I'm One Bullet Away From Being A Hashtag | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

I'm One Bullet Away From Being A Hashtag

So when is it my turn?

38
I'm One Bullet Away From Being A Hashtag
Nation Of Change

Alton Sterling, a husband and a father of five, was shot down and killed. No, not killed, but murdered by a police officer. The police, the ones who we give guns and our trust to. The ones we call for in need of help. Alton Sterling, another hashtag, another black man murdered by the police.

For what? What was he doing so wrong that made these officers believe that he was a threat to their lives? Selling CDs? Was that "crime" worth his life? He wasn't even resisting arrest. They already had him on the ground.

Why?

I keep asking myself this. I keep picturing his family waiting for him to come home just to discover that they will never see him again. I can't imagine the pain, anger and hurt they are going through right now.

I am so tired of the same thing happening over and over and OVER again.

A black person is murdered AND caught on camera and the media makes it out to be the victim's fault. The officer is left with no conviction whatsoever.

"He was a thug. He used to do drugs. He used to do this and that."

That's the excuses that I constantly hear when I watch the news or go on social media.

I'm sick and tired of people justifying the actions of these officers when it is clear as day that what happened was murder.

Murder- To kill someone unlawfully. That is the Webster dictionary definition of murder. Was the killing of Alton Sterling lawful?

No. You can't tell me that is was lawful. What the world witnessed watching that video was a man being MURDERED. Point blank period.

So don't sit here and tell me that All Lives Matter when my people are the ones being gunned down.

Don't tell me that racism doesn't exist because if this had been a white man he would have gotten off with a warning.

Don't tell me that we should respect authority when they are the main ones killing us for no damn reason but only because the can.

Don't tell me that it has nothing to do with race because it has EVERYTHING to do with race.

Alton Sterling was the 114th black male to be killed in America in 2016. That is unacceptable. It's disgusting.

Remember their names. The names of victims who were killed by police. None of these victims have received justice. Remember their names:

Trayvon Martin. Sandra Bland. Kathryn Johnston. Sean Bell. Eric Garner. Rekia Boyd. Amadou Diallo. Mike Brown. Kimani Gray. Kenneth Chamberlain. Travares McGil. Tamir Rice. Aiyana Stanley-Jones. Freddie Gray.

Alton Sterling.

Who's next? My father? My mother? My sister?

Me?

Am I the next hashtag? I mean, I'm one (or six) bullet(s) away from being one. So when will it stop? Because I am so tired of watching my people be murdered and nothing being done to stop it.

#Justicefor________. I'm leaving it blank because I'm probably going to be writing another article like this soon...


UPDATE: July 7th 2016

Philando Castile

It hasn't even been 48 hours.

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

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

187380
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

13061
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

456491
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

25766
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments