As the semester is coming to an end, everyone is preparing to make the trek home. Whether it is the east coast, the west coast, or even international, soon enough we will be reunited with loved ones and the craziness of finals will be behind us. For me, I am making my way from Chicago back to my home in New York City – Staten Island specifically.
If you were not aware, Staten Island has been a hub of excitement recently, with the death of Eric Garner resurfacing into the media after the police officer that placed him in a “choke hold” was not indicted. Protests have sprouted up all across the city, across the nation, and across the world in regards to the recent events, including both in Ferguson and Staten Island, with the protests ranging from peaceful “die-ins” to looting and rioting across the globe.
An example of a “die-in” form of protest
It is odd to me that I was unaware of these events occurring back home, and had to find out through sporadic posts on Facebook or anonymous Yik Yaks. As another Her Campus Notre Dame writer, Julia Pucillo, comments in her article that we tend to live in a “Notre Dame bubble” in which we are shielded from the events of the world. This should not be the case. As college students we should become more aware of what is occurring in our nation and in our world rather than to lose sight of the importance of our current situation.
There have been many comparisons of these recent events to the Civil Rights Campaign in the 1960s. Based on my knowledge from previous history courses, as well as some recent research, the protests referenced to consisted of peaceful sit-ins and marches, as opposed to lootings and riots. Yet these people, who did not break any laws with their protests, were still harassed, with fire-hoses spraying them and police dogs being set loose on them. These were not justified because they broke no laws, and yet were still persecuted by the police.
A civil rights protest gone wrong in the 1960s
The protests back home have been peaceful ones, which I fully support. If you want to voice your opinion on the situation, and do so in a legal way, I think that is perfectly legitimate. But looting just causes harm and pain to your neighbors; why would you want to make a situation worse when your goal is to try and make up for social injustices? These lootings have occurred in Ferguson, and ultimately, when I first learned of the protests in New York City, I assumed they had spread there. My father is a Captain in the New York City Fire Department and is a first responder to events such as this, so instinctively, I was quite worried. However, he informed me that I had nothing to worry about, that my family was safe and reassured me that when I got home we would have a wonderful holiday.
Protests in the streets of New York City
I do not know all the particulars of exactly what happened when Mr. Garner passed on, however I do remember that it was a while ago, back when I was still home and not in college. And then all of a sudden, it appeared back on social media everywhere, and the unrest ensued. Yet what I do know is that these events are real, and that people are quite divided when it comes to the discussion of these topics. Personally, I just want to make sure that my family remains safe and happy during the holiday season, and I think that this should be a priority for everyone, especially during this time of year. This does not mean that I do not believe you should express your sentiments on these topics. Make your opinions known and your voice heard, however do so in a safe and productive way so that no harm comes to those around you, and the happy holiday season can be preserved.
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Historical information taken from past United States History courses and here