If you watch the news or if you are on social media, you may know of the recent police-involved shootings. In Tulsa, Terence Crutcher, an unarmed man, was shot with his hands in the air while standing alongside his stalled vehicle. Subsequently, the officer that shot him was appropriately charged with first-degree manslaughter. In Charlotte, North Carolina the eruption of violence and chaos we have recently seen was a result of the fatal police-involved shooting of Keith Lamont Scott. Now, I understand that both situations are different, but what is the same is that we seem to have a steady stream of these fatal shootings pop up on our newsfeeds and TV stations regularly.
When will enough finally be enough? We can’t continue to ignore what is so obvious. I know that this topic is generally an uncomfortable one to discuss. After all, the police are the ones that are supposed to protect us from harm. We look to them in times of trouble and when we need justice. So what do you do when the people who are supposed to protect you are now responsible for harming you? This is a difficult question and these situations are difficult and uncomfortable to talk about, but they need to be discussed.
The militarization of police is an issue, the extreme use of deadly force in situations where it can be avoided is an issue. We need to ask ourselves how it is possible that police can shoot a terrorist in a way that preserves his life? Or how it is possible that police can use Tasers and attack dogs, but not deadly force on a college student who just murdered two people and a refused to comply with orders? But, when it comes to the plentitude of black men we see on the news, deadly force seems to be an immediate choice, the only choice. As citizens, it is our responsibility to hold those who do harm accountable, even if they are cops. It is our responsibility to not turn our backs on our fellow citizens when they so clearly need help. We don’t have to be divided. We need to stand together and demand change because while you may not personally be affected by this, it is your problem, it is my problem, it is America's problem.
