The "Black Lives Matter" movement is one that doesn't directly effect me or those close to me but effects a community of 12.8% of the total population of America that has suffered grave racial injustices since their existence.Be it hate crimes,racial prejudices and injustices or the heinous subject matter of police brutality where the police predominately white police officers think that having a badge and a legal right to carry a gun gives then a right to be a monster and snatch innocent black lives.Be it through excessive force or downright shooting point-blank.
This harrowing statistic is enough to rattle your brain and make you ponder what is wrong with the attitude of the police towards people who have more melanin in their skin than others.The specimen of racism and white supremacy is clearly evident in the cases of police brutality and violence.The police are there to serve and protect not shoot point-blank or torture people just because they are uncomfortable with the color of their skin or have per-existing racial prejudices which give them the license to behave the way they do.
The instances of police brutality are endless and the lives lost,scarred and changed are unfathomable. The crime of the people is:
being a birdwatcher(#ChristianCooper)
being a jogger(#AmaudArbery)
relaxing in their own home(#BothemSean and #AtatianaJefferson)
asking for help after being in a car-crash(#JonathanFerrell and #RenishaMcbride)
asking for a cellphone(StephonClark)
leaving a party to get to safety(Jordan Edwards)
playing loud music(Jordan Davis)
selling CDs(Alton Sterling)
sleeping(AiyanaJones)
walking back from the corner stone(Mike Brown)
playing cops and robbers(Tamir Rice)
going to church(Charleston)
walking home with skittles(Trayvon Martin)
holding a hair-brush while leaving my his own bachelor party(Sean Bell)
partying on New Years(Oscar Grant)
getting a normal traffic ticket(Sandra Bland)
lawfully carrying a weapon(Philando Castile)
shopping at Walmart(John Crawford)
having a disabled vehicle(Terrence Crutcher)
reading a book in his own car(Keith Scott)
walking with his 10 year old grandson(#Clifford Glover)
decorating for a party(#ClaudeResse)
asking a cop a question(#RandyEvans)
cashing a check in peace(#YvonneSmallwood)
taking out his wallet(#AmadouDiallo)
going for a run(#WalterScott)
breathing(#EricGarner)
living(#FreddieGray)
And being arrested without fear of being murdered (#GeorgeFloyd)
The only real crime they committed was being born in a society that still judges people and assumes and presumes what they think they should be and keep them in their place in place of being a human with a basic understanding of humanity and the sensibility to treat others with respect and love instead of hate and prejudice.
Sources:
https://mappingpoliceviolence.org/
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-34135267
https://www.cleveland19.com/2020/05/29/black-lives-matter-cleveland-will-call-justice-after-death-minneapolis-man/?outputType=amp