Black Lives Matter
Start writing a post
Community

Black Lives Matter

A look into cases that motivate a wave of change.

85
Black Lives Matter
Photo by Nicole Baster on Unsplash

George Floyd. Eric Garner. Trayvon Martin. Christian Cooper. Ahmaud Arbery.

The list is extensive, but these are just a few instances of the injustices black individuals have faced that have caused a wave in demanding social change.

George Floyd

Benjamin Crump via TMX.news

George Floyd was murdered by Minnesota police on the suspicion of forgery. He was, in fact, not forging a check. A White officer pinned George Floyd down, with his knee on his neck, as George Floyd continuously pleaded with officers that he could not breathe and begged for water. Witnesses begged with police to let him go and check his pulse. The officer didn't remove his knee from George Floyd's neck even as emergency services checked his pulse. He later died at a local hospital. There were multiple officers on the scene. Force like this was not necessary. The officers were fired, but no chargers have been filed.

Eric Garner

Twitter

Eric Garner died after a former White officer Daniel Pantaleo placed him in a chokehold while arresting him. The charge? Suspicion of selling cigarettes. Eric's dying words were, "I can't breathe." A state grand jury declined to press charges. His punishment for taking a life? He was fired from his job. James O'Neill, New York Police commissioner, described that he may have made similar "mistakes" if he was in Pantaleo's shoes.

Trayvon Martin

AP Photo/Martin Family Photos

Trayvon Martin was only 17 years old. George Zimmerman fatally shot Trayvon Martin, an unarmed Black American. George Zimmerman claimed self-defense. He was acquitted. Zimmerman was a part of a neighborhood watch. The neighborhood watch stated that they are not the vigilante police. Zimmerman decided to take matters into his own hands that night, which resulted in the wrongful and tragic death of Trayvon Martin. Later, Zimmerman hosted an auction to sell the gun that was used to kill Trayvon Martin. It auctioned for over 138,000 dollars.

Christian Cooper

Facebook

Amy Cooper was going through Central Park when Christian Cooper, bird watcher, pointed to her the sign that stated dogs had to be on leashes. When she stated her dog needed exercise and was okay to free roam, Christian pulled out dog treats that he kept for these moments in an attempt to showcase that her dog needed to be on the leash. In that moment, Amy called the police. In the recorded police call, Amy is seen screaming that she is going to call the police and say a black man is threatening her and her dog. On the police call, she proceeded to say that an African American man was threatening her life, as she is choking her dog by the collar. In the call, Amy is seen changing her tone to being frightened and terrorized. Police were on the scene and no charges were filed. Amy's job fired her, stating they would not be associated with racist behavior.

Ahmaud Arbery

Arbery family

Ahmaud Arbery was jogging in Georgia when Gregory McMichael and his son chased after him. The horrific encounter was caught on video. Ahmaud Arbery and Travis McMicahel struggled over the loaded shotgun that was pointed at him. Arbery was shot three times. Their defense? Arbery attacked them. The shooting happened on February 23rd. The pair was not arrested until May 5th. They racially profiled Arbery, believing he looked like a suspicious person who was suspected of home break-ins. The man who recorded the video was subsequently arrested. The case is being seen as a federal hate crime.

All of these instances are just major cases that have happened in the past eight years. There are so many more.

Injustices like these still happen today. People want to police how black women wear their hair, creating policies that single out and profile black women in the work place. People racially target black people when a crime has occurred, even if the man who committed the crime wasn't actually Black. When will the injustice end? When will people finally believe in the disproportionality that Black American's face in multiple sectors and do something about it?

I stand as an ally. I will never fully understand the oppression, injustices, and racism that Black American's have faced over centuries. While I cannot personally understand what it is like to be a Black American myself, I can use my platform as a voice for Black American's and to educate others while standing stand up for what I believe in.

Don't forget their names.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

40789
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

25381
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

950936
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

133240
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments