It's amazing how much suffering it takes for people to realize and acknowledge that there is indeed a problem. With the confederate flag controversy and senseless police brutality taking place a year ago, I found myself involved in many race squabbles against people who chose to deny that there was a race issue in this country at all. It's crazy how it took most people this long to show empathy.
What angered me the most was that many of these people were classmates that I had known since middle school and some even elementary school. Growing up in predominantly white Southern West Virginia made me no stranger to a range of racist opinions that I eventually accepted as normal.
Through extensive research and hearing about the experiences of other black people living in other places, I learned that my small town, along with this society as a whole, chose to turn a blind eye to many of the race issues we're still facing today.
Instead of simply admitting that black people are the main targets of police brutality in this country, people would rather make excuses for why exactly the victim was killed or why we shouldn't be upset about it.
"If they would just do what the cops tell them, then cops won't have to resort to major violence."
If you don't have to comply to not get killed by the police then why do I? Besides, in nearly every major police shooting of UNARMED black people, the victims complied fully and still lost their lives.
"Officers feel targeted as a whole based on the actions of a few."
Sound familiar? That's because it is all too familiar. Not all police officers are corrupt in the same way that not all black people are worthy of being constantly demonized.
"I see no color."
I think this is my personal favorite. I'm sure there are people out their that truly think this is their 'get out of jail free' card. Thank you for continuing to deny that there is a race issue and not helping at all.
*LOVES and appropriates black culture*
*Suddenly becomes very silent in the wake of discrimination against black people*
Kylie Jenner, this is for you! Everybody wants to be black until it's time to actually be black. People steal every aspect of black culture before washing their hands of it when racial tensions arise.
"ALL LIVES MATTER!"
Who said they didn't? This statement never came up until after the emergence of the #BlackLivesMatter movement in an attempt to silence our cry. Saying that black lives matter isn't saying that we're the only lives that matter. It's simply stating that our lives have just as much value as everyone else and that we're willing to do whatever it takes to set this in stone.
