This week our country has been shaken. The divide that exists between us has been further widened. If you are unaware, (and I can not possibly see how you could be) this week has been one where two black men and five officers lay dead. In the wake of tragedy when we should be uniting, standing and learning, we divide ourselves.
On Tuesday, a video of Alton Sterling was uploaded, showing him being killed by two officers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Wednesday, the killing of Philando Castille was uploaded to Facebook. Thursday, five officers were killed at a peaceful protest in Dallas. Where did it begin and where does it end?
The shootings, which ride on a wave of controversy because of the details surrounding them, sparked a wave of outrage and emotion from the public. The first amendment was exercised heavily when protesters took to the streets to let their voices be heard. That’s where tragedy struck once again. The peaceful protest that was happening in Dallas, was cut short when a gunman decided to end the lives of five officers who were keeping the peace at the rally. Along with the five dead officers, two civilians, and seven more officers were injured. The storm of outrage that followed this was just as bad. Why did this happen? How did this happen? Is this what was meant by peace?
The bloodshed and outrage that we are bearing witness to is a product of the time we live in. The protests are the natural reaction to years of abuse and cries of black people. Now before anyone tries to deny this look at the facts and the buildup. Black people (and many other races) have been behind the eight ball here for a long time. I mean as a race we black people have survived everything from slavery to Jim Crow, and yet we still keep pushing on trying to have a better place here in society. In this day and age, where we want to feel that we have actually progressed its earth shattering to see injustice done that pulls us back to the days of Jim Crow. The shootings of black men that have been given spotlight recently pull us back to a darker time, where we can’t get justice. That’s why we rally, that’s why we yell and chant. We do so for justice. We want to know that we are given equal opportunity and that we aren’t still living in a backward society, that sees us as less than human. As black people, we have been pushed far, and we are reacting with protest against a system that has kept us down from the start.
That being said reacting with violence, is not the answer. Violence isn’t something that can be condoned. The killing of the five officers was done by none other than someone who wanted an excuse to cause senseless violence. The gunman used the protests as a hunting ground, he affected the peaceful demonstration. The cops and protestors were going about their business with mutual respect being shown by both. That’s the way it should have been. No one wanted to be violent, no one wanted to lose their life. Those cops who we have lost only wanted to do their job and make it back to their families. Why has violence only beget more violence? That shooter, that terrorist wanted a reason for violence. Now he masked his actions behind the veil of doing it for equality. That isn’t right.
If we are to learn anything from this week, it is to know that we all want the same thing. People just want to make it home at night, whether you’re the disenfranchised minority or the cop who took an oath to protect. This past week has shown us tragedy of the worst proportions, however how we react will define us. We can choose to react with violence and bigotry, or we can learn from this and start to love each other.
