Frosty's Flava Magazine 4th of July Edition _ June | July 2019 | Page 40

police when she called them to report a crime,
these incidents continue to occur although the
national lens is now focused on the problem.
As seen in the Civil Rights Movement, now that
the collective conscious that is America is woke,
what are we going to do about it?
On this Fourth of July, we celebrate this nation’s
Independence, and its ideals of freedom, justice
and equality. We celebrate the notion that it
is “self-evident, that all men are created equal,
that they are endowed by their Creator with
certain unalienable Rights, that among these
are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
The history of the African in America tells us
that we were not always afforded the same
rights. As a result of our history, we still
grapple with institutional barriers to equality.
However, just as our ancestors courageously
did before use, we must continue to fight for
the protection of our unalienable rights and
demand equality under the law.
We must advocate for change of the law. We
as a community must proactively approach
the issues that plague us and not react to every
incident of violence against blacks after the
fact. If the laws are not protecting a class of
citizens, we must change them. “Stand your
ground” ensures that if you have a reasonable
belief that your life is in jeopardy you may
use deadly force to defend yourself. Florida’s
law is unique in that it provides immunity,
meaning you may not face any charges. The
law as written may be facially neutral, but the
application of the law has a different affect. We
must reevaluate this law and advocate change.
In 2019, now that we are woke, we must get
involved in the policy making process and
hold our representatives accountable. After
all, just as the Founding Fathers believed,
“Governments are instituted among Men,
deriving their just powers from the consent of
the governed.” We have the power to shape
the government, and must utilize that power
by exercising our rights at the polls and voicing
our discontent to our policy makers. 2020 is a
pivotal election year both locally and nationally.
If we truly want to tackle “stand your ground”,
police brutality, and police involved shootings, it
starts with the power of the pen and the power
of the vote. We can make living while black not
as hazardous for our health, if we strategically
unify to effectuate change.
Loreal A. Arscott, Esq., is the President of the
Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. Bar Association, and
a Past President of the Gwen S. Cherry
Black Women Lawyers Association.