LISTEN: A Personal Message by Caleb Broodo

This essay was provided by Houston men's basketball redshirt junior Caleb Broodo

I never went out of my way to tell other people this ... but someday, when the ball stops dribbling, I want to become a physicist. Among other reasons, I feel compelled to pursue a career in science due to my frustration towards community psychology. I would rather see with my own eyes that something, at the most fundamental level, operates in a manner that I expect.

But in the real world, a man, wielding nothing but charm, controversy, and rhetoric, can convince somebody that something is true, despite it being untrue. Rhetoric can change a man's line of thinking without evidence; in my mind this is absurd. But this is the notion that politics is based off. This is what we all fall victim to in America. And the bipartisan nature of our government breeds gullibility; a simple distrust towards one party immediately puts the competing party in a favorable light. Anybody who knows me well knows that I dislike politics; I dislike it with an unforgiving zeal. So, I will not take too much time to talk about politics. In this message, I would much rather face the faults of our society and express what has been going on here in America, which sickens me.

What's been going on? On May 25, an officer, by some means, self-justified kneeling on the neck of a man for 8 minutes and 46 seconds in order to restrain him. This was followed by a maelstrom of protests, the likes of which are comparable on a historical scale. The idea for Black Lives Matter was to bring about change… to reinforce the message that if black lives continue to fall victim to injustices, then all lives are not truly free. But what was the result of these protests? What changed after all the noise? Unfortunately, the events of last week can only lead us to one conclusion: Nothing. The efforts of the BLM movement and their supporters are not without merit, but to assume that these BLM protests, however large, will change the course of these racial injustices, is insanity. So that only leaves one question: what can be done now?

Last week, the staff and players of the Houston Men's Basketball team held multiple meetings, and as I sat there, silent, I thought about this question. We all sat in a circle, and next to me was Brison Gresham. He looked frustrated, but I could tell he was not frustrated the same way that I was frustrated.

Being Jewish, I feel the hereditary pains caused by antisemitism. I understand that my part of my condition is the result of not only the Holocaust - which I get a sense of through my grandmother and what her immediate family went through - but the cumulation of all the misfortunes and decrees that have been imposed on the Jewish people: pogroms, inquisitions, slavery, etc.

That being said, I recognize that my appearance is not that of a typical Jew; I certainly do not lack the height to prove the contrary. So, any judgment or predisposition that has been directed towards me likely occurred after I told people. In other words, I certainly cannot speak for other Jewish people that have fallen victim to racism in today's world. And I certainly cannot say that I have experienced racism on a similar level as young African Americans.

Brison Gresham, Caleb Broodo

To this extent, my frustration was out of a lack of understanding on how to fix the problem my teammates were facing… analogous to coming across a question in an exam and not knowing the solution. Brison's frustration was much deeper than mine. Like me, he did not know what the solution was, but it sounded to me like his frustration was due to others' lack of understanding or willingness to admit what the problem was. And his emotions went beyond that because he was frustrated about having the meeting in the first place.

Sitting around, sharing first-hand experiences with racism may reinforce a sense of support within our team, but preaching to the choir will not make steps towards mitigating racism in America. The legacy of racism lives on in racist people; not just the white supremacists, but those disdainful of people of color without openly expressing that disdain. If we wished to have accomplished anything, we would have invited somebody to the table, likely a person in a position of power, that does not hold the same views as us.

I like to consider myself a pretty educated person, but I certainly do not have the same or similar experiences that others have. So I sat there, silent, and listened to Brison. He spoke with emotion, so much so that it hindered his words. I hate when that happens to me; where I get so angry that I cannot find the words to express how I feel. But as he spoke, I caught snippets of wisdom:

"We don't feel like the problem has to be fixed… we're just trying to heal."

I thought about that for a while. Activist and politicians, all they talk about is what can be done to fix the history of tribulations that African-Americans went through. But anyone who has ever lost somebody knows very well that cannot be fixed. There is no fixing of people who have been victims of lynching, no undoing of centuries of slavery or Jim Crow America. The only way to stabilize the 400 years of injustices is to allow African-Americans the opportunity to heal, however long it takes. And as long as African-Americans continue to be beaten over the head with police brutality and other systemic injustices, we cannot expect the trauma to subside.

As Malcolm X once said:
"If you stuck a knife in my back nine inches and pull it out six inches, there's no progress. If you pull it all the way out, that's not progress. Progress is healing the wound that the blow made. And they haven't even pulled the knife out, much less heal the wound. They won't even admit the knife is there."

Brison continued:
"In this moment, I feel supported, but I feel that's the case due to my size and athleticism now. But what happens when the ball stops dribbling? What would happen if you took a foot off my height? I'd be sent across the street (to Third Ward) and I'd be just another black man."

"… just another black man." Those words hung in my head for the extent that the meeting lasted. At the time of the meeting, I did not have any input; I simply thought about the concept of inferiority complex, and Brison's feelings made more sense to me. As bold of a remark as this may be- the system, through education, housing, living standards, and general treatment, has bred an unrealistic feeling of inadequacy among African-Americans, both young and old. For the sake of impartiality, it is important to recognize this. A supposed socioeconomic inferiority can sometimes be marked by aggressive behavior in compensation, which has manifested itself in the unexpected series of riots and looting during the months of BLM protests. I must add that the overwhelming majority of people of color have transcended this behavior, but to even be subject to this is simply human nature and should not be held against them. After all, if a man were repetitively beaten, is he to blame for striking back in self-defense?

The more I thought about this, the more I began to realize the problem. The answer to the problem is the answer to these questions: Who has bred this feeling of inferiority among African-Americans? Who carries on that terrible legacy? The answer is quite simple: It's me.

I come from a family of early 20^th Century immigrants. It is unlikely that my bloodline had any involvement in slavery or Jim Crow, especially considering the Jewishness of my family. I am not a racist man. I have learned a lot from people of differing cultures than my own, and I enjoy nothing more than to embrace that. But the pale color of my skin carries on the legacy and assumes the privileges that the history of America has cultivated. Roughly three weeks ago, I was pulled over by law enforcement for speeding, which I certainly was. I was caught driving 85 mph on a highway with a 60-mph speed limit. After a casual conversation, the officer said, "We're going to use this as a learning experience," and let me off without a ticket. There was a similar occurrence two years ago. I have never felt fear when in the vicinity of a police officer. This, among other spheres, is an explicit example of privilege.

MLK wrote a book titled, Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?, the last one he wrote before he was assassinated. In a chapter, Racism and the White Backlash, he explains the importance of white America assuming the guilt for the black man's inferiority complex. He then follows by saying:

"This does not imply that all white Americans are racists - far from it. Many white people have, through deep moral compulsion, fought long and hard for racial justice. Nor does it mean that America has made no progress in her attempt to cure the body politic of the disease of racism… However, for the good of America, it is necessary to refute the idea that the dominant ideology in our country even today is freedom and equality while racism is just an occasional departure from the norm on the part of a few bigoted extremists."

Perhaps these acts of police brutality are minor on a historical scale; perhaps the amount of misfortune brought upon African-Americans now is meager in comparison to early America, so it is not worth making a big deal out of. Those who are convinced of this should consider rereading Dr. King's quote. We all want to view America as a peaceful and tolerant country. But as long as there is evidence in the contrary, we must, for the good of America, not assume that to be the case. We must recognize the real underlying problem, which is me.

As mentioned, I am not a racist person, and I don't assume most white people in this country to be racist people. But the unfortunate truth the last few months have revealed is that nobody listens to Black people. There is a general lack of respect towards people of color. People of power have somehow assumed that those gifted with more melanin than average are beneath consideration. This is likely a consequence of our education system, which pities people of African descent and solemnly mentions the incredible contributions that have been made by them. History classes, for example, are staggeringly Euro-centric. Most teachers attribute the early advancements of civilization to the Hellenic Republic or the Roman Empire.

Seldom are the Ghana Empire or the Mali Empire or the Songhai Empire mentioned, all powerful and influential societies that deserve similar historical acclaim. No… very little of African history is taught, which can only leave a young mind convinced of whatever it speculated about the history of the African people. It is worth mentioning that a similar narrative is too often directed towards Native American people.

But there is only one conclusion that can be drawn from this: In order for people of color to have their voices heard, they have to be amplified by those who are white; white people whom understand in some respect the plight of the African-American people, and are sickened by it. And if you are like me, a person who has not taken advantage of his privilege and voice to help those that don't, then you too are the problem.

MLK continues in his book:
"Over the last few years many Negroes have felt that their most troublesome adversary was not the obvious bigot of the Ku Klux Klan… but the white liberal who is more devoted to 'order' than to justice, who prefers tranquility to equality."

We all yearn for an America of order and tranquility, but must we sacrifice justice and equality?

The last thing I ask is not to act or speak on the issue because you felt compelled to after reading my message. Act once you have taken the time to listen to those who have spoken; people like Malcolm X and MLK. Listen to the young generation of African-Americans who are pleading for justice and equality. Listen to my teammate and my friend, Brison Gresham. And please, for the good of America, listen to the Black people.

God bless you all, and God bless America,

Caleb Broodo

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