Grey's Anatomy star Jesse Williams has given his two cents on the Sandra Bland case, condemning the double standards that allow some Americans to exercise their rights while others can't.
In a series of 24 tweets on Wednesday night, Williams argued that there are larger issues at play beyond the single case of Bland and the officer who arrested her.
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Bland, a black woman who was pulled over for allegedly improperly signaling a lane change, was arrested by a white officer, and was later found dead in a Texas Jail.
Brian Encinia, the Texas Department of Public Safety officer who arrested her, claims that Bland had kicked him, causing him to charge her for assaulting a public servant. Police dashboard video released earlier this week, however, shows no evidence of Encinia's claims, and instead shows him threatening Bland with a taser.
Williams took to Twitter to address issues of racism and white privilege.
1 Some thoughts on #SandraBland & millions of Americans exhausted by paid servants destroying instead of defending lives. And those— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
2 reflexively parroting weak slogans; squealing for violence & murder from behind a centuries-old wall of perfectly visible privilege.— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
3 This country is FULL of Americans who actively exercise their rights when given unlawful, unclear orders by police.— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
4 Refusing to roll down windows, present ID, hand over assault rifles, answer ANY questions, etc.— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
5 THEY are lauded as heroes; patriots. Message boards swell w/ Police being ridiculed & laughed at by this Patriot-Class of Americans.— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
6 Without fail, when select Americans excercise their rights, message boards FILL w praise for the resisting citizen & mockery of police.— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
7 An entire political party [re]constructed loudly claiming to RESIST "gov't tyranny" while actively CELEBRATING [certain] gov't tyranny!— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
8 A select segment of Americans are granted the privilege of being able to resist said tyranny, scream at it, punch, shove or elude it.— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
9 For membership consideration, this club has ONE requirement: the citizen(s) resisting police/the law/status quo must be white.— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
10 Every time the story involves a black citizen, doing far less, presumed guilt BEGINS as their's to shed. But one cannot shed blackness.— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
11 Blackness turns "awesome!" or "badass!" to "thug" "nigger" faster than a speeding bullet. Whiteness turns villain to hero in a flash.— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
12 As we well know, police are not THE law. They swear to UPHOLD & ENFORCE the law in a professional, courteous manner, whenever possible.— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
13 Otherwise, whenever we had a problem, we'd just call our friends, local gangs or the mob to handle problems.— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
14 The mob, gangs and citizens can be prosecuted though.— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
15 Should there should be a discernible difference b/t thugs & police?— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
16 You can't arrest someone for "resisting arrest." That's bullshit. Clearly state the charge & when resisted, that's an additional charge.— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
17 WE DO NOT BEGIN AS POLICE PROPERTY, to be freed or detained based on some guy's mood or feeling. We are not theirs.— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
18 Police weapons & cuffs do not dissolve if we don't like their attitude. Our rights should remain intact if they're displeased w/ ours.— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
19 #SandraBland's treatment while attempting to travel freely on HER public roadways has been acknowledged as unlawful. She is already dead.— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
20 Blackness is born to be w/ 2.9 strikes. A life that can & will be snatched by it's nation at any time, any place. Any age, any gender.— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
21 Those who relentlessly excuse all anti-black state violence cheerlead when people born of their same complexion resist cops & presidents.— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
22 What follows is an easily searchable sampling of the glaring daily white privilege not afforded to millions of Americans— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
23 who's lives are forever damaged or destroyed, while millions cheer and/or avert their gaze:— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
24 Before we begin, please list ALL infractions punishable by spontaneous murder at the hands of any police or white citizen. #ShowYourWork— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
Williams proceeded to provide examples of white Americans who have gotten away with much worse behavior in the presence of police:
Man resists, curses, repeatedly punches, shoves, then runs from cops, who never consider shooting/killing him. https://t.co/jGJbbkFIYO— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
Woman Goes on Shooting Spree, Yet Somehow Isn't Killed By Police http://t.co/wMexigGvUJ #SandraBland— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
San Diego [White] Man Waves Gun Around Small Children In Confrontation With Police, then treated like a human being http://t.co/wKM4ahM6Gm— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
Teen attacks cops, takes his gun, fires it, neither beaten nor killed. Not news. https://t.co/XWYP6wimZn #JohnCrawford— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 22, 2015
Williams has been outspoken about racism and injustice in the past, having made several comments regarding Michael Brown, a black teenager shot and killed by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, and speaking out on issues of racism and representation in film and television as well.
.@imomi12598 Please disabuse yourself of the notion that my purpose on earth is to tuck ignorance in at night. #ViolenceIncites #Ferguson— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) August 16, 2014
In the meantime, the events surrounding Sandra Bland are still sparking questions and debate; the latest twist came when the Sheriff of Texas's Waller County said that Bland told jailers about a 2014 suicide attempt.