#BlackLivesMatter seems to be taking over social media these past couple of weeks after the recent killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. Black Lives Matter is not only a hashtag, but an organization that is fighting for a world where Blacks are treated equal and are not singled out as targets for brutality, violence and demise; a world where Blacks do not face oppression or persecution all based on the color of their skin.
There are many in denial of the fact that racism is still alive and well, thriving in today’s society because according to our history textbooks, the civil rights movement ended in 1968. This denial sparks the term “All Lives Matter.” What most fail to understand is that Black Lives Matter is not stating that any other life is any less valuable. Some even say there is a silent too that follows the renowned saying. Black Lives Matter is simply stating that compared to other races, blacks are the ones facing an epidemic where they are still not viewed as equal and are being killed by law enforcement whenever there is even the slightest doubt of innocence.
And if you still don’t believe this is a race issue, then hear this: In Welsh, LA on July 11th, 2016, a white man confronted officers with a shotgun and pointed it directly at them. The police officers were able to disarm the white man and then proceeded to arrest him.
So you can disarm the white man, but the black man whose body and arms were pinned down to the floor and wasn’t even reaching for the gun in his pocket- was shot six times. It’s not like he could have reached the gun in his pocket even if he wanted to- his arms were pinned down. Instead of taking Alton Sterling’s life, it could have been as easy as this; reach into his pocket, take out his gun and disarm him.
And isn’t it strangely coincidental that neither of the two officers’ body cams were connected and recording the entire time of the attempted arrest?
Philando Castile was pulled over for his taillight not working, which was proven later on to be working indeed. A recent police scanner recording just surfaced that proves that Castile was racially profiled and was actually pulled over because he had a ‘wide-set nose” and looked like a robbery suspect. He had a firearm on him during the time of the traffic stop and informed the police officer of this, but as soon as he began to retrieve his I.D. as he was asked to, he was shot in front of his girlfriend and four-year-old daughter. Now everyone says, “He had a gun.” Well, he had a license for that gun, but is the right to bear arms only a right when the color of your skin is white?
Now, I am getting angry because a white Stanford student brutally raped a woman sometime back, but just received a three-month sentence. When news media outlets were reporting this case, they also mentioned his swimming times, but when a black man is killed by police, news media outlets do not forget to mention his criminal record. They make it a point to convince viewers that law enforcement was not in the wrong and that perhaps these victims were deserving of death. They did not deserve death- yes, even with a criminal record, but since they received it anyway, all they truly deserve now is justice.
“All lives matter-" No. I’m not saying the quote isn’t true, but what I am saying is it’s not needed. Stop trying to silence the blacks in a time of crisis by including yourself in the equation when you are not facing the same problem as they are.
“Blue lives matter-" No. Law enforcement is not a race or skin color. It is an occupation, one that is supposed to serve and protect. Being a police officer is a choice, one where you wear the uniform for however many assigned hours then hang it back up at the end of the day. Blacks cannot do that with their skin. Blacks cannot just decide one day to stop being black, but a cop most certainly can decide to stop being a cop. Do you see the difference now?
“The media is portraying this is as a race issue-" Because it is and though the civil rights movement ended in 1968, I see one rising up again along with the Black Lives Matter movement and I say; yes, fight. Fight hard and fight with spirit because this fight will not be an easy one to win- it might be long and daunting, but this fight is not one to give up. Demand justice and demand that there be a change. I stand with you in nothing but solidarity and undying support.
