Renisha McBride, by Alejandro Miranda-Casab

Some time ago
My father lent me something that was purely his own
His car - A Saab two liter turbo
I was going to see my girlfriend
I wanted to impress her

Well I encountered a problem

You see I was driving and I suddenly was the kid on the bus who missed his stop.
I made a left I made a right- then another left and then another right
I realized I was lost and it became night
A swelling arose in my chest
I knew there was no return
The last thing that I heard
Was “STOP YOU’RE ABOUT TO CRASH”

Then it was dark

And it was slow
I heard a shout like a bark
“Are you okay?”

I woke up amongst the treetops

I was surrounded by cops
My first question was am I alive?
But the woman praying over me told me that I still had some time
They pulled me out of the wreckage
Asked if I had blacked out
People left their homes
So many of them came to help me
It felt like such a privilege

Turns out it was just privilege
I look like a white male and I’m in a white male’s world
At least I’m not black and I’m not a girl
At least my name was not Renisha - things could’ve been worse
You see we were about the same age
On that fateful night
See we crashed around the same time
On that fateful night
You see she crashed at night too

But she hit her head and

She needed help
But no one offered it to her
She had to look for it
Something I never had to do
She went to ask for help
As if she felt that was a right guaranteed her…
Was that not a right guaranteed her?
Why wouldn’t it be?

So she crawls up to the door

Disoriented and bloody
She knocked a couple times
The man arose very suddenly
The man opened the door
Last thing she heard was “BAM!”

Then it was dark

And it was still dark
It was dark then
It’s still dark now
She never woke up

“She was trying to break in” he claimed

Really buddy who’s not really my buddy
Would you rob a house that was clearly inhabited?
And had all their lights on you animal
She screamed for help
And you murdered her

Why me and not her?

I crashed and was surrounded

People rushed they were eager
I often wonder how they knew it was clearly an accident
How they knew I was good natured and not drunk or high
Of course he’s not a troublemaker
Look at the car that he’s in.
Look at the color of his skin.

My name is Alejandro they probably thought it was Alexander.

What if they knew I was Hispanic “Wait you’re a Latino?”
Renisha McBride was black and a girl - and I’m clearly not
“It was Self-Defense!” he claimed.
I know it’s because she was black.