I recently saw the movie Straight Outta Compton, the biopic about the gangsta rap group N.W.A that began a revolution in the late 1980’s. The main group members are still well known today in the music industry as well as others. The film was great in many different ways and told a unique story that is still very relevant. Not only is the music from the group still a part of pop culture, but the story of police brutality and hostile encounters between African Americans and police is still relevant. It seems that this subject is one that our society cannot escape. The number of fatal police shootings in 2015 alone is almost to 400. No matter the race these numbers are disgraceful.

From the movie I learned about the extreme police encounters that many African Americans faced in the late 80’s from the LAPD. I cannot imagine what it would be like to be face down on the hood of a car being patted down, just for walking across the street. These extremes in the past were mainly due to gang related violence and drug activities in areas like Compton. The stories we hear about in the news today are more related to cops who jump the gun literally, out of what seems like fear based upon the suspects race.

The movie gave a spotlight to the Rodney King beating in 1992, and the riots that broke out across LA after the unjust verdict of the four officers involved in the beating. These riots were very extreme with destruction and pure violence everywhere. A familiar scene happened in Ferguson this past year after the verdict of the officer who shot and killed unarmed Michael Brown. The scenes like this during the time of N.W.A had a voice that outraged police and government agencies. Today, it seems like the voice has turned to social media rather than music. The #Blacklivesmatter movement has begun as a result of these race related incidents causing community and national unrest. It upsets me to see that these problems are still happening some 25 years later. The music made a wave and began to make changes, and the power of social media has begun to make waves today. We have seen social changes occur recently like with the approval of same sex marriage, so perhaps there will be even more changes made in regards to the way police act in our country, and the relationship between the police and the citizens, especially the ones who feel racially victimized. I personally cannot relate to these types of issues, but as a human it pains me to see the unjust treatment of anyone. Yes, certain people are not innocent and police do have the responsibility to protect and serve, but shooting to kill is not that. I also think that police often over react and that is how these dramatic and horrendous events happen and why these topics have been common culture in the past years.