The United States has had one of the most dynamic developments a country could ever have. Those who braved foreign seas landed on the shore of America, and laid down the foundation that would bear all the challenges this pioneering country would face. Revolution after revolution, the United States proved they were resilient competitors and wouldn’t easily cave. However, certain issues were able to show once unthinkable vulnerability.
Slavery was a fundamental part of the beginning of the United States, and continued for a lot longer than it should have. The idea was pandemic, embedding itself in the minds of many that African Americans are inferior to the white man. This toxicity took hold over history and turned things rather rampant; but just as there is evil there is good. Countless people throughout time fought long and tediously to give African Americans something they always should’ve had in the first place: freedom. Because of the relentless tenacity to fight until equality was achieved, the Fourteenth Amendment and Fifteenth Amendment put in lawful writing that whether black or white, both are equally parallel in opportunity.
Despite this legitimization, many still fail to observe. The overall respect for black lives has been neglected. Recent events such as the unnecessary killings of both Alton Sterling and Philando Castile have taken a hold over the media. Each was videotaped, and releasing the footage to the public has done nothing but fuel an already burning fire. The burning anguish this fire has brought has turned disparity into a desire for retribution—eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. A peaceful march in Dallas quickly escalated into viciousness after 12 cops were shot. At least five were killed and seven injured. The person who committed this ghastly crime did it with full intention to "kill white people for a change".
Yes, gun control in the United States is a controversial issue. However, people kill people, guns don’t.
Yes, black lives matter, but so do blue lives.
As a matter-of-fact, all lives matter.
When an officer swears on their oath, they are accepting more than the weight of a badge on their chest. This badge is a permanent reminder of their responsibility to whole-heatedly protect the world and make it a safer place. Who are they protecting it for? You-- your family, their families, and all the people in the world just trying to live out their idea of the American dream. Taking this oath means you are not aloft to the rest of society, but simply a martyr to the cause of a higher quality of life. Sadly, some officers don’t see their badge as something of salvation, but something of supremacy. Numerous cops have used their power for more injustices than justice. As recent events entail, not all cops are righteous.
Just because all cops aren’t good cops does not mean law enforcement as a whole is corrupt. The people, who are willing to lose their lives for the sake of your own are being deemed as monsters. It is inevitable to not blame law enforcement in its entirety as a scapegoat for recent atrocities, it is understandable. With this being said, it is pivotal to rationalize and comprehend that turning around and fighting hate with hate will only worsen the situation. Coming from a family of cops, I can attest that there are good cops in the world. Find it in yourself to see past the hate, and have faith in those who would sacrifice life itself for a stranger.
To those who believe your badge is a symbol of superiority: your audacity to give your brothers and sisters this reputation as villains is sickening. Don’t suit up in your armor side by side to to those who use their power for genuine good only to be the sole reason they are being shot down. If your main purpose as a human is to eat up the power granted to you and use it in a negative way, reevaluate. There isn’t enough room for you on this earth if you’re only going to be antagonizing the reason it is consumed with more hate. You have no business in that uniform, take it off.
It shouldn’t even have to be a spoken rule to know every single human on the face of this earth is equal. The single factor of difference between every skeleton is their appearance. Black lives have always mattered, and will continue to matter. However, pro black doesn’t mean anti-white. In the wake of tragedy, ‘hash-tagging’ “Black Lives Matter” or “Blue Lives Matter” doesn’t spark a change a world that desperately needs it. How about the concept that all lives matter; and that there are attacks against essentially every diverse group. With all these hate crimes being committed, I personally think it’s time to stand next to, behind, and with everyone who calls this Earth a home to make it safer.
To those who have lost someone or those who lost their own lives to police brutality: my heart, along with the hearts of many others, are with you. Know there are good people in the world who will keep your voice alive for eternities. You did not lose your life in vain, as you will be welcomed to a better place with open arms; hopefully watching the world begin to change with yourselves considered catalysts.
We all share the same sky, and fall asleep under the same stars. This sky can either be lit with the euphoria of colorful fireworks celebrating our unity as a country; or a sky bright with detonation as a painful reminder that we will forever be divided based on the color of one’s skin or the heritage of one’s family. Enough is enough.
Find it in your heart to heal the scarring racism has left from generation to generation. It’s no longer time to dwell on it, but time to do something proactive about it; rather than reactive. Fighting hate with hate is the same as two wrongs making a right—the wrong mentality. It is time for change.
