12 Jun A Message from EDS President Elmer Dixon

I often tell people that when I travel abroad to Europe that I feel more comfortable and welcomed than I do in my home country. This is because Europeans, for the most part, don’t bear the scars and experiences of American racism. Not that racism doesn’t exist in Europe, it would be naïve to say otherwise, but it is very different.

Europe has come to grips with its colonialist and racist past in many ways yet more work still needs to be done. The stain of American slavery and the dehumanization of Black and other people of color coupled with the state of denial that most whites here have been in for generation after generation contributes immensely to our current state of troubling behavior.

Friends have reached out and asked about my emotions at this time. You must remember, I am a longtime front line warrior for justice and freedom for over 50 years. I have been a freedom fighter since I was 17. And yes, I am outraged at seeing the public lynching and brutal murder of yet another Black man and the brutal murder of Breonna Taylor in her own home by racist, overzealous cops. But this has been the history of America for over 400 years and certainly over my lifetime.

My father wrote an emotional poem for publication in 1955 when I was 5 years old upon the brutal lynching and murder of Emmett Till, who lived in his neighborhood in Chicago, the same one where I was born. In 1963 when I was 13, I wept at the sight of the 4 little girls who were blown to bits in the 16thStreet Baptist Church by members of the KKK. I’ve seen countless murders and brutality which led me to become a Panther and Revolutionary at 17. These murders have been constant, with the only difference in recent years being the plethora of cell phones making them more visible.

So my current emotions are what they have always been, controlled rage and anger at this racist society in which we live. This is nothing new. It’s the reality of living Black in America and the only way for me to stay sane has been to fight for change while recognizing the good in people both here and abroad. I have been encouraged by the sustained revolts and uprising on the part of demonstrators and the fact that it has been in large part a multi-racial coalition that is outraged. There is hope that some real change may come out of this so I am hopeful now more than ever.

Leaders are finally stepping up and in Seattle. Just yesterday, the City Council proposed a partial defunding the Seattle Police Department to implement change that allows for building a community policing model, a step in the right direction. The Black Panther Party set the examples 50 years ago when we called for community control of police and an end to the brutal murder of innocent Black people.

We led by example and did it through action, not talk, like our Police Alert Patrols, patrolling police to prevent the murder of innocent Black people and our call for community control of police and police review boards. We embarrassed the Federal government into providing kids with free breakfasts and lunch through by setting the example through our Children’s Free Breakfast Programs and led the way in delivering free healthcare by opening our Free Medical Clinics, of which, the Seattle BPP Clinic is the only one still operating 50 years later.

So while I have controlled rage I am encouraged by the Freedom Fighters of today and the ongoing struggle for human justice and dignity. Freedom and the good in people will prevail. I have always believed this.

Elmer Dixon, President
Executive Diversity Services