If you have internet access, open up your Twitter feed or log on to your Facebook. There, you will see several re-posted videos of a black man being ambushed by a police officer and getting shot multiple times right then and there on camera. And what justified this violence for someone to do to another human being? The victim was targeted by a police officer for selling CDs on the street outside of a Louisiana convince store. This victim was Alton Sterling.
He was a respected man with a family of his own, known as the “CD man” in his local community. He had permission from the shop owner to sell these CDs outside of the shop -- he never trespassed, and he was never asked by the shop owner to leave.
Now, before you start trying to form an opinion on this, or arguing over the whole facts and what background Alton Sterling came from, think about this: The police. Their reputation. When we were young, most of us were taught not to be afraid of the cops, and that they are safe to rely on in situations where you feel scared or need protecting. So why are police officers that get paid to protect us gunning innocent civilians down? Why are they not protecting everyone in their community?
If you have been alive for more than 10 years, you will begin to recognize the hate and the racism that floats above our daily lives like unmentioned clouds. To some of us, it is seen as a problem that isn’t really a problem; one that's all in our head. To some of us, however, it is an ongoing torture and hell we live in every single day. If you are a minority, you are going to feel some type of hatred towards the cops based on what has already happened in the past to your race, or what you read on the news or on your social media feeds.
Having a predominately white-based community as an audience sometimes has perks, and sometimes it is frustrating. The frustrating part of this is that some people do not believe that racism is real, that it doesn’t exist. In describing these situations, it is difficult to fully gauge how people feel about this because they simply have not lived it and will never know what it feels like. On the other hand, the majority of my audience understands that certain rights have not been given to certain people of color, and that is simply unfair and unjust to take those rights away when they are completely innocent. Those people are the people that want to see change happen, and want to see our future generations grow up in an environment that is safe and equal for every human being.
I believe that every person wants to live in a better world. As I wrote in my article on white privilege, it's what you do in these situations that defines you as a person as well as the outcome of the world. If we support black culture or any form of entertainment which has people of color, we need to stand by them and support them right now. We must not talk over them, but we must fully support and stand with them.
So what can I do?
If you want to help change the ongoing fight against racism, there's plenty you can do.
Get involved by talking to your family, friends, and people that are not aware of the major issues that are going on in the world today. Obama delivered a statement saying, “All Americans should be deeply troubled,” and that is true. It is not some type of issue to sweep under the rug; it is an act of injustice that we must fight for until equality is restored for all.
Stay educated. Many people get their news from convenient media platforms, but I urge you not to just pop on to Twitter. Instead, check out news articles, blogs, and strong reliable sources for your information. Twitter is great for hearing big news, but it is all opinionated after that.
Attend any peaceful protests or rallies that are going on in your community. Silence is a luxury, and not talking about important issues like Alton Sterling is just taking advantage of your privilege. Type "Alton Sterling peaceful rallies" into your Facebook search bar and surely enough, a few that are close to you will pop up.
Keep talking. Keep talking until things get better. I've learned that many people stop talking once the buzz dies down over a racist incident, but the silence won't solve any problems. So, keep talking.
Keep getting involved until the problem isn't a problem anymore.
