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Politics and Activism

#BlackLivesDoMatter

We're tired of being hashtags.

7
#BlackLivesDoMatter
The Ride Or Die Project

If you've seen any of your friends' tweets or Facebook posts on social media lately, or if you've watched the news for the past week, you'd know all of the craziness that America as a whole has gone through -- and it's too crazy to not talk about. Two black men were shot back to back (literally) within 24 hours of one another by policemen. Aren't we over this? Aren't we done with constantly turning on the news and seeing yet another innocent black man in the ground, leaving behind countless friends and family; it's disgusting.

Now, we've been through this before. So you'd think that every time this happens, we'd know how to act. But no, of course not. There's still people who have to throw around their hateful words, saying how these men's deaths were justifiable. Stop pulling up their back stories. Stop researching their past offenses. Stop being so inconsiderate about two men passing away. These men both had children; children who will not be able to see their fathers again. Children that won't have their fathers at their graduations or proms or weddings and countless other events and it's sickening that we're justifying their deaths.

Let's not even talk about how Philando Castile had his four-year old daughter in the car with him. "Oh, but he had a gun." Make up your damn minds, people. First, you scream and shout that having guns are our first amendment right and that they shouldn't be taken away. Yet, this man had a gun, and suddenly, it's this awful thing and his death was okay? So many of the people I've seen say things like this are complete hypocrites and only agree with situations when it fits their own agenda. If it doesn't, it's automatically some awfully forbidden crime done by an awful person who deserves to die.

And I have a quick message to the people who repeatedly bring up Black Lives Matter and black on black crime in the same sentence. There's a complete difference between the two, so let me break it down for you so that you're aware. When it comes to black on black crime, you can bet your bottom dollar that they will be arrested, and thrown in jail. And yes, I do agree with being put in jail if you do something wrongful. What I don't agree with is police officer Bob who acts so high and mighty shooting a black man and his punishment only being paid leave. No conviction, no sentencing, not a damn thing.

That is why we're so angry. We're sick and tired of fearing for our lives. We're tired of having to tell our sons how to act in front of police because the last thing we want is for them to become a hashtag. We're sick and tired, so excuse the hell out of me for screaming "Black Lives Matter" because they do.

No, excuse you for being so close-minded in the first place.


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