We were riding home today after I’d picked them up from aftercare

Discussing their day as usual

The oldest told me about a video game he wants

The middle told me that he looked at feathers under a magnifying glass

And the youngest? Well he was praying to the good Lord above that I’d fixed tacos for dinner

I was still laughing aloud as my eldest warned everyone to SIT BACK! – thumbing to direct us to the police car riding alongside us

WHO IN THE FUCK INSTILLED THIS FEAR IN THESE BABIES? MY BABIES?

Or a better question – shouldn’t I be doing it too?

Travyon Martin, Jonathan Ferrell, and Renisha McBride all say I should.

But is that fearmongering?

Fear of police, of their own skin.

I fear that you’ll see my grown sons on the streets and you’ll be fearful of them

Not considering that they were raised respectfully, or that they love salads, or that they love to read and be tickled and have their bellies kissed

I fear you letting your conditioning blind you to their humanity

I fear that they’ll never be able to walk alone at night without having to show their freedom papers, IDs, stretched out across some police cruiser’s hood

I fear that they’ll never be able to just be.