Everything you do is being judged. Everywhere you go people observe and watch your every movement, waiting for you to pull out a gun or a bomb any second now. People say that it is not about your appearance, that it is not about your race or the colour of your skin, but your personality. One of the many issues that affect today’s society is racism and how people discriminate one another, especially black people.
Racism is the belief that one race is superior than others and is a discrimination where one is treated unfairly based on their race, colour, religion or belief. Racism is an ongoing situation that has remained, and still remains a relevant issue to our lives and the society around us as people treat one another as if they were higher or lower value.
#blacklivesmatter came about in 2013 because of racism and is a global movement trying to raise awareness and to prevent police brutality and anymore violence being inflicted upon black communities, and actually came about in response after the murder of Trayvon Martin and african american teen, to the exoneration of George Zimmerman.
Trayvon Benjamin martin was born and raised in Miami, Florida. He was born on february 5 1995 and died on february 26 2012 at the age of 17, when he was fatally shot in the chest. On 26 of February, Martin was on his way back from the convenience store down the road from the house he was visiting, when one of the members of the community watch, Zimmerman, reported him as being suspicious to the stanford police. He was walking back home alone and unarmed, when he was approached. Few several minutes later after the call had been ended, gunshots were heard at exactly 7:16pm and at 7:30pm Trayvon Martin was announced dead at the scene. Zimmerman was found injured after the encounter and admitted to shooting the victim but was acquitted and not charged of second degree murder and claimed it had been self defense. We watched a man get away with murder. The fatal encounter sparked outrage and protest and shone an unforgiving light on issues including race, politics, and gun control. But soon on July 13, a jury finally charged Zimmerman for second degree murder and manslaughter of Trayvon Martin.
Trayvon is not the only person that has a story like this. In November 23 2014 in Cleveland, Ohio, Tamir Rice, an african american boy, was shot twice by police officers when they mistook his BB gun for a real gun. He was only 12 years old. (Stories like Trayvon Martin’s is what advocasted #blacklivesmatter) And just like Trayvon or Tamir that could’ve been anyone in the classroom, including yourself. Studies show that In America in 2017, there were 1147 people who were killed by the police, 25 % of those were african americans even though african americans only make up 13% of America’s population and 1% of those were actually convicted of the murder.
Look at it from their perspective and imagine everything you do, there is always someone watching your every movement and judging you. Everywhere you go, you have to be careful as you are three times more likely to get shot on the streets than white people do. Everytime you go out you have to be aware/careful about what you wear and what you say incase people…. Treat people how you want to be treated.
