There is something devastatingly wrong in a country which prides itself of democracy, equality and basic human rights when we still have people fearing for the lives of their children and family every time they walk out the door. There is something profoundly disturbing that certain people are raised to fear the criminal justice system and law enforcement (systems which are intended to protect American citizens); people who are taught at a very young age to always comply with the cops, to always have two hands on the steering wheel, to always respect police officers, when a majority of our population benefits from this corrupt injustice. Desperate change is necessary when a man is shot four times because of a broken tail light and fears that the man will pull at gun out because of the color of his skin. Something needs to change when a man harmlessly selling CDs is tackled and shot repeatedly because of the color of his skin.
If these statements do not deeply trouble you or if you are incapable of wrapping your mind around #BlackLivesMatter or are sick of all of the hashtags and wish everyone would just shut up about black lives, then you are a major part of this problem. Racial injustices do not solely affect the ones being targeted; they influence every single one of us. It is clear there is a “systematic targeting of African Americans and a systematic lack of accountability” within the police force and criminal justice system. This is not a new concept, but a new urgency that we simply cannot ignore for any longer.
As I am an Asian American and a woman, I recognize my privilege within the criminal justice system and I admit I do not pose a great threat to cops based on my race or gender. I cannot even begin to fathom the amount of fear that black Americans wake up to every single day. Another massacre against the black community, another unnecessary violent altercation by law enforcement. I am in no place to speak for anyone in particular or to belittle anyone’s problems, but I want to acknowledge these systematic racial injustices in our society and have hopes to help the non-black community recognize these injustices and to take a stand.
Recently, a Tweet galvanized many different reactions that were shared around the world:
This tweet highlights the unspoken hypocrisy that is embedded into our criminal justice system: society believes white Americans should carry firearms in order to protect themselves; however, when black Americans carry firearms, society views them as a threat and an act of violence against the privileged white Americans. In the past week, two black males were murdered by unnecessary, overpowering police brutality. Although Philando Castile was legally allowed to carry a gun and Alton Sterling may have been, society condemned both men for exercising their freedoms of self protection and unlawfully killed them. There is no reason besides pure irrational prejudice against the black community that these men are dead.
However, it is important to remember in light of such outrage, disgust and resentment for law enforcement that not all cops are bad cops with malicious intentions. Most cops are good people and serve faithfully every single day. With that being said, the vicious attacks and murder of five police officers in Dallas by protesters is unacceptable. Justice will never be acceptable by killing five innocent cops nor by killing two innocent black men. Our thoughts and prayers go out to those in Minnesota, Louisiana and Dallas as every life taken was a result of this corrupt system.
So what happens next? Families, neighborhoods and communities are left broken to pick up the pieces and will be mourning their loved ones for the rest of their lives. The media and world will slowly forget about these attacks and new ones will undoubtedly consume the news. But what happens to the people who are not directly affected by the massacres? We cannot simply go on with our lives, post a heartfelt Facebook status and continue to accept this as the way things ought to be. It is time the ones who benefit from these systems, the ones who are privileged, recognize this and take a stand.
Because we cannot continue to raise our kids to fear the criminal justice system or the police because they have a history of being racist towards certain people; we cannot continue to the put the blame on the black Americans who are being targeted due to the color of their skin; and we must change our twisted lack of accountability of the police force. It is not justified to treat different members of society with unreasonable amounts of terror and to trust different people with guns based on the color of their skin. When police are supposedly the voice of reason, it is their duty to uphold the law and protect every single individual they are capable of to the best of their ability.
We must talk about this, however uncomfortable it is. Educate yourself and read the news, listen to the radio, read blogs, check your facts and go to protests. We have to start somewhere, even if that somewhere is accepting that black lives matter.
