In this story is 16-year-old African American high school student talks about the joy of having an older brother who was in the military. This young man can't wait until he graduates so that he can join as well. The disappointing reality is that both of these young men are joining the military because the area in which they live in, as black faces, has not been a safe place for them. He recounts his brother’s situation as well as his own of verbal abuse and physical trauma executed on them by their peers. His brother tried to keep him safe by giving him rules to follow but he just wants to be a teenager, just like everyone else doing the things kids his age do. But when he joins the track team and trusts the wrong girl, he finds himself embarrassed and standing completely vulnerable in the middle of an intimidating circle of bullies. They laugh, they call him names, they hate him, and he doesn’t know why. But what he won’t do is allow them to break him. He stands strong, never cries, and will not beg them for anything, even his life. It is clear that no matter when in history we are, black bodies are misunderstood and mistreated for no reason other than the color of their skin. It may be difficult but it’s a fact that sometimes they just don’t get it.
They Just Don't Get It
I got a letter from my brother in the mail yesterday and I was excited to see it, but I haven't opened it yet. There's something about the anticipation of opening it that makes it more exciting and then all of that excitement leaves after I read it. That probably sounds weird, but it makes sense to me. If I don't read it then I can be excited about reading it for however long it takes me to read it. I'm 16 and my brother is 22. He's in the military. He writes me one letter a week just like he promised before he left. He always keeps his promises. His name is Zach, and he is the best marine in the business. Every letter is detailed, and every letter comes with a new picture of him. He'll be standing next to a big military vehicle or holding some big gun that is really heavy. I'm so proud of him. The best thing that you can do for someone who is in the military is to communicate with him. Even if it's something that doesn't make sense; like I send him postcards that I find at random gas stations that I think are funny. I send him food, but not the typical things that you might send to someone who's in the military in another country. I send him caramel popcorn and any kind of sour candy at least once a month. That's what my part time job pays for, postage and me sending caramel popcorn to my big brother. Zach never wanted to go into the military but is it weird that as a black man he thought it was a safer choice than staying here?