Black Lives Matter

Over the years a lot of turmoil between the police and African American community has divided our country. Numerous riots and protest can be seen nationwide in response to the killing of unarmed black males. In my research I will be discussing why police brutality and excessive force by law enforcement is a continuous problem. I will also explain what the Black Lives Matter Campaign has done to solve this problem.

Structural racism has always been a problem in the U.S it’s one of the untold stories of the African American culture. Many events have contributed to the conditions and despair of blacks today. Cases of police brutality have become routine over the past decades, it’s no longer a new phenomenon. Some of the people most affected by this have been African Americans living in poverty.

Numerous factors of inequality and belief systems play a role in why blacks are targeted more by law enforcement some of the reasons are stereotyping and racial differences. Many black males are viewed as typical criminals this is something that portrayed to the general public even in media. Assumptions are made about black men that justify the shooting and decisions made by officers.

In 2012 a case of racial profiling shook the nation when a 17 year old in Sanford Florida was fatally shot. Trayvon Martin was a young man who was visiting his father who lived in the Twin Lakes neighborhood of Sanford. Upon arrival Trayvon stopped by a local convenience store to purchase candy and a drink. As martin proceeded through the neighborhood he noticed that he was being followed. Twin Lakes was a middle class gated community that was victimized by burglary several times before. George Zimmerman, security and member of community watch felt that Martin was acting suspicions and didn’t belong in the neighborhood. He felt the need to follow Martin as he contacted police. Shortly after there was an altercation between the two in which Martin was fatally shot in the chest.