After Sandra Bland was found dead in a Texas jail cell, protests erupted all over Waller County Police as people demanded answers.
Grey’s Anatomy star Jesse Williams eloquently added his voice to the chorus of people calling for an explanation in a long series of tweets on Wednesday.
Williams turned to Twitter Wednesday night to address to death of bland in 24 epic tweets.
“WE DO NOT BEGIN AS POLICE PROPERTY, to be freed or detained based on some guy’s mood or feeling,” he wrote. “We are not theirs.”
In reference to the fact that Bland had refused to put out her cigarette when the officer asked her to, he tweeted, “A select segment of Americans are granted the privilege of being able to resist said tyranny, scream at it, punch, shove or elude it. For membership consideration, this club has ONE requirement: the citizen(s) resisting police/the law/status quo must be white.”
“#SandraBland’s treatment while attempting to travel freely on HER public roadways has been acknowledged as unlawful. She is already dead,” he continued. “Blackness is born to be w/ 2.9 strikes. A life that can & will be snatched by it’s nation at any time, any place. Any age, any gender.”
He then went on to provide his Twitter followers with an “easily searchable sampling of the glaring daily white privilege not afforded to millions of Americans who’s lives are forever damanged or destroyed, while millions cheer and/or avert their gaze.”
See all of Williams’ tweets below:
1 Some thoughts on #SandraBland & millions of Americans exhausted by paid servants destroying instead of defending lives. And those
— jesse Williams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
2 reflexively parroting weak slogans; squealing for violence & murder from behind a centuries-old wall of perfectly visible privilege.
— jesse Williams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
3 This country is FULL of Americans who actively exercise their rights when given unlawful, unclear orders by police.
— jesse Williams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
4 Refusing to roll down windows, present ID, hand over assault rifles, answer ANY questions, etc.
— jesse Williams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
5 THEY are lauded as heroes; patriots. Message boards swell w/ Police being ridiculed & laughed at by this Patriot-Class of Americans.
— jesse Williams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
6 Without fail, when select Americans excercise their rights, message boards FILL w praise for the resisting citizen & mockery of police.
— jesse Williams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
7 An entire political party [re]constructed loudly claiming to RESIST "gov't tyranny" while actively CELEBRATING [certain] gov't tyranny!
— jesse Williams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
8 A select segment of Americans are granted the privilege of being able to resist said tyranny, scream at it, punch, shove or elude it.
— jesse Williams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
9 For membership consideration, this club has ONE requirement: the citizen(s) resisting police/the law/status quo must be white.
— jesse Williams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
10 Every time the story involves a black citizen, doing far less, presumed guilt BEGINS as their's to shed. But one cannot shed blackness.
— jesse Williams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
11 Blackness turns "awesome!" or "badass!" to "thug" "nigger" faster than a speeding bullet. Whiteness turns villain to hero in a flash.
— jesse Williams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
12 As we well know, police are not THE law. They swear to UPHOLD & ENFORCE the law in a professional, courteous manner, whenever possible.
— jesse Williams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
13 Otherwise, whenever we had a problem, we'd just call our friends, local gangs or the mob to handle problems.
— jesse Williams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
14 The mob, gangs and citizens can be prosecuted though.
— jesse Williams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
15 Should there should be a discernible difference b/t thugs & police?
— jesse Williams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
16 You can't arrest someone for "resisting arrest." That's bullshit. Clearly state the charge & when resisted, that's an additional charge.
— jesse Williams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
17 WE DO NOT BEGIN AS POLICE PROPERTY, to be freed or detained based on some guy's mood or feeling. We are not theirs.
— jesse Williams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
18 Police weapons & cuffs do not dissolve if we don't like their attitude. Our rights should remain intact if they're displeased w/ ours.
— jesse Williams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
19 #SandraBland's treatment while attempting to travel freely on HER public roadways has been acknowledged as unlawful. She is already dead.
— jesse Williams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
20 Blackness is born to be w/ 2.9 strikes. A life that can & will be snatched by it's nation at any time, any place. Any age, any gender.
— jesse Williams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
21 Those who relentlessly excuse all anti-black state violence cheerlead when people born of their same complexion resist cops & presidents.
— jesse Williams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
22 What follows is an easily searchable sampling of the glaring daily white privilege not afforded to millions of Americans
— jesse Williams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
23 who's lives are forever damaged or destroyed, while millions cheer and/or avert their gaze:
— jesse Williams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
24 Before we begin, please list ALL infractions punishable by spontaneous murder at the hands of any police or white citizen. #ShowYourWork
— jesse Williams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015