How would you feel if you were put in trouble for celebrating something very meaningful to you? I tend to be asked to shut up every now and then by my peers and teachers because of my tendency to deafeningly rejoice otherwise quite lesser achievements; almost like an elephant’s trumpet to a mouse’s squeak in proportion. My celebratory actions are frequently mistaken for boisterous sarcasm by others but it is quite the contrary for I am both jubilant and genuine when rejoicing others success.
5June2015I guess I inherited the celebration-prone characteristic from my mother, often doing her Tanzanian (if I call it African, she will most definitely go on a rant about her Tanzanian culture, as if it is much different from elsewhere within the vast African continent); for example she likes ululating, “le-le-le-le-le-le-le-le-le-le-le-le-le-le-le” during gatherings and celebrations, including during my Confirmation, in addition to a tambourine, which had some white folk puzzled, wondering if someone had accidently set off the fire alarm. Alas, neither one of us has faced and serious trouble, especially compared to the folks I am writing about.
You may or may not know that Mississippi has one of the worst graduation rates in the United States of America. So when someone is at the verge of graduating, it is REALLY something for the folks down there to celebrate. Lanarcia Walker was called to the stage to receive her high school diploma and, like any proud brother should do in my opinion (I for sure know I would do the same), Henry Walker, her brother, shouted some simple words that unfortunately, might forever change his life: “You did it, baby!” were the words, and this irritated the superintendent of that Senatobia High School district, Jay Foster, to the extent that he kicked Henry and at least two others out, and immediately following the graduation ceremony, filed a complaint at the nearby police department saying they were “disturbing his peace.” In his defense, he did request that all gathered in that great hall hold all applauds and celebratory actions till the end of the ceremony.
But I am not going to defend Jay Foster’s “heavy-handedness” as Charles Irvin, legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi, said. In Mississippi, disturbing the peace is punishable by a fine of up to $500 and up to six months in the county jail. Is celebrating a loved one’s growth and achievements really deserving of such a punishment? Ursula Miller, one of the other accused against whom charges were pressed, was also charged for just shouting the name of her graduating niece. And do you know the most absolutely funny part of this entire story is? Both of these named accused, possibly all of the accused, are… wait for it…Black.
Now, I don’t know if it is just Foster’s love of the law or his groggy-ornery attitude but I am pretty sure race had a little to do with this unfortunate outcome. Until June 9, their trial date, we all just have to sit back and pray that our desired side comes out on top. At this moment, though favorable, I would just like to avoid taking up anymore space to showcase my utter disgust of the persecution we African-Americans face daily.
Why sympathy could not be given baffles me. I ponder loudly why the superintendent couldn’t give them a brief moment to cheer after each name is called. I wonder why Foster is such a grumpy old snort.
Let me just leave you with this though: suppose my family was living in that state, and my mother and I find ourselves in a similar situation, with our loud demeanor (in baptism, first communion, confirmation, send-off, bridal-shower, baby-shower, wedding and all good time ceremonies and parties my mom and I go), I believe we would be similarly charged for the expression of our unwavering love for our celebratory relative(s) and friend(s), and all other functions where she ululates like a “kichaa-mwanamke” (joyful-mad-woman). How many times would we be charged? Now, with both of us in custody, would you come to visit us?
Angelous.