A Conversation at Dinner A child's viewpoint in the Riots of Los Angeles, CA

A Conversation at Dinner 

A child's viewpoint in the Riots of Los Angeles, CA

Everybody's yelling, everybody screaming I don't know what's on the TV things are simmering people are screaming. I watched, I pondered. I went to play with my dolls, and I came back. They were still burning and screaming all of the stores and pretty places gone.

I had asked my mother what was wrong? She told me in the world, we couldn't find any understanding that not everyone is a criminal. Not everyone is a bully not everybody else is allowed to do what they want all of these things seemed. Like someone tells me something I did not understand.

I just know the next day and the next day people are burning and screaming. So, they start talking? People start discussing again? I need to know why people are burning and screaming ? I definitely, don't wanna be fleeing and screaming . 

I'm confused at the state of everything and my mom is like oh well we can just look at cartoons .We could just do those types of things and not have to stress and deal or be sure of what's going on in the world. I want to know why people are burning and screaming?

The time has come for another dinner and we will recite our prayers. Will I be able to tell accordingly what's going on. Cause everyone else appears not displeased. This hurt my heart was this the twilight zone. When that came on tv had was ready to sleep.

I know enough to know that I live in New York and these people in LA . 

“Is LA close to Sesame Street ?” I asked . Why are they burning and screaming? It was a beautiful table setting and we eat well. It was hot in those days, extremely I had just wiped my crown with a napkin. We ate ice cream, chicken, mac a cheese, watermelon. That is when I agreed on I needed to know! Now !Why would people continue riot. What is riot? I was still stunned.

There’s a bang of a dish fallen from the table.  “ Baby Girl”, I don't desire to talk about but that. They are over there in LA. We believe in black people here in Brooklyn. People just not believing in each other. They just generally seeing skin and blood and and bones. Point period.!Whenever a mother said that! Point period. It was time to end the dialogue. We finished the meal and everyone went to bed. 

The next day began with hotcakes. My mother was staring at the TV in the kitchen. I said again mom. Yes, babygirl she conceded and handed me pancakes and eggs. My brother wanted cereal that's all they are! They cared less bout everything that bothered me. If it was Sega it wasn't any of there business. Why couldn't I be so naive? How do I know what naive is? I ask myself.

My mother vowed to me there’ll be better days!Why can't they find love? I asked myself. Within those days riots took place in LA. I comprehended some people are just raised that way. That's what my mother told me and she notified me that there was a person named Ronnie king. Or Rodney yes Rodney. His name will live on. 

They did him so bad and I can't understand. Why not I had to see that video. But I did! It was a horrible horror.That was my first question. I asked this quickly and without consequence. The second question comes from the line black girls circumstance. Why did the little child in the store have to die? Was she stealing so much? Could he not tell it was a child? I asked and yelled for a answer!

She warned me a black girl goes ; missing, abused, tortured, and forever lost or stolen and no one gawks for her! We all watched the show  America's Most Wanted every week. The commentator's son was missing so I inquired would you go on TV for me. ? Yes, my mother told me. 

She went on and on about it. Every night and day. They don't care about us and all black brown yellow with any color besides white. But the system police and courts support racism. Enable hate crimes and tolerate ignorance and segregation! She preached this for days I tell you! With meatloaf and rice. Shrimp and vegetables and barbecue spare ribs! Hmm hmm good! 

Why people exist to survive and endure the burning and screaming. We are black people, I don't want people to maintain running scared of us. I felt this path with no prejudice.  For us, and with us we are black! My mother my father everybody at the table started crying out. We had steak and potatoes when I said this with cornbread. I was hopped up in the table like a black panther! 

I'm looking around like what did I say was I wrong. I'm not gonna be black. They have said. Baby, you're supposed to want to be black. This is all we are supposed to be! Black and proud! Looking at the people burning everything is peeking and glancing at our future, I said. 

People crying out and looking at the injustice. This is making me understand that we have to stand for something and from now until forever always. However, that is you will have to stand for something. It's a terrible story to tell as a child or to comprehend. An unstable moment in the history of the world. 

What happened they tried to explain it to me over and over again. In the next two more days people are still burning and screaming. I still don't know what happened then a young girl went into a store and got shot. Rodney King was attacked by cops. A young child dead just like me and I can say she was just like me because her skin was like me.That's what I told my mother. While we prepares lasagna and garlic bread. So therefore my mother I ask you again. I'm asking you for this last time am I supposed to be scared to be Black?