This Is the Fire summary

According to records at the Whitney Plantation, a Louisiana museum dedicated to the history of enslavement, there were ten enslaved people in the state in 1712. By the close of the century, that number had grown to 20,000. The sole purpose of the enslaved people was to provide free labor on Louisiana’s plantations and create wealth for the owners.

Violence such as flogging and branding was used to keep enslaved people submissive and at work. And when some dared to rebel, they were savagely punished. In one horrific example, Charles Deslondes, who led Louisiana’s 1812 German Coast Uprising, had his hands cut off and was shot in both legs so that he couldn’t run. All this before being burned alive. This violence demonstrates a very clear intent.

As the pandemic wreaked havoc around the world, many countries adopted measures to reduce the spread of the virus. These included social distancing and wearing face masks in public spaces. But in America, people argued over wearing masks, while Donald Trump promoted an unproven drug, and claimed that the pandemic was under control.

It was not under control. Over a thousand people were dying every day. Yet, when presented with these alarming stats during an interview, Trump responded with, “It is what it is.” These astounding words reflected something that existed long before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Consider this fact: Black people make up about 13 percent of America’s population but they’re disproportionately killed by the police.

Thirty-two percent of people killed in interactions with police are Black. There are countless instances of officers using excessive force against Black people. There’s the death of Eric Garner for example. Eric was put in a lethal chokehold while being arrested for selling illegal cigarettes. In contrast, when white supremacist Dylann Roof was arrested for killing nine Black people, he was calmly led to the car.

When apartheid ended in South Africa, newly elected President Nelson Mandela had the overwhelming mission of uniting a country divided by violent racism.

To achieve this, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was established. It allowed Black South Africans to tell their stories in televised hearings, ensuring that the country’s history, however terrible, was recorded accurately. Another of the commission’s aims was to promote empathy and forgiveness that would help the country move forward.

One morning, the author noticed some impressive chopping boards in a store window. Interested, he stepped inside, only to be told that customers weren’t allowed in due to COVID-19 regulations. This wasn’t a problem for him, and he left intending to return later to purchase the items from the doorway.

But while paying for the chopping boards, the author noticed a white woman shopping inside. The store clerk said that she was a staff member training, but it didn’t look like it. Afterward, the author went over the unsettling experience repeatedly and even discussed it with friends. Eventually, he decided to return the chopping boards and get his money back. He wasn’t going to support a business that discriminated against Black customers.