Numb
It all started in 2006. I was in Midwood High School. Not too sure of the grade…my time line gets messed up sometimes. I heard on the news that day that Sean Bell was shot 50 times on the morning of his wedding. I was young then. It didn’t make sense. Anyone that plays video games or knows anything about guns know that a gun only holds so much bullets which means they fired until the clip was empty, reloaded and fired again. Not guilty was the verdict.
I don’t know exactly when I got numb to this type of news but I can tell you know I am. I don’t blink twice when I hear another African American has been killed by police officers. It’s like another day in the office. We really thought maybe they’d take a day off during the pandemic…guess not. Some people may argue that the media is pushing the narrative that cops are killing black people at an alarming rate and that may be true. But the cops shouldn’t be killing anyone unarmed for any reason. I would hope that they are provided training to address situations nonviolently and that violence is the last resort. I would hope that they are provided cultural sensitivity training for the communities that they police. However I know this is most likely not true.
I work in a profession where we are REQUIRED to approach each individual with respect and care. Granted my clients aren’t criminals but aren’t suspects innocent until proven guilty? I understand if someone shoots you shoot back but I never knew the policy was shoot first, ask questions later. I thought that was for the movies. I’m sorry this post isn’t as well put together like the last ones because I had initially planned to write something else. However I decided I couldn’t stay silent about this situation. I’m upset but at the same time I’m numb. This happens too frequently yet nothing is done. Thankfully the officers from the most recent incident have been fired but knowing how America works, they’ll have a new cop job in a few months in a few towns over. Shit doesn’t change. It’s a revolving door. I don’t know what needs to be done…but something has to change.