Can you see me? I’m just a boy who was walking home from the convenient store near my neighborhood with skittles and iced tea one night and shot dead…
Can you see me? I’m a young child who was playing with a toy gun on the playground one day and never went home to mommy…
Can you see me? I’m a 28 year old woman who was dragged out of my car for failure to extinguish my cigarette during a routine traffic stop, then found dead three days later in my jail cell…
Can you see me? Can you hear me? I can’t breathe…A grown man, crying out for air as I take in my last breath?…
Can you see me? I’m a 25 year old man who was arrested for possessing an alleged illegal switchblade, later to die from injuries suffered after a car ride in a police vehicle…
Can you see me? I am a man who was selling cd’s outside of a store, was tackled to the ground by police, then shot four times…
Can you see me? I am a man who was driving with my girlfriend and six year old daughter. I was pulled over by police for an alleged broken tail light. I was shot multiple times for reaching for my identification, at the officer’s request. This was just 24 hours after the man above me was killed…
Today, I heard a story about Philando Castile. He was a 32 year old Black man, with a six year old daughter and girlfriend. He died yesterday. Yesterday was the last day he would ever see his daughter, his girlfriend, his friends, his family, his colleagues, etc. I can’t even tell you how my heart broke today when a co-worker shared the video that has now gone viral of the officer shooting Philando at point-blank range. I literally started to tear up and had to excuse myself from my desk.
It’s funny though, when I turn on the news, it seems that there is more of a fascination with Donald Trump’s latest tweet, or Hillary Clinton’s advance in the polls. Why am I finding out about Alton Sterling and Philando Castile via Facebook, Instagram, or friends? Are we really living in a time where the lives of a human take the back seat to an orange- faced clown with really bad hair? Take a back seat to the next campaign rally? Take a back seat to the premier of a new show? Why are we, and by we I mean everyone, not just Black people…why are we not more enraged by this?
When is enough going to be enough? After a Minnesota police officer shot and killed Philando Castile on Wednesday evening, Castile became the 559th person killed by police in 2016 alone. 559TH PERSON TO BE KILLED BY THE POLICE IN 2016. Yes, I reiterated and used all caps for a reason. Is it not problematic that in just under 7 months, that many lives have been lost at the hands of the police? A police officer is one who is put in place to serve and protect. How are we to to put our trust in people who keep killing us?
In a quote from President Obama today, he stated, “To admit we’ve got a serious problem in no way contradicts our respect and appreciation for the vast majority of police officers who put their lives on the line to protect us every single day. It is to say that, as a nation, we can and must do better to institute the best practices that reduce the appearance or reality of racial bias in law enforcement.”
While I have great respect for President Obama, I must disagree with part of his statement. It is not that we need to reduce the appearance in racial bias in law enforcement. We need to reduce racial bias as a whole. There is no appearance, there flat out IS racial bias within every area of law enforcement.
If an officer is easily threatened and scared of people in general, here’s a tip, DON’T BE AN EFFING COP! You can’t just go around killing people because “you feared for your life”. Grow a pair, seriously. If you feel easily threatened by a certain race, maybe you should switch your station, area, district, whatever you want to call it. Go work in a mall, or a library, or somewhere a little more tame for you. The use of guns by officers has really reached a point of absurdity. Shoot first, ask later. We live in a day and age where everything is caught on cellphones, and yet and still officers are blatantly using unnecessary force! Why?!
This post is in no way written to cause controversy or division. It’s more of a sad note that I felt compelled to write. My heart breaks for these families who have lost loved ones over senseless acts by the hands of this nation’s police force. So no, this isn’t just another piece written by a blogger who is trying to jump on the band wagon. I am not jumping on the #BlackLivesMatter campaign because it is the perfect timing for it. I am sad. I am mad. I am so deeply concerned for the state of our country. The land of the free… for some…
For those of you who are ready to do something about this, I strongly suggest finding a rally/protest to take part in. Make your voice heard. Change is needed and we can be that change.
For others who are not as interested in rallying, as it is not for everyone, I suggest making your voice heard in other ways. Perhaps, sign a petition (find information below.) The Castile family has set up a GoFundMe account. You can help his family in their great time of need. It’s a way to show your condolences and make your voice heard as well. Please click here to do so.
Petitions:
This petition is addressed to President Obama and the Department of Justice, and it calls for action against police brutality. “We are humans with beating hearts that are bleeding from the treatment of our ancestors and relatives TODAY,” writes Shanice Stewart, who started the petition. “We want Justice for Mr. Sterling, as well as the PAST AND FUTURE Mr. Sterlings!” Click here to sign the petition. it currently has 677 signatures.
This petition demands that the Department of Justice immediately “charge and arrest the two officers who murdered Alton Sterling in cold blood.” The petition names the two officers and describes in detail the nature of Sterling’s death. The petition currently has 15,138 supporters, and is aiming for 16,000. Click here to sign the petition.
This petition, which targets the Department of Justice, lives on the White House website, and only has 79 of the required 100,000 signatures so far. The petition’s aim is clear: “We the People demand a swift and just investigation into this case and for charges to ultimately be filed.” Click here to sign the petition.
This petition requests a fully documented, nonpartisan, ethical, and thorough investigation of the Philando Castile case. This petition also requests the action of the United States Department of Justice to indict the involved police officer, as well as fight for a conviction. The public is demanding justice for Philando, change in our law enforcement system, and the end of police brutality. This petition has 367 signatures of the 500 needed. Click here to sign the petition.
Today’s post is very real. I sit here now at my laptop with tears in my eyes and a deep hurt in my heart. I sincerely hope that you will do your part in trying to save humanity with me.
“If we stand for nothing, we will fall for anything.”
