“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”
-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The sound of hearts breaking can be heard in black communities around the world. It seems like almost every day another black life is disregarded and lost at the hands of those who were placed in society to help, serve, and protect – police officers.
On September 16, 2016, 40-year-old Terrence Crutcher was killed in Tulsa, Oklahoma. What started as a need for roadside assistance ended with his life being taken by Officer Shelby because she “feared for her life.” There was no immediate action to save him, and officers were seen standing around. Was she reprimanded? Of course she was. Officer Shelby spent less than 20 minutes in jail after turning herself in to police custody.
On September 18, 2016, 21-year-old Tawon Boyd was brutally assaulted by multiple officers in efforts to restrain him after being called to the home for medical help. He died 3 days later from what is thought to be a result of his injuries.
On September 20, 2016, Keith Lamont Scott was shot to death in Charlotte, North Carolina. According to his family, Scott was simply reading a book in his car while waiting for his son to return home from school. Who knew that being a literate African American male was a crime in the United States?
On September 27, 2016, Alfredo Olango died at the hands of California police officers. Like Tawon Boyd, authorities were called on scene to give Olango necessary medical attention. Unfortunately, the officers decided that it was best to kill him instead.
While all of these incidents are recent, we must not forget the acts of fatal discrimination from the past as well:
Michael Brown, an unarmed teenager killed with his hands in the air. Eric Garner, placed in a chokehold by an NYPD officer and killed while continuously stating that he could not breathe. Philando Castile, fatally shot in front of his wife and child after being pulled over and following police orders. Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old boy playing with a pellet gun in a public park, shot down by police officers without any attempt to see if it was real. Sandra Bland, a woman who was arrested during a traffic stop mysteriously died in police custody (covered up to seem like it was a suicidal act). Trayvon Martin, killed by a white male as he walked down the streets of his neighborhood because his hoodie, bag of skittles, and can of Arizona Tea made him “look suspicious.” Charles Kinsey, although not dead, was shot by police officers while attempting to provide aide to an escaped mental patient.
Even the officers involved in these cases are unable justify their actions. Why are guns the go to weapons of protection when Tasers can safely take down a potential threat? If the goal was to “shoot to restrain,” why are there multiple bullet wounds on the victims? Anyone who repeatedly shoots another human is not trying to neutralize the situation, their intention is to kill.
At this point, we cannot continue to stay silent and hope for a change. It is sad that these incidents are becoming more and more frequent. It is a shame that our new normal is to hear that a black man or a black woman was killed by the police. Everyone needs to understand that BLACK LIVES MATTER! This does not imply that all lives do not matter, nor does it suggest that black lives matter more than anyone else’s. What it does say, however, is that black lives matter just as much. Stop killing us and then demonizing our name to justify your actions. If Dylan Roof, a Caucasian male, can be safely escorted with a meal after killing nine African Americans in a Charleston church, then why can’t we be treated the same when no blood is on our hands?
In the words of Desmond Tutu, “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” I will continue to mourn with the nation and kneel with the NFL. I refuse to take pride in a country that does nothing but oppress my people. Keith Lamont Scott could have been my dad; Tamir Rice could have been my younger brother; Sandra Bland could have been my mom; Terrence Crutcher could have been my cousin. We cannot wait until this situation hits home to decide to get up and take a stand. We cannot wait for someone else to make a change. The time is now! Say the names of those who have fallen and let this country know that WE WILL NOT FORGET! WE WILL NOT SETTLE! BY THE TIME WE ARE DONE, EVERYONE WILL KNOW THAT BLACK LIVES MATTER!