Ever been “coal rolled?”  I have, and so has my family.  Flashback to last Saturday in Richfield, Wisconsin when we were eating outside.  I wasn’t holding a BLM sign, protesting, rioting, looting etc.  I was eating lunch.  Now before you get all defensive and tell me “maybe it wasn’t directed at you or your family,” or you say “maybe it’s just an asshole who does that to people outside,” or “maybe he was just accelerating”,  we were the only people outside, and I’ve eaten thousands of meals outside and it’s never happened to me, and it’s a 25 MPH zone in the middle of town.  A thick black cloud of smoke was meant to cover me and my family while we ate. (nothing at all against the restaurant, they were so kind and great food!)  You want to know why it happened?  It’s because I was sitting with 2 Black kids.  Two Black kids who will be far too soon in their lives seen as adults and then threats.  This is the world we live in.  If you don’t believe it happened because my children are Black, GTFO of my life.  Facebook and otherwise.  That’s not the lack of support I need for me or my family.  When a family can’t sit outside and enjoy a meal without being harassed it’s a sad world.  And I didn’t even mention the guy on the dirt bike who drove by 3 (yes 3 times) and stared us down.  Gee, I wonder why?

Growing up in Central Wisconsin I know all too well what bigotry and racism looks like.  Yeah, I know it exists all over…there are some areas worse than others.  Central Wisconsin is one of them.  What does that matter you may ask?  Well…I know a racist.  I know a bigot.  I know bias when I see it.  Coal rolling me and my family because we have Black children is all three of those things.  It is.   

Here is a message straight to you who did it or would do something like this.  Grow a pair.  Stop and have a conversation.  Look me in the eyes.  Look my Black children in the eyes.  Scared?  Because I’m not.  Do it.  Be better.  Come and have a conversation.  DON’T be a coward.  Yeah, I called you a coward.  Your conceal carry doesn’t make you a man (or woman), or tough.  Because that’s what you are, a coward. You are a coward.  I’m not shying away or backing down from you.  And I never will.     

You know what I’ve realized?  I’ve got cowards in my family who try to justify this.  I have cowards in my friend groups who try to justify this.  I see cowards online who justify this.  Enough is enough.  Bye.  You have no right to be in my life.  I’ll say it in a different way even.  YOU WILL NEVER HAVE A PART IN MY CHILDREN’S LIVES.  Do you get that?  That means don’t call, don’t write, don’t speak to me.  Like I said, if you want to have a conversation instead of justifying why “coal rolling” happened to me and my family I will do that.  If not GTFO.  (Google it if you don’t know what it means.) 

My children deserve a fair shot in this messed up world.  See their color, see their worth, see their good.  Don’t treat them like you “don’t see color.” Treat them like you do and you see a king and a queen who are capable of any and everything, like I do.  And like they should. 

 ~Eli