... the malevolent pursuit of Ahmaud (Arbery) reveals another bruising paradox in Black life: even as quarters of white America loathe Black bodies, there is at once a lust for Blackness -- yes, to control it, but also to get inside it, to be near something grudgingly admired. To be sure, it is the sort of admiration one has for any animal that is threatening, as one marvels at its strength and cunning, its pluck and crafty ingenuity. Such prowess is cheered when it flashes on the athletic field. When it ranges beyond the arena, it is feared, even stalked, subdued, and, if necessary, killed.
-- Michael Eric Dyson, Long Time Coming, p. 30
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