Time and time again young black men are being shot and killed by police. Conservatives, or those against the Black Lives Matter movement argue that the same is happening in the white community. Some claim that cops kill white people just as much.
Yet, what I see, and what most of you see is a different story. Pretty much every high profile crime that has recently happened from the Batman shooting to Brock Turner ends up with the white criminal delivered safe and sound into jail. In some cases enjoying a delicious meal at Burger King beforehand.
Let me be clear, these are men who have actually committed the act of mass murdering young children, rape and other heinous crimes. Yet somehow, they always make it out alive.
A guy like Stephon Clarke who hasn’t done a damn thing wrong (certainly nothing that warrants being shot to death) doesn’t get the courtesy of life extended to him. He is gunned down for holding a cell phone and appearing like he poses a threat. Meanwhile the ones who are actually a threat, well, they don’t appear threatening. By the way, now we learn that most of those shots hit him in the back. You know, those scary, life threatening backs.
I can cite many other high profile cases where a black man was gunned down, but you’ve all seen them. Why is that the case? Are you going to tell me that the white offenders don’t make any movements that cause the cops to fear for their lives, yet every time that it is a black person, every move leads them to fear for their lives?
If a cop instructs you to show your hands, it takes more than a second to determine what a person is holding in their hands. But from the video of Stephon being shot, the cop says show me your hand, then follows that up with gun, gun, gun in the same breath.
I’ve always maintained that a fearful person should not be a cop. If you are that terrified of a man who is suspected of breaking a car window, turn in your badge and go work at a Walmart or something. You should not be working in law enforcement. Putting a deadly weapon in the hands of a fearful person is a very dangerous thing for the general population, especially so for young black men. Deny it all you want, but the reality is there.
Just a life long New Yorker sharing the journey through my lens. Please take note of a post’s date. The views I express here are subject to change and evolving as I grow and learn.
Leave a Reply