Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Sandra Bland and now Alton Sterling. Just when I thought we were moving forward as a society, there goes another one.
Unless you have been living under a rock for the last few years, you are aware that police brutality exists. Whether you see it or not, race is a part of police brutality. As a black woman in America-“the land of the free,” it crushes me when I hear that another one of my people was taken. That is not to say that every black man that is killed by the police force is innocent, I am not the judge of that, but I am speaking out in general. Death is serious. What gives anyone the right to decide if someone should or shouldn't die when the person offers no real threat? That was clearly the situation with the recent Alton Sterling case. Alton Sterling was not guilty by any means, in the next paragraph I will brief you on the case, and if after you disagree that he was not guilty watch the video that is currently streaming the internet, get fully educated on the case, or just open your eyes.
On Wednesday, July 6th 2016 in Baton Rouge Louisiana, a call was made to 911. The call was made by a homeless man stating that Alton Sterling was armed and threatening, only after Alton continually refused to give the homeless man money. Background story on Alton is that he did have a criminal history, however, that was irrelevant as police approached him. Alton Sterling was selling CD’s. Please reread the previous sentence, he was selling CD’s, not drugs or other nonsense. The CD’s were being sold as a means to provide for his family, as he was a father of five children. When police arrived to the scene, at no point in time did Alton reach for his weapon, at no point in time did Alton resist arrest. There is more than one video currently on social media, all of which show the use of deadly force and show that Alton never acted violently. Although it is unknown what occurred before the cameras started rolling, I can say with almost certainty still that Alton’s death was unjust.
The south offers a sense of hospitality, kindness and community like I have never seen before so it shocked me when I learned the setting of the case. Some may argue after reading this that I am only upset because the victim because that is exactly what Alton was, black. I can assure you that I would be reflecting on such issues whether Alton was Caucasian, Asian, Latino, etc. because in my eyes, wrong is wrong. Though Alton was not guilty and that is not up for argument or discussion, let us just pretend that he was, under no circumstance does “guilty” equal murder, period. I am a black woman so of course it deeply hits home because I want police to stop killing my black men. You do not have to be black to have a heart, what if it was you? What if it was your family?
I noticed that the minute people hear the phrase “black lives matter” it makes them feel uncomfortable, and perhaps I do not understand it because I am black. The immediate response to “black lives matter” is “no, all lives matter” which is correct, however, you cannot preach that all lives matter and practice that black lives do not. “Black lives matter” is not said to take the importance away from other lives, it is to remind those that have forgotten that we as black people exist and should be treated as such. My purpose when writing this article was not to somehow discredit good cops or persuade you that black lives are more important than other lives, it was to somehow get you all to see that there is a stigma that exists
If you only have negative things to say about cases involving police brutality, save your breath and take several seats while the rest of us pray for the lost souls and a brighter future. I am aware that not all cops are corrupt, in fact the majority are not. Obviously, I appreciate the good cops that are out there but it is simply a shame because their image is slowly but surely becoming tainted by cops that have no motive or driving force to murder innocent people.
Many people of privilege do not think twice about cases like this one. Many privileged people have never been informed on how to act with police. Many privileged people would rather beat around the bush behind “all lives matter” or sweeping cases like this under the rug rather than being realistic and suggestion a solution or offering words of encouragement.
Yes, I am black. I am proud to be black. I am angry. I am heartbroken for my people. I am allowed to feel every emotion that I feel. Black is so beautiful, and we can all be the change to stop this madness. You have not been afraid to drive in a certain neighborhood for fear of being pulled over, you have not felt worthless or less than because of your own skin, you have not had to stand up for your people your entire life; but I have and I guarantee that not many people would walk a mile in my shoes.
We have to be better America, for the current generation and my future children’s sake, we have to.
Stay educated, stay woke.
