Across most of America, the 4th of July was a time for friends and family to gather in the celebration our nation’s independence. In Homewood Alabama, people of all races walked up and down the closed-off streets, harmoniously enjoying music and barbecue while young kids jumped in inflated bouncy houses. An African American DJ led the fun with upbeat music, line dancing, and good humor (see video below).
Around the same time, social activist David A. Sadler chose a different path for Independence Day. He staged a mock lynching, rigging himself off the Riverwalk sign in the heart of Montgomery as if he had been hanged. He held a sign that read, “Dear DOJ, Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death,” a pejorative message for Attorney General Jeff Sessions, and apparently to draw attention to police shootings of African Americans.
In Sadler’s his Facebook videos, he could be heard talking to observers saying,
It’s about helping somebody in need. All you have to do is just talk to people and say love really matters. This hurt my heart so bad seeing that baby in the backseat of the car (apparently referring to the Minnesota incident in which a man was shot by police while his child was in the car). It doesn’t have to be marching through the street. The bad rap comes from the bad apples. Small changes happen amongst your friends.
He also had a friendly conversation with two white police officers in which he said,
Honestly I mean this from the bottom of my heart, I have no idea how you guys walk up to a car every day not knowing what’s going to happen. That scares me, I couldn’t do it. Tinted windows…what’s going on inside, I couldn’t do it. So honestly, thank you for your service. Keep doing what you’re doing and I pray for y’all every night that God will keep y’all safe.
The officer replied, “God bless you.” A second officer said, “I appreciate you doing things the right way….we support everybody, and everybody has the right to express their first amendment rights. A lot of people choose the more dangerous route and get hurt. That’s why we didn’t have to intervene.”
Sadler continued,
We were ready to jail for the cause. As you can see, it’s not about going out and acting like fools and burning your own stuff and getting crazy. Just believe. We did what we had to do. God Bless y’all. Do you count? Of course you do. God bless y’all.
While his conversations were warm and friendly, Sadler’s mock lynching was a stark departure from his moving demonstration last summer when he blindfolded himself in front of Riverwalk Stadium with a sign that said “You do not have to fear me! I count. U count. We count! I trust u, do u trust me? LET’S HUG. God is love.” The video of Sadler’s “trust hugs” went viral. Last night, one mother commented at how enraged she was because her child was so upset at the appearance of a man dangling by his neck.
Related: Alabama remains peaceful as racially-charged violence sweeps the nation. Here’s why.
Not long after Mr. Sadler’s demonstration last night, some 1,000 miles away in the Bronx, a 48-year old NYPD officer, Miosotis Familia was shot while writing in her memo book, apparently unaware of her approaching killer. Familia had not engaged her shooter in any way, and New York police are calling her death a “clear assassination.” Her suspected killer was a 34-year old African American male, Alexander Bonds, who was shot and killed by Familia’s fellow officers when he leveled his weapon on them.
According to the Washington Post, 963 people were fatally shot by American police officers in 2016. Of those, 465 (48%) were white, 233 (24%) were black, 160 were Hispanic, and 205 were unknown or other races. Per FBI data, approximately 6,000 blacks were killed by other blacks in violent crimes in 2015.
