Yes, You Can Be a Victim of Racism Even After Your Death

The Backstory

An online article called

“Ahmaud Arbery’s Mom Calls Defense Attorney ‘Rude’ for Saying Her Son Had ‘Long Dirty Toenails’”

written by Tamantha Gun in the online publication called REVOLT summarizes a disturbing segment of the trial for the three men who murdered Ahmaud Arbery.

Laura Hogue, the Attorney of Gregory McMichael made a statement that confirms a harsh reality. The racism that resulted in the murder of a victim due to this form of hatred prevails after their death. In an attempt to further vilify, berate, denigrate the character of Ahmad Arbery, Hogue made the following crass statement during her closing argument:

“Turning Ahmaud Arbery into a victim after the choice he made does not reflect the reality of what brought Ahmaud Arbery to Satilla Shores in his khaki shorts with no socks to cover his long, dirty toenails.”

While speaking to reporters, Mrs. Wanda Cooper-Jones, mother of Ahmaud Arbery later described how these crude remarks affected both she and Ahmad’s father. Here are the comments that she made:

“She described Ahmaud as his long legs and his dirty long toenails, that was just beyond rude…Regardless of what kind of toenails he had, what size legs he had, that was still my son, and my son was running for his life in that description. I thought that was just flat-out rude.”

Mr. Marcus Arbery, Sr. responded,

“It’s just wrong…the way that they tried to characterize his name…it is just really hurting to his mom and me.”

The Real Sentiments Behind the Closing Argument

Photo by Benjamin Finley on Unsplash

Simply stated, the despicable defense attorney dehumanized Ahmaud Arbery.

The remarks made by Laura Hogue were deeply embedded in a form of racism known as othering. Othering refers to the way members of dominant population groups consider members of subordinate groups as inferior because they are not a part of the mainstream. Those in the dominant group exercise power and control over those in the other group.

A characteristic of this type of racism is that other people are expendable and devalued because they are different compared to the favored group of people.

In the case of Ahmaud Arbery, the wretched defense attorney shared a narrative that promoted White supremacy. In other words, she advanced the belief that being White is the norm. Sadly, the other person, Ahmaud Arbery, was demonized. More specifically, because he did not fit into the exclusive White residential community as a Black man who was a member of the other race enjoying a jog, Hogue characterized him as deserving to be hunted down and murdered.

The notion of otherness was further substantiated by the defense attorney as she described the unique physical characteristics of Ahmaud Arbery as highly unusual and alien compared to the group she belonged in. Hogue categorized his legs as extra long as if they were inhuman.

Additionally, the attorney perpetuated the prevailing racist belief that Black skin is equated with dirt and filth. This was evidenced when she mentioned Ahmaud’s toenails as being dirty. What this disgusting woman described as dirt was melanin. Just as melanin gives Black skin the unique hues through the pigmentation that makes each Black person unique, melanin may also be found in the skin under the nails. This may cause the nails of some Black people to have a dark hue. Laura Hogue demonstrated her hatred by sharing the belief that Ahmaud Arbery was synonymous with dirt and filth.

My Final Word

Photo by Chris Henry on Unsplash

The life of Ahmaud Arbery mattered.

This innocent young man cannot be dismissed as a member of the other group who does not matter.

As a member of the human race and as a Black man, Ahmaud deserves the highest form of justice.

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This post was previously published on Equality Includes You.

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