Are All White Americans Police Officers?

The murder of Ahmaud Arbery proves White supremacy’s superiority complex is lethal

Andre Henry
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Photo: Sean Rayford/Stringer/Getty Images

Ahmaud Arbery was considered a trespasser from the day he was born. That racist notion ultimately caused his death.

The 25-year-old man went for a run one February Sunday afternoon near Brunswick, Georgia, as was his custom. That Sunday, his route took him past the home of Travis McMichael, whose father Gregory had been standing in his front yard. Unbeknownst to him, the McMichaels armed themselves with a .357 magnum revolver and a shotgun, and set off after Arbery.

Moments later, Arbery heard a voice call after him. The voice demanded, “Stop, stop, we want to talk with you!” Arbery looked back to see the McMichaels trailing after him in their white pickup truck. Arbery was fatally shot, at least twice, after a struggle over the shotgun. The McMichaels later told police that Arbery fit the description of a robbery suspect, to justify the lynching.

Many across the nation were understandably outraged, and demanded action to stop crimes of racist terror like the one that cut short Arbery’s 25-year-old life. But the truth is that Arbery’s death was caused by an insidious attitude many White Americans are loath to admit: simply put, murders like that of Ahmaud Arbery…

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Andre Henry
LEVEL
Writer for

Best-selling author, award-winning musician, and activist writing about resilience and revolution.