News
Black Lives Matter
a student perspective
By Samuel Rodriguez
The spate of African American deaths appears to have started with Trayvon Martin’s death although he was not killed by a police officer, but a part-time security volunteer guard. His name George Zimmerman.
Trayvon’s death was followed by the death of Kimani Gray, a 16 year old who died because police thought he had a gun. He was unarmed. Carlos Alcis was another victim who died of a heart attack when police raided his house, because the police thought he was a cell phone thief. Jordan Baker died because an off-duty officer assumed that he was a robbery suspect, because Jordan wore the same black hoodie as the robber. Eric Garner who was choked by police when witnesses say he (Eric) broke up a fight. Michael Brown, an 18 year old who died with eight bullets over his body. Charles Goodridge who died by an off-duty police officer who tried to arrest Charles for trespassing, and ended up shooting Charles in the stomach twice, Christopher McCray a 17-year old, who died by a trooper car that crashed into him. Tamir Rice a 12-year old boy who was killed because he was playing with a BB gun and cops thought he had a real weapon, and many more.
African American deaths by police officers seems to be a freqent recurrance on the news as of late.
There have been multiple shootings of African Americans who were; unarmed and armed, young and old, men and women all the like. The reasoning and circumstances for these deaths was unique in each occassion.
There have been protests with people saying “hands up, don’t shoot”, or people holding signs that says “Black Lives Matter” or “I’m choking” (the last one is a reference to Eric Garner who was choked by police).
These protests have only grown stronger with each new death, but some protests have gone very violent to the point where property has been damaged. An example is, during the protest for the death of Keith Scott in Charlotte, North Carolina (which lead to about 44 arrests). People were not only protesting violently towards the police, but also looting stores.
The number of African American deaths in this country is on a steady increase and it seems that no one has an answer to the problem. This will be an enormous issue for our next president Donald Trump America is growing with divisions, and this adds to the growing tension of discrimination and segregation throughout the country we live in.
The Black Lives Matter movement:
“Black Lives Matter is a chapter-based national organization working for the validity of Black life.” ( quote from the black lives matter page.) It uses the hashtag #blacklivesmatter. People started recognizing the movement more, due to its protests for the deaths of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown. The founders are Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi.