When I saw the footage, my blood ran cold.
There are moments when gestures transcend their immediate context, reaching back into history to echo long-standing systems of power and oppression.
That moment, to me, wasn’t just a fleeting signal; it was a loud declaration of allegiance to authority shaped by a history of exclusion and dominance.
The weight of such a display feels inescapable.
It’s not just about the individual making the gesture but what it represents—a legacy of silencing, marginalizing, and asserting control.
The symbols of the past don’t fade; they linger, waiting for moments like this to remind us of their enduring presence.
They embolden those who cling to a world where their power goes unchallenged.
It’s natural to feel unsettled, even angered, by such an overt display.
That moment reminds us of the fragility of progress and the vigilance required to protect it.
It challenges us to respond—not with complacency but with clarity and courage, ensuring that gestures rooted in hatred and supremacy are met with resistance, not reverence.
If we are to move forward, we must call out these moments for what they are and refuse to let them pass unexamined.
These symbols only hold power if we allow them to persist unchecked.
The work of dismantling that power is ours to continue.