No More Hashtags
#TrayvonMartin #EricGarner #TamirRice #AltonSterling #PhilandoCastile…. The list goes on and on. When does it stop?
The days following the murders of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile have led to many minorities in this country to second guess their social belonging. The wrongful deaths of these innocent men have made it evident that America is not the home of the free or the land of the brave, but a country still bound by the shackles of hate and racism. The past weeks tragedy has also brought to light the fact that African Americans have been living under unsafe and unfair conditions for as long as we can all remember.
The treatment black have received is much more far rooted than the recent police brutality related killings. Sixty years ago, it was lynching and the offenders went unpunished. Now, officers — I mean offenders — walk free with the convenience of the public to defend them with awful excused as to why an innocent life was taken. The fact that these offences are often due to underlying racism often causes cases to be overlooked or denied when in reality, twice as many black people were killed by police in 2015 then were lynched in the Jim Crow South. 115 black men have been killed by police since January 1st 2016, 248 black men were killed by police in 2015, and now about 4 black men are killed by police per week. Clearly there is an issue with how the police force interacts with the minorities of America.
As a young black woman in America, I fear for my father, cousins, uncles, brothers, etc. I have a brother (Garrett Spencer, pictured above) who is about Philando Castile’s age who could very easily be targeted, harassed and even killed due to the color of his skin. I have another brother who was taking a job through Piedmont Park the same night that a black man from the south “committed suicide by hanging himself from a tree.” Every day, I pray and fear for their safety, I tell them to drive correctly so cops don’t have a reason to pull them over, and I look to see what color shirt my brother is wearing out of the house just in case. The fact that I have to do these things breaks my heart, but also motivates me to be a part of the change America needs.
The peaceful protests that have occurred throughout the country brought people of all ages, races and backgrounds together. Attending the march that the NAACP organized in Atlanta boosted my sense of social belonging. It urged me, as well as others, to come to terms with the clear traces of racism all over America in today’s society. Black lives matter! Yes, all lives matter; but right now black lives are being taken left and right as if they hold no value. By educating yourself, watching the news, attending meetings and rallies, and non-violently protesting, we can all be a part of the revolution this country is about to endure.
