I am tired. I am tired of the blatant ignorance. Not only of the ignorance produced by stereotypes, vast assumptions, and hatred in hearts and minds, but the pure ignorance in people’s eyes. How individuals will choose to ignore the issues at hand and that have been standing for decades. The fact that Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, and so many others' speeches still hold relevancy in this moment in history is staggering to me. The fact it takes the death of police officers - may they rest in peace and their families watched over - for the issue of police brutality and the killing of innocent lives to be considered an actual issue and given light to the world is disheartening. How even with the rise of social media in our age, the actual documentation of these events is still not enough proof for people to wake up.
The fact children are dying for the sake of a misrecognized toy and men are being killed for complying peacefully frightens me. As a daycare worker, I have to look in my young boys' eyes and realize that could’ve been any of them. Any of my funny, sweet, athletic, and innocent boys could have been next, simply for the color of their skin. The fact my mother, as well as countless others, worry about her children going out with all these instances of overt injustice and hatred, even as simply walking the dog is considered a hazard. The fact the families of these victims have to go to sleep each night, knowing that the system does nothing for them and refuses to give valid help and justice. How when a hash tag acknowledging the need for social awareness for the importance of Black Lives is simply belittled on for not focusing on other races. How when people explain that #BlackLivesMatter does not take away the importance of other races, but simply highlight the situation that black lives are being put at a back burner and people are tired.
Oh how people are tired. People are just tired of this inhumane nonsense. Of the unnecessary killings, of the unanswered questions, with justice not served and individuals walking away free, to do nothing but continue to grow in their ignorance and hatred. People are tired. I am tired of the constant need to have a scapegoat or these ludicrous and minor excuses to be used as justification for the killing of innocent people. I am tired of individuals bashed on TV, on news reports, and on social media platforms with either words or pictures of them being portrayed in a negative manner, to give sense of their killing. I am tired of people being beaten, being harassed, and killed simply for the color they were blessed with by God. The fight for justice should never have to resort in more killing. The right of justice shouldn’t have to be demanded after centuries of being denied it. And ignorance and hate shouldn’t be excused. The world is tired.
I write this to spread awareness of the issue at hand, but I know words fall short without action. Let your efforts become a helping hand in the movement, not just your Facebook posts and tweets. Love will always conquer all and justice will come to those who so rightfully deserve it. Fight for your right. Educate. Love. Create.
