When I started writing for The Odyssey, I saw it as an opportunity to get my name out there and a way to make my voice heard. I write in hopes that there's someone out there who can related and say "that's exactly what I needed to hear." I write in hopes that someone will read my thoughts and use them as motivation to get up and go out and make a difference. I write in hopes that my articles will be shared all over social media and bring people together because if you both share the same thing, you must both feel some type of way about a subject. All it takes is one person to speak up. It takes one person to start a movement. It takes one idea, one thought, one protest, one person to step up and let others follow. It takes one person to get something started, but it takes a group of people to come together to start a revolution, and if we ever needed one, it's now.
From police brutality, to the debate over Kaepernick, to this year's joke of an election, to #BlackLivesMatter movements only being answered with #AllLivesMatter, to the Brock Turner case, to Syrian refugees, I think it's safe to say that the only thing we can agree on is that the world is a scary and messed up place.
As you can tell, our system is screwed. Police are supposed to be there to serve and protect us, but now we're all terrified to even be pulled over because we've heard so many stories of cops killing innocent, unarmed people. There's multiple cases of police brutality that happens, and yes, I know it doesn't only happen to black people, but that's who it seems to be targeted now. It's awful. There are so many cases of this but to save time, I'm only going to name a few that the media has covered. Philando Castile was shot in his car by a cop with his child and girlfriend in the car with him. His girlfriend actually live streamed the incident on Facebook and repeatedly told us "they shot my boyfriend for no apparent reason." Alton Sterling was shot while selling CDs on the street. Sandra Bland was arrested for asking why she had been pulled over. She supposedly died later in her cell after her apparent suicide but many debate if she was even alive in her mugshot. Charles Kinsey was a behavioral therapist who was shot, but survived, while laying in the road with his hands up. The police say it was "accidental" and that they were aiming for the autistic boy, who happened to be Kinsey's patient, and accidentally shot Kinsey. As if that makes it any better. Terrence Crutcher was shot by Betty Shelby after he'd asked for help from the police when he had car troubles because they believed he was reaching for a gun in his car, even though his hands were up in the air. Shelby was charged with first degree murder but was released only 23 minutes after on a $50,000 bond, and has been placed on a paid administrative leave. Yes, you read that correctly. She's basically on a paid vacation after taking the life of a poor man. I will never understand how people can hear about these and try to justify the cops.
These murders have led to the Black Lives Matter movement, which I fully support. But of course, people have tried to contradict this by saying All Lives Matter. While that is true, that's not what we're fighting for right now. I saw a post on Facebook one day that perfectly explained this situation. Let's say Bob goes to a restaurant with his friends and family. Everyone except Bob is served their food so Bob says, "Bob deserves food." Bob's family looks at him and replies, "Everyone deserves food," This may be true, but this does not change the fact that Bob doesn't have food. Understand? Since people refuse to or just can't understand why #BLM is doing what it's doing, protests have turned to riots. However, you cannot fight fire with fire. That will never change anything.
Speaking of the system being screwed, I'm sure you've heard about Brock Turner. The Stanford swimmer who raped an unconscious woman behind a dumpster and only got 3 months of jail time because anything more would be too hard for him. He's a joke. The judge who came to this conclusion is a joke. His father who said that he shouldn't have to pay such a steep price for "20 minutes of action" is a joke. I shouldn't have to be afraid to walk outside of my apartment at night and be afraid that I'm going to be raped because they know that they can get away with it.
Our system isn't going to change anytime soon though thanks to our lovely presidential candidates. Note the sarcasm. Bernie Sanders was just a nice old man who wanted to help us but you all voted for the liar and the racist and now we're doomed either way. Awesome.
I'm tired of living in fear. Things are to the point where my African American boyfriend is scared to drive his car in fear of being shot. One of my childhood best friends has to fear for his mother's life every time she goes to work just because she's a cop. These things can change though. But for these things to change, we're going to have to all come together as one and stop letting the media tear us apart. We are the future; we change things. I don't want my kids to grow up in this world. I don't want my nephews to grow up in this world. Something has to change and it has to change soon, because who know where this world is going? It's time for us all to take a stand and be as one. We all bleed the same color, why are we still letting the color of our skin separate us? We are one in the same and until we get that through our heads, nothing is going to change.
