Just looking at the facts of a few situations here in America point out what, exactly, and how we need to change here in America, regarding race, specifically for blacks and African-Americans.
Number one:
From the "What Never Happens to White People" file.
Not Minneapolis but the other Twin City, St. Paul, 4 years ago.
"On July 6, 2016, Philando Castile, a 32-year-old African American man, was stopped while driving--apparently for a cracked tail light-- then fatally shot by Jeronimo Yanez, a 29-year-old Hispanic-American police officer from St. Anthony, Minnesota.
Castile was driving with his partner Diamond Reynolds and her four-year-old daughter when at 9:00 p.m. their vehicle was pulled over by Yanez and another officer in Falcon Heights, a suburb of Saint Paul, Minnesota. After being asked for his license and registration, Castile told Officer Yanez that he had a firearm (Castile was licensed to carry) to which Yanez replied, 'Don't reach for it then', and Castile said 'I'm, I, I was reaching for...' Yanez said 'Don't pull it out', Castile replied 'I'm not pulling it out', and Reynolds said 'He's not...' Yanez repeated 'Don't pull it out' and then shot at Castile at close range seven times, hitting him five times. Castile died at 9:37 p.m. at Hennepin County Medical Center, about 20 minutes after being shot."
Dead.
Because of a possible cracked tail light.
Next up:
"Manuel Ellis...died on March 3 (this year) in handcuffs while being restrained on the ground by Tacoma police.,,At one point, Ellis can be heard saying, 'I can't breathe.'"
Sound familiar?
Third:
On 22 November 2014 Tamir Rice, a 12-year old boy, was fatally shot in Cleveland, Ohio by Timothy Loehmann, a 26-year-old police officer. Rice was carrying a replica toy Airsoft gun; Loehmann shot him almost immediately after arriving on the scene.
The police officer shot and killed 12 year old Tamir Rice within 3-1/2 seconds after arriving on the scene in his police car.
3-1/2 seconds.
Dead.
For a toy gun.
Fourth:
A young woman.
26 years old
An EMT.
Alone.
At home.
In her bed.
Killed.
By police
March 13.
No knock search warrant.
Wrong address.
Middle of the night.
FBI is now opening an investigation. June 4. And they're likely only just now opening this investigation because of the George Floyd protests. Who knows what would have happened, if anything, and when it might have taken place without these protests.
Finally, his one broke yesterday. It's stunning.
How do you face your fellow teammates after saying something so deeply ignorant, racist, stupid and offensive?
"On July 6, 2016, Philando Castile, a 32-year-old African American man, was stopped while driving--apparently for a cracked tail light-- then fatally shot by Jeronimo Yanez, a 29-year-old Hispanic-American police officer from St. Anthony, Minnesota.
Castile was driving with his partner Diamond Reynolds and her four-year-old daughter when at 9:00 p.m. their vehicle was pulled over by Yanez and another officer in Falcon Heights, a suburb of Saint Paul, Minnesota. After being asked for his license and registration, Castile told Officer Yanez that he had a firearm (Castile was licensed to carry) to which Yanez replied, 'Don't reach for it then', and Castile said 'I'm, I, I was reaching for...' Yanez said 'Don't pull it out', Castile replied 'I'm not pulling it out', and Reynolds said 'He's not...' Yanez repeated 'Don't pull it out' and then shot at Castile at close range seven times, hitting him five times. Castile died at 9:37 p.m. at Hennepin County Medical Center, about 20 minutes after being shot."
Dead.
Because of a possible cracked tail light.
Next up:
"Manuel Ellis...died on March 3 (this year) in handcuffs while being restrained on the ground by Tacoma police.,,At one point, Ellis can be heard saying, 'I can't breathe.'"
Sound familiar?
Third:
This Is The Toy Gun That Got Tamir Rice Killed
On 22 November 2014 Tamir Rice, a 12-year old boy, was fatally shot in Cleveland, Ohio by Timothy Loehmann, a 26-year-old police officer. Rice was carrying a replica toy Airsoft gun; Loehmann shot him almost immediately after arriving on the scene.
The police officer shot and killed 12 year old Tamir Rice within 3-1/2 seconds after arriving on the scene in his police car.
3-1/2 seconds.
Dead.
For a toy gun.
Fourth:
Breonna Taylor killing:
FBI opens investigation
26 years old
An EMT.
Alone.
At home.
In her bed.
Killed.
By police
March 13.
No knock search warrant.
Wrong address.
Middle of the night.
FBI is now opening an investigation. June 4. And they're likely only just now opening this investigation because of the George Floyd protests. Who knows what would have happened, if anything, and when it might have taken place without these protests.
Finally, his one broke yesterday. It's stunning.
How do you face your fellow teammates after saying something so deeply ignorant, racist, stupid and offensive?
Sadly, maddeningly, even, there are far more than just this brief list, too. This photo shows far more and it's just a fraction of the tragedies and horrors---murders--that have taken place in our nation's history.
Hopefully our time has come, America.
Berkely Professor Robert Reich made a great proposal.
Robert Reich @RBReich
"What if — and hear me out here — we invested in Black communities rather than mass incarceration and the police?"
Berkely Professor Robert Reich made a great proposal.
Robert Reich @RBReich
"What if — and hear me out here — we invested in Black communities rather than mass incarceration and the police?"
And that, actually really would be a fantastic and intelligent, very real solution, especially given how much we imprison people.
We need to be over this. We need to be over the racism. We need to put this all behind us. We need to never have these senseless murders take place again. Think of it. We have a FRACTION of the population of either China or India but we incarcerate more, far more, than any other nation. Additionally, of those incarcerated, a far higher percentage of those are African-Americans.
We can do this. We have to. We must.
Let's do this.
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