Written by Justice H.
What color is innocence? Many may not think about this question often, but if you dig into the archives of any courtroom, or walk through any county jail or state prison, you will find that innocence may indeed have a color.
Black people only represent 13.3% of the U.S. population, while white people make up 77%. But, there are more black men in state prisons across the nation than there are white men. Blacks are 5.1 times more likely to be incarcerated than whites, and blacks represent more than half the prison population in 11 states.
I’ll ask the question again. Does innocence have a color?
We live in a country that says, “You are innocent until you are proven guilty.” Yet when we dig into systematic racism, and how blacks have been the target in so many crime initiatives, it should make you think about the color of innocence. “Stop and Frisk” was deemed unconstitutional in 2013, yet 54% of the 191,588 people who were violated, were black, while only 11% of those searches were white.
Which leads me to a current example of innocence based on race.
As of late Indianapolis City-County Council President, Stephen Clay has been the subject of multiple stories in the media. We have seen him in blogs.
We have heard about him on the radio, and most definitely seen him on television. The most astounding thing about all of this media attention is that it is all present news based on a case 15 years ago where Clay was accused of sexual assault by a minor. Although Clay was accused, and the allegations went through the proper channels, there were no charges brought up against him.
For those of you who may believe that timing is everything, isn’t it amazing how all of these allegations were raised two weeks before Councilman Clay, and former President Maggie Lewis were to square off for the council President seat? Lewis was defeated by Clay in what we call a democratic process, or a vote (14-11). Since that moment local lynch mobs have been developed, with the desire to remove Clay from his seat as President.
There was a similar case in 2016, when city-council Vice President Zach Adamson was accused of rape by a 19 year old man. Not only was Adamson accused, he was also hit with a protection order. Adamson vehemently denied the allegations. Where were the marches, rallies, and lynch mobs? Who didn’t believe Adamson? How many IBJ, Star, and Recorder articles were written about him?
Adamson was eventually cleared of any wrongdoing, and was able to move forward, and begin putting things back together in his life. He still has his seat on the council, and does not have the media brining up his history from 2 years ago.
If you are a true advocate for equality, shouldn’t you be asking, “Why hasn’t Clay has not been granted the same freedom,” being that his case is 15 years old?
Personally, I have no idea what happened in either man’s case. If they did what they were accused of, and were cleared, then that is something that they will have to talk to God, and their conscience about. If they were in fact innocent, then that is justice operating correctly.
Was it easier to believe Zach Adamson because he is a white man? Is it easier to not believe Clay because he is a black man?
Nevertheless, in order to become an agent of equality and justice, you can’t be one who fans the flame against one person, and puts out the fire when it comes to another. It is especially wrong when the situations are similar.
When looking at all the things that are going on in our Nation’s capital, it seems that we should be figuring out how to be unified instead of apart. Racism in America has reared its ugly head in a way that seems unimaginable. We have to be more aware, and we also have to stop it in its track before it takes us to a darker place than that place we were in not so long ago.
If innocent until proven guilty is the process, then we need to stick to it. If it isn’t, then let’s be honest about it, and finally say that innocence has a color. I personally believe that innocence does has a color, and that color is white.
Until America is able to show us differently, I believe we will have to continue showing her inequalities to the masses.
Did You Think About This? 