Black Lives Don't Matter To White Privilege | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

Black Lives Don't Matter To White Privilege

My views on racial issues which are inspired by Alton Sterling.

16
Black Lives Don't Matter To White Privilege
Blogspot

America, the land of the unfair, and the home of the cowards. Why would I bash America right after Independence Day? Because America is far from free. We are a United States of America with a divided state of ideals. You don’t see what’s wrong with America? Let us take a closer look.

America just celebrated its independence, yet Alton Sterling, a black man, has been killed by police for selling CDs. Police brutality: an action people are becoming used to. We celebrate Independence Day when our nation is not even free. America still stands, but we stand divided. We live in a nation where white privilege is the only privilege, black America is not free, and white America constantly gets away with murder… But wait a second. Aren’t we the land of the free, and the home of the brave?

No, we are not. Our own National Anthem is filled with lies. We are truthfully the land of the unfair, and the home of the cowards. Not everyone will understand this statement, which is why I will provide elaborate analysis. Let us begin this in depth analysis with, “the land of the unfair”. We are called the land of the free, but what is America’s definition of free? It is that a white man can shoot nine people in a church and get arrested calmly. It is that a white man can rape a woman and “have his dreams crushed." It is that police officers can kill black people, on camera, and be pronounced “not guilty" by the court. It is that black people cannot listen to their music at a loud volume, sell CDs, wear a hood, or drive without being pulled over. It is that black people can be pinned down, attacked, or unarmed, and still be killed because they “look threatening” and all the rights they fought for are nothing to white America.

This nation is anything but fair. Martin Luther King Jr. once dreamed that people would, “Not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." It is 2016 America, but we cannot see passed skin color. The Constitution is said to be colorblind, but the hearts of our nation aren’t. Black parents now have to teach their children that the color of their skin is more visible than the love in their hearts.

Why do I call America “the home of the cowards”? Americans can see black people being killed off although they say, “that’s horrible," “this isn’t OK," “this is wrong," and “that’s a shame." America can say it is wrong, but they watch the tragedies on the news and continue on with their lives. Change starts with action, and America’s actions an unethical. People can say it is terrible, but there are no changes taking place in the system. If you do nothing about a situation, you are an enemy. Remember that bystanders are implicit bullies. If you are talking about how wrong black people are treated but take no action, sit down. What help are you if you are taking no action?

Maybe one day #blacklivesmatter will make a difference, or maybe #whiteprivilege will continue to slant the system.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

12 Midnight NYE: Fun Ideas!

This isn't just for the single Pringles out there either, folks

14972
Friends celebrating the New Years!
StableDiffusion

When the clock strikes twelve midnight on New Year's Eve, do you ever find yourself lost regarding what to do during that big moment? It's a very important moment. It is the first moment of the New Year, doesn't it seem like you should be doing something grand, something meaningful, something spontaneous? Sure, many decide to spend the moment on the lips of another, but what good is that? Take a look at these other suggestions on how to ring in the New Year that are much more spectacular and exciting than a simple little kiss.

Keep Reading...Show less
piano
Digital Trends

I am very serious about the Christmas season. It's one of my favorite things, and I love it all from gift-giving to baking to the decorations, but I especially love Christmas music. Here are 11 songs you should consider adding to your Christmas playlists.

Keep Reading...Show less
campus
CampusExplorer

New year, new semester, not the same old thing. This semester will be a semester to redeem all the mistakes made in the previous five months.

1. I will wake up (sorta) on time for class.

Let's face it, last semester you woke up with enough time to brush your teeth and get to class and even then you were about 10 minutes late and rollin' in with some pretty unfortunate bed head. This semester we will set our alarms, wake up with time to get ready, and get to class on time!

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

The 5 Painfully True Stages Of Camping Out At The Library

For those long nights that turn into mornings when the struggle is real.

3020
woman reading a book while sitting on black leather 3-seat couch
Photo by Seven Shooter on Unsplash

And so it begins.

1. Walk in motivated and ready to rock

Camping out at the library is not for the faint of heart. You need to go in as a warrior. You usually have brought supplies (laptop, chargers, and textbooks) and sustenance (water, snacks, and blanket/sweatpants) since the battle will be for an undetermined length of time. Perhaps it is one assignment or perhaps it's four. You are motivated and prepared; you don’t doubt the assignment(s) will take time, but you know it couldn’t be that long.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

The 14 Stages Of The Last Week Of Class

You need sleep, but also have 13 things due in the span of 4 days.

1819
black marker on notebook

December... it's full of finals, due dates, Mariah Carey, and the holidays. It's the worst time of the year, but the best because after finals, you get to not think about classes for a month and catch up on all the sleep you lost throughout the semester. But what's worse than finals week is the last week of classes, when all the due dates you've put off can no longer be put off anymore.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments