When They See Us by Emmanuel Philor

Scripture: Genesis 39:19-20 

When his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, saying, “This is the way your servant treated me,” he became enraged. And Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined; he remained there in prison.  

When They See Us  

Ava DuVernay released a 4-part docu-series which Chronicles the story of the Central Park five, entitled “When they see us”. This series gave us an experiential account of the events that happened in Harlem on April 19th, 1989. That date, one which is forever etched into the memory of many from that generation, has caused a trauma across the country that has not yet healed. And, as we have gotten to the point where it was hidden enough, the wound has been reopened to expose that there is an infection that still plagues our country. Like many of you, I struggled to watch the gruesome depiction of how Blacks are treated in America, While I know that this story should have told the story of Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana Jr. Yusef Salaam and Korey (Kharey) Wise; it simply reminded us of the fate of the average Black Child in this country that we call our home. These 5 boys were accused of a crime that they didn’t commit and there truly is no explanation as to why. It is not because they were found in the wrong place and time, because the timeline proves that they couldn’t have done it. It’s not because of the evidence because none of their DNA matched with that which was found on the body. The reality is that the only reason why they could be accused of the crime of assaulting, raping and attempting to murder this woman is because they were black boys. The story reminds our country that our society’s integration is merely the surface. In the eyes of many, it proved that there is not much expectation of people of color being as human as White People in America. It forces us to answer the question: Who is the Us that they see?   

DuVernay’s filmography depicts her disgust for the tension and inequality with race in America. She has raised awareness of the plight of the black people with a mere glimpse of Hope. Her work teaches us that the war on race is one that has been fought for many years and another generation needs to take on the fight to ensure the future of black people. Because in America, there is no safe place for the Black Child. When they see us, they see crimes that we haven’t committed coupled with cages to contain us in and her docu-series clearly dictates that. With the awareness that she has raised, all of us have become riddled with the reality of this could be us. That our college degrees, our business professional outfits, socioeconomic status or even the car we drive can prove that we are not a criminal. This is because Generations have been raised thinking that black people could be nothing more. I know that this is a tough pill to swallow and not the message of hope that you may need, but the reality is that there is nothing new Under the Sun. If there are innocent people behind bars as we speak suffering due to an unjust system unwilling to do its due diligence. And an example of this it’s found in today’s text with our dear brother Joseph.  

Joseph was the favorite son of Jacob, which caused him to be the most hated among his brothers. He was the product of his father’s only true love and therefore received the accoutrements of being the child of a loving relationship. Though his mother died upon giving birth to his younger brother, Jacob still favored him because of his relationship with Rachel, Joseph mother. As a result of Joseph having a dream and they hated by his brothers, the combination led him to be sold into slavery in Egypt. Upon arrival in Egypt, God Favored him and he found himself in a place where he was the governor of a high-ranking officer's house, named Potiphar. While working one day and Potiphar’s house, Joseph caught the eye of Potiphar’s wife. When she requested that Joseph come and lay with her, Joseph refused. Due to her embarrassment, she accused Joseph of raping her, to which Joseph was thrown in jail. Though Joseph knew he did not commit the crime, he was also faced with the reality that what’s a foreigner in a Strange Land.  

Similar to Joseph’s story, Blacks in America didn’t come to this place voluntarily, but for the profit of others. Unlike the average human, Blacks are viewed as foreigners and treated like animals. It is difficult to believe or listen to someone that you cannot see as your equal. When I hear stories like these, I struggle to find the good in the world. Our America is a place that makes hope look like a distant stranger, with no anticipation of return. How can we continue in this society that pictures Blacks as lesser citizens? Can Black Children, be children? Will we continue to rob families of its members to appease our quota, while accusing them of crimes they didn’t commit? Our society has no faith in our children and believes that they are only qualified to be prisoners. Potiphar, like many investigators, didn’t even care about the lack of evidence to support the claim that was set before them. The only concern about the situation is about the image of the department. If there is someone of notoriety or the superior race, we must solve the crime for them. What about the hundreds and thousands of cold cases, where the victims are people of ebony hue? Why isn’t this same approach taken? Are we not seen at the same value as these women?  

But the age-old question in this scenario, is where is God? Why hasn’t God stopped these events from happening? Why are the hearts of the American People turned towards equality and justice? God, where are you? To these questions, I stand alongside you, as I don’t have the answers either. I know that God is there because God is omnipresent (fully present in the entirety of the world), but God is seemingly silent. I don’t have the nerve or audacity to use any Christian clichés or misuse scripture to explain where God was amid this tragedy. I’m a firm believer that when God is silent in the text, I ought to be silent about God in the text. This story is not a question of faith for me, but rather a question of morality. With the mixture of courage and stupidity, you find people who use their posterity to push people to the margin because they are different from them. This is not okay, and it bears the question that I need to be answered.   

So, what do you see when you see Us? Do you see the baby, whose birth caused joy in my parent’s heart? Do you see the struggle with us accepting that our dark skin was beautiful, too? Do you see the fear in my family’s eyes when I leave the house wearing a hoodie? Do you see my heart racing when I see flashing lights in my rear view mirror? What do you see, when you see us? Who are we to you, that makes you keep torturing us? Did your ancestors capture and drag us to this continent for the sole purpose of you causing us a torment and oppression that feels eternal? Do you see us praying that we make it back to our homes at night? Whom do you see? Nothing good I do can make me exempt of your torment. I struggle with having Joseph’s resolve at the end of his misery. He argued that though you meant it for evil, God worked it all out for my good, but I don’t want it to work out for my good. I just want the pain to be over, NOW. Let me be clear, that I am tired of preaching this sermon, but unfortunately it is one which still is relevant and necessary. America has still not acknowledged or admitted to its original sin, racism.  

While God was seemingly silent throughout the entirety of the story, God proved that there is still a record of our events in heaven and all that was done in the dark, will be brought to light. So when God couldn’t find a preacher to speak out about it, nor a judge to cry out about the injustice, nor an officer to correct the narrative, nor a public official to stand alongside them, God called a little girl from Lynwood, California to rise and speak out about injustice. God didn’t force her to be a preacher, judge, office or public official, but let her be the creative that she was made to be. She would grow and become a filmmaker who changes how the story is told. That little girl spent her summer right outside of Selma, Alabama and was groomed in an environment that was used to civil action. That little girl became the woman that we are in awe of because her body of work is both relevant and timeless. That woman is our Ms. Ava Marie DuVernay.    

I honor Ava DuVernay for her courage to tell the story that many were unable to articulate until now. Thank you for enlightening us of the dangers that we are facing whenever we leave our houses. Thank you for reminding us of the corruption found in the hearts of people who have vowed to protect and serve us. Thank you for shedding light on the mistakes made by people who judged people without adequate information about the events surrounding our lives. Thank you for showing that the system is rigged against us. Thank you for sharing the truth about a story that has been swept under the rug for years. There were documentaries before, but in about 5 hours, you packaged the emotional, mental and physical captivity that America’s Black People are living in today. Thank you for teaching a generation about how they will treat us When They See Us!