What Does A ‘Bad Dude’ Look Like?

On Friday, Terence Crutcher, a stranded motorist, was stunned with a stungun and fatally shot by Tulsa police. The 40-year-old father of four was unarmed, Chuck Jordan, Tulsa Police Chief, confirmed.

READ: The Impact of Police Shootings On African Americans

Video and audio clips were released by police on Monday. BBC News reports:

In the video, he is seen walking away from officers and toward his vehicle with his hands up before he approaches the door on the driver’s side.

There he drops to the ground after being apparently tasered and then fatally shot.

He died later in hospital, police said.

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In video footage taken by police helicopter, a dispatcher is heard saying, “That looks like a bad dude, too. Could be on something.”

What does a ‘bad dude’ look like, specifically from the high view of a helicopter? I’ll wait.

Again, we are left with the sadness, the anger, the injustice of another name. Another hashtag. Another Black life that didn’t matter. We always find ourselves back at the “The Stages of What Happens When There’s Injustice Against Black People,” as Awesomely Luvvie so powerfully pointed out YEARS AGO.

"The Stages of What Happens When There’s Injustice Against Black People" by @Luvvie http://t.co/gVjlCoCn6Q #BlackLivesMatter

— Natalia Oberti Noguera (@nakisnakis) June 18, 2015

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While the police continue to investigate and the family of Terence Crutcher seek that criminal charges are made against the officers involved and mourn the loss of a father, brother, son, friend – a HUMAN LIFE – what do we do?

We know that our silence won’t protect us. I’ve found that in my own frustrations writing and speaking out have been healing, and they’ve been a part of our collective healing. When we don’t personally have the words, maybe someone else can say what we can’t.

Thank you to Chicago poet Leslé Honoré and activist for her poetry below. If it resonates with you, share it. If it resonates with you, send us your poetry to [email protected].

What does a bad dude look like ?

Black
Unarmed
Not a threat
A 12 year old boy
A 18 year old boy
A 33 year old man
A man with a broken down car
Hands in the air
Selling movies
Selling cigarettes
Standing
Breathing
Living
Sleeping
Loving
Working
Taking a knee
Running a country
My father
My brother
My son

In our hoods
Bad dudes
Hide behind badges
Bad dudes follow my
13 year old baby when he rides his skateboard
Two blocks from our apartment
To buy candy from the gas station
At 10 am
On a Saturday

Bad dudes
Pull men over
For nothing
Rob them of the cash in their pockets
And send them on their way
Angry and grateful to be alive

In our hoods
Bad dudes tail you
Till your hands sweat
Till you fear
Till you forget to signal
Right
Then they have the right
To flash blue lights
and you’ll swing in your cell

In our hoods
Red white and blue
Doesn’t mean freedom
It means
You disappear in a warehouse
On the west side of Chicago
And a gun is put down your throat
And your testicles are tasered
And your face is maced
And your family is threatened
Till you confess to crimes you didn’t commit
And you go to 26th and Cali
If you are lucky
If not
You just disappear

Bad dudes pull you over
Shoot you when your hands are up
Because your car stalled
Because you are a child with a toy gun
Bad dudes burst into homes
Kill women
Shoot 5 year old babies
To serve a bench warrant
In my hoods
In my barrios
Bad dudes often wear blue

Leslé Honoré is a Blaxican Poet, Mother, Freedom Fighter and Spirit Writer. She believes HBCUs, Tacos and Gumbo without kale can save the world. You can follow her on Facebook @Leslé Honoré and on Twitter @Lesle_honore.