Why “Reggie Yates Life And Death In Chicago” is so important.
509. People as of
July 2016, have been killed this year alone in the us, 123 if these people were
black, 13 percent of Americans belong to this ethnic group. Michael Brown was
the first black male shot by police that I was aware of, and his death was just
over two years ago. You would think that his death would have created such an
impact that this would be the last time we saw or heard of anything like this.
But it somehow made it worse, the loss of his life seemed to be the start of
something, something I thought I would never have to witness.
So why is the
black lives matter movement, and programmes about police brutality so important
and why is an eighteen year old white girl writing about it? Honestly I’m not
to sure myself, but I do know I’m angry. I’m angry that its got to this stage,
angry that so many people and life’s have already been lost, angry that people
are only just realsing how important this movement is, and to use they power
and voice to speak out about it, and if I’m honest I am one of them people.
Don’t get me wrong this is not major news to me, but ive just been angry you
know in private.
But after watching
“Reggie Yates Life And Death In Chicago” last Monday, it seems it has stirred
something within me to talk about it, maybe it was seeing a deputy sheiffer
talk about his 23 year old daughter being killed by a stray bullet. Or watching
a father talk about his eighteen year old son being killed and leaving a whole
life and young child behind, Or maybe it was seeing a group of police officers
called the wild pigs that were having a day to celebrate the life’s of officers
they’ve lost over the past couple of years, that number being just nine
officers.
Much like everyone
else the Chicago I know and have been told about, is not the real Chicago, that
so many people have to live in, survive in day-to-day, week-to-week, hour-to-hour.
The Chicago I know and have always wanted to visit since the first time I
watched Ferris Buller all them years ago, no the Chicago I know is the one that
Kanye raps about, the one that Chance The Rapper talks about and is so proud
of.
I’m not saying
that police brutality and gang wars are just a huge problem in the city of
Chicago, because they aren’t they don’t just happen in Chicago, they happen
everywhere, and are happening all the over the us and the world. So why am I
writing this, why have I put so much time and effort into basically an almost
800-word rant?
Because I am sick
and tired of scrolling down my twitter feed almost every day and seeing another
innocent person shot by police, seeing another justice for hash tag, I am tired
of explaining to uneducated people, that of course they should care about
what’s happening in the world, of course they should care about innocent life’s
being shot, because of the colour of they skin, and just because it isn’t
happening in our country and our percentage of the black and poc community it doesn’t
mean its not important, because it is important, its so important. America
isn’t the land of the free and hopeful it’s the land of racism and violence and
it’s been that way since the very start.
So what can we do
to help? I mean a lot of people have asked me this, when I mention police
brutality or the black lives matter movement “what can you do to help through
you’re just someone who’s passionate about it” well normally I would roll my
eyes and go on yet another rant about how idiotic they are and probably end up
crying by the time I’m done. But now I say I have a voice, alright it’s not the
most influential voice, I’m not going to end the horror of police brutality
with it, but none the less its still a voice, I have an opinion and thoughts
and feelings, strong feelings and I refuse to watch another 509 people, 509
innocent people have they life’s, taken away from them by police, police are
there or suppose to be there to serve and protect, not murder, hurt and
terrify.
And after that
wonderful rant I am now going to crawl back into my left winged opinionative hole
and not have a rant for at least another two days, maybe I’m not promising
anything.
Link to the black lives matter charity and how you can
get involved below.
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