs or seeking housing? I have yet to hear if any one of those 17 Republicans have spoken to Governor Justice about his unilateral decisions regarding the $1.24 billion appropriated by Congress to combat the pandemic. Have they asked him why $1 billion sits in a bank account instead of being used to help countless West Virginians? But a sticker with the letters, “BLM,” on football helmets is what awaken those 17 Republicans to write an angry letter to the presidents of West Virginia University and Marshall University?
Pope Paul VI once said, “If you want peace, work for justice.” How many of those 17 Republicans have walked or offered to walk with students of color on either university campus? How many have taken time to sit down, speak, and most importantly genuinely listen to the fears, concerns, and stories of West Virginians of color of every community? Instead of getting all hot and bothered by three letters and a sticker or telling a black man to stand for the anthem, why not listen to the anger, frustrations, and stories of our brothers and sisters of color? Is it somehow easier to feel the pain of damaged property than those falsely detained and wrongly restrained due to the color of their skin? Why is it easier to tell a black man to shut up and play than to point out any imperfections of our electoral, judicial, and educational systems or acknowledge possible bias of an unknown number of not just law enforcement but teachers and others in positions of trust regardless of how many or how few?
If only we had elected leaders who could sponsor, defend, and pass meaningful reforms to ensure that here in West Virginia equality and justice for all are ensured not assumed. It is not enough for any one of us to say, “I am not racist!” We must be willing to not only prove it but to learn of it and remedy it. Could not every law enforcement officer, judge, prosecutor, and educator be required to take racial bias training to ensure conscious, subconscious, and if possible unconscious racial prejudice can be identified and treated?
Is West Virginia only welcome to those that look like us, pray like us, love like us, and think like us? We need to start electing leaders of either party to the West Virginia State Senate and every other elected office who have the courage to first listen legitimately then speak with both words and most especially with meaningful actions. Rather than igniting, exploiting, and magnifying anger, we need leaders who exemplify compassion and empathy towards all who choose to call West Virginia home.
C. Bryan Daugherty
No Party (Independent)
Harrisville, WV
The Conservative-Liberal Independent 