When did it become a crime to be black? What an awful reality that is. That a young black boy has to hide his skin from a police officer or they’re at risk of losing their life. For example, Alton Sterling was selling CDs outside a convenience store and police were called because there had been an alleged disturbance. Two cops showed up and tried to take Sterling into custody. When Sterling didn’t comply, excessive force was used to detain him. For those who have watched the video, it’s easy to see that Sterling wasn’t fighting back; there was no resistance unless, the officer thought the inability to break and bend limbs to their inclination is considered “fighting back.” This is only one of far too many cases of police brutality.
One movement that has been bringing awareness to these murders is Black Lives Matter. This group of beautiful young individuals have been roaring for justice and equality between races since the murder of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, but for some reason people find it racist. These people claim that “all lives matter” when “all lives” aren’t being murdered for missing taillights, failing to signal a lane change, selling CDs, playing in a park.
Yes, all lives do matter but have white people ever felt like their lives didn’t matter? By saying Black Lives Matter or that one is pro-black it doesn’t translate to anti-white or that “only” black lives matter. It means that black lives should matter as much as white lives. It means that the oppression and discrimination of black people in America isn’t being ignored. Think of it like this: there are three houses and one is on fire. The fire truck comes and starts hosing down the house that isn’t on fire and claims “all houses matter.” How silly, why not water the house that is going to be a pile of ashes soon, right?
What needs to be done? Clearly better training for police officers who feel that the need to take on such excessive force. One argument that has come up in regards to Sterling’s murder is that he was a registered sex offender. Since when was the sentence for sexual offence a public lynching? Nothing will justify his murder; whether he was armed or not, he shouldn’t have been shot.
Dylan Roof shoots nine people in a church, is calmly arrested and taken to Burger King on his way to jail. He is still alive. What is the difference between these two men? This is a corrupt, oppressive system; white privilege is the biggest threat to America.
Kiran Dhaliwal
Squamish
