This past week, I encountered two Odyssey articles on my newsfeed caused that defended the actions of police in an era of police brutality, while also coming for Beyonce. While somewhat different in their intention, both of these articles were insensitive, unneeded and at some points, factually incorrect. I am always in support of people voicing their opinions, but sometimes I wish people would spend more time with my brother, Google, before they voiced their opinions. All in all, this article annoyed in me a variety of ways that I will soon explain. Why did I spend time writing this article? I'm Black. I'm pissed and I can.

Dear #BlueLivesMatterSupporter Journalists,

During the past couple of weeks, many members of your own decided to write articles that were ignorant, insensitive and in some places, factually incorrect. Overall, the articles did address two somewhat different issues, so I will address each of them separately.

For the purpose of this letter, I'll start with the articles that condemned Beyonce for her Super Bowl performance and blamed her for perpetuating the racial issues within the country. In that article, they came for Beyonce. First things first, don't. Do not ever come for Beyonce unless you have a valid reason. The fact that Beyonce made a Pro-Black, anti-police brutality shouldn't offend you or anyone else, unless you're anti-Black or wish death upon unarmed Black Americans. Second, there is no need to write an article about #BlueLivesMatter. The reason that there is no need to write an article about #BlueLivesMatter is that we already know #BlueLivesMatter.

As you probably know, the #BlueLivesMatter campaign was created as a response to the #BlackLivesMatter campaign. The reason that the #BlackLivesMatter campaign was created is that American society has devalued the lives of Black American since the days of the slave trade. The days of the slave trade lead to sharecropping, which lead to segregation and so and so forth. Each period being an improvement on the next, but still nowhere near the treatment of White Americans. If you want to put this into numbers, we can do that. Black Americans spent nearly 150 years in America without Civil Rights, compared to White Americans, who have had respect in this country since...well, forever.

If you want to compare the crisis Black Americans face to the threat police officers face, we can play that game too. According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), the number of law enforcement officers killed by gunfire dropped by 14% in 2015. Moreover, NLEOMF has reported a decline in police deaths since the number of deaths hit a peak of 280 in the 1970s. In contrast, The Guardian has found that despite making up 2% of the U.S. population, young Black men were five times more likely to be killed by police in 2015. Moreover, the NLEOMF found that 94 police officers were killed in 2015, compared to the 1,134 Black men that were killed in 2015. Keep in mind that number does not include Black women, transgenders, etc. which would even further dismantle your argument that police lives are in danger. To put it simply, both my first cousin and my aunt were cops. I fear more for their lives when they are not in uniform than when they are in uniform.

I would stop there, but I need to address one more point before in the first article before I move on. The author of the first article wrote, "Wake up America. Let's stop playing the race game." First things first, the writer that wrote this is the only one in this equation that's not woke. Secondly, can we stop using the phrase, "the race game." My ancestors dying is not a game. My ancestors being enslaved is not a game. My grandmother being subject to segregation is not a game. Being stopped and frisked is not a game. Being afraid of police when I should feel safe is not a game. Trayvon Martin's mother being left to grieve is not a game. Walter Scott's family grieving is not a game. Eric Garner's daughter being left without a father is not a game. What part of this is funny to you? What part of this is a game? Be Black for twenty years and see what part of that is a game to you.

As for the article that instructed all readers need to respect the police more in an era of nationwide police brutality, I don't know where to start. Respect police? How about police start serving and protecting and then we can talk about respect. In that article, the author wrote, "We have all heard about the supposed police brutality occurring “everywhere” in the United States, but we rarely hear about the officers who are killed in the line of duty while trying to protect people that they do not even know, people like you and me." First, don't put everywhere in quotes. People are saying it's happening everywhere because it's been happening everywhere. It's happened in California and it's happened in New York. It's been happening everywhere in this country; that's why people say everywhere. Furthermore, we don't hear about police officers being killed in the line of duty as much because they aren't killed at the same rate as unarmed Black Americans. According to the Officer Down Memorial Page, 133 police officers were killed in 2015. According to a Washington Post study, Black American men represent only 6% of the population, but 40% of unarmed deaths at the hands of police. Please tell me how I need to respect authority. Maybe I yell, "F the Police", because it was a popular song lyric twenty years ago. Better yet, I yell it because police are yelling, "F Black America," every time they shoot an unarmed Black American. Lastly, if #BlueLivesMatter journalists were to actually do some research, they would know that "F The Police," was created by N.W.A as a response to police harassment.

I don't know if any #BlueLivesMatter Journalists will get the message or even read this article, but if you do, I just want to tell you that I'm Black. I'm beautiful. I proud and I am not going anywhere. I will not let you devalue my life and my plight and I damn sure will not let you devalue the life of my Mom, my brother, my aunts, my uncles or my little cousin who is only one year old. You will not threaten her life. You will not devalue her plight and if you do, you will have to deal with me and the rest of the Black Americans and allies who stand with me. You will not win and we will not be silenced.

Best,

Ryan Shepard