The phrase, seeing is believing is well known, but not true in many cases. People see plenty of things and despite all evidence (Who are you gonna believe? Me or your lying eyes?) they will twist what's plain and clear into a braided pretzel. Beyond seeing is believing, there's also common sense, where without seeing, basic facts are presented. But many times when black males are involved, common sense is either ignored or rationalized away, to the point of absurdity.
For instance:
A black man is repeatedly beaten by cops while helpless and on the ground for several minutes, a beating that's videotaped. The video goes viral.
"He shouldn't have been resisting arrest."
A black man is strangled to death on camera.
"He talked back to the cops AND he shouldn't have been selling illegal cigarettes."
A black youth is shot in the back while handcuffed. The murder is videotaped.
"Well, he shouldn't have provoked the cop."
A black youth is killed while handcuffed from behind as he's sitting in the back of a police car.
"Somehow the police missed the weapon when they searched him and put him in handcuffs. Yes, he committed suicide while handcuffed in the back of a police vehicle. The left handed young man, while handcuffed behind his back, somehow managed to get the gun he'd hidden, and shot himself in the head using his right hand. Hey, it's totally possible to shoot yourself in the head with your non-dominate hand while handcuffed behind your back. Here, let me show you. See, how easy it is?"
A black youth is gunned down on the street. Shot in the back once, and then six more times while standing with his hands up in surrender. (This according to 3 eye-witnesses)
"He must have done something to deserve it. Cops just don't shoot citizens for no reason."
A black man is gunned down in Walmart while holding a toy gun.
"He must have smart-mouthed the police. Or maybe he pointed the weapon at them and they were forced to shoot."
A white kid walks down a street brandishing a loaded weapon, smart mouths the police, refuses to show ID, refuses to give up his weapon, then is allowed to leave WITH his weapon.
"He's just exercising his 2nd Amendment rights."
Armed to the teeth white men point weapons at Federal agents while defending a man who's unrepentantly stealing from the government.
"They're patriots exercising their 2nd Amendment rights."
In this day and age, where everybody and their mother has access to a video camera, seeing is not believing, especially when racial politics are involved.
But EXPERIENCING is.