Racism isnt the announcement of #BlackLivesMatter. Racism is the complete disregard of that announcement. We have to say Black Lives Matter, because there seems to be a disproportionate number of young black lives that are taken away with what seems like very little regard. The headlines stoke flames of controversy with names like Eric Garner, Mike Brown, but there are many others whose tragedies are overlooked in the media. Most werent robbers or dealers. Like Trayvon Martin and John Crawford, many were just going about their business, whose only reasin for tragedy was that they were considered suspicious. Being suspicious shouldnt be a death sentence. Of course, #CopsLivesMatter. They are the trained professionals whose jobs are to keep our streets safe. But do we have an epidemic problem of hundreds of unarmed police officers being harrased, bullied, intimidated and killed, simply for looking suspicious? It is juvenile, it is offensive to counter ones claims of inhumane treatment, rather than address those claims. John Crawford, Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin, and many others had no intention of killing anyone the day they died. As far as George Zimmermans claims of self-defense, I feel that he put his own life endanger the moment he grabbed a gun, ignored police commands to stand by, and decided to play armed vigilante by stalking a non-threatening, unarmed black teen for blocks down the neighborhood. Eric Garner could have simply been cited and summoned to court. John Crawford should have been commanded to drop the weapon and lay on his stomach. Black Lives Matter. I keep saying it, because society doesnt seem to think so. Every time i try to have this conversation with non-blacks, their first reaction is a defensive one. What about the lives of the cops? What about them? Was Eric Garner posing a threat to the officers trying to detain him? Or John Crawford (i am expecting that you have seen the video before answering)? Or the many others caught on tape, or by multiple witnesses, or by forensic evidence (its hard for an unarmed, handcuffed teen in the back of a patrol car to commit suicide by shooting himself in the chest)? Two cops were shot in cold blood during a murder suicide rampage. Its senseless, its tragic, and it shouldnt have happened. And noone should be wishing that it happened. However, does it in any way justify the disproportionate numbers of young blacks who have been killed by cops while being confronted or while being detained or while in custody? One type of tragedy shouldnt be used to divide the country against another type of tragedy. They should be reasons to unite to stop ALL tragedies. Kudos to Eric Garners daughter for paying her respects to the slain officers at their memorial. Cops and protesters alike can learn a lot from her. Still, i am bothered. Black Lives Matter. Dont simply rebuff it, challenge it, or dismiss it. Just say it. Aloud. Hear it in your own voice. Black Lives Matter. Is there an ounce of wrongness in that statement? Is it so horrible to say? Just say it. To NOT say it implies that black lives do NOT matter to you. And thats why its racist. To counter it with All lives matter just tells us that you are too uncomfortable to say three specific words together. Doesnt it feel odd that, by now, you are feeling pressured, coerced, into saying it? Why cant you simply acknowledge that MY life matters as much as YOURS? Because it does. Black Lives Matter.
Posted on: Fri, 02 Jan 2015 21:35:41 +0000
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