Cops Missed The Memo That Black Lives Matter
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

Cops Missed The Memo That Black Lives Matter

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

6
Cops Missed The Memo That Black Lives Matter
Nation of Change

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Martin Luther King Jr.’s powerful words are, sadly, still applicable today. It seems like every time we turn on the news or check Facebook, another black life has been taken senselessly. Rarely, however, do we get to see anyone put away for that murder. And I use the word murder because that’s what it is. Some of those same people who fight daily to put away murderers need to take a good, hard look in the mirror.

Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the police officers who put their lives on the line to keep us safe. My message is directed at those few who use their gun to do the unnecessary and who, with one swift action, make themselves no better than the very people they have sworn to protect us from. Because if the very people who are supposed to protect us can get away with murder, then are any of us really safe after all?

It all comes down to prejudice. No one wants to admit that they feel more uncomfortable around a person of a different colored skin than them. Our ancestors set up this separation generations before we were even born, so we can blame some of that on them. Yes, we can blame this discord on them, but we cannot use them to excuse our behavior. Old habits die hard, but prejudice is one old habit that has to die. Because if it doesn’t, people will continue to die instead.

Slavery, as most people think of it today, refers to the physical enslavement that people of color faced centuries ago. But slavery is not limited to physical enslavement. Today, people of color are facing enslavement through fear. As long as police officers treat them as guilty until proven innocent (even when no crime was committed), they are not free. A person of color can rise above gang culture and make an honest living but they can still be shot outside a convenience store or in their car at a traffic stop.

The bottom line is that there is no room for prejudice in the law. I’ll repeat that again for those in the back who couldn’t hear me: THERE IS NO ROOM FOR PREJUDICE IN THE LAW. We cannot outfit officers with guns if they don’t understand the limitations and implications of their actions. In so many of these tragic situations, the officers could have deescalated without using force or, at most, they could have shot to subdue instead of shooting to kill. In none of these situations was there a need to shoot multiple times at vital organs.

Yes, people make mistakes. I have a job and I’ve made mistakes, but the difference is that my mistakes don’t kill people. Innocent people. And cops banding together at times like these doesn’t help the situation. Officers who disagree with the actions of a fellow officer should be the first ones to speak out against it. Protecting murderers just makes them an accessory to the crime.

The only good thing to come out of incidences like these is the conversations that they start. I urge you, don’t let that conversation die down until there is change. Don’t get distracted when the new trending topic on Facebook is about the Kardashians’ latest look. Be fierce and unapologetic in effecting this change. Because if we aren’t, the next time we’ll be talking about this is when the headline is about another black life cut short.

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.

45429
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?

28746
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.

953266
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.

160158
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