It's all been too much to bear on my psyche. The last few years' onslaught of unjustified killings of black men, women and children by police officers and civilians across the country have me clutching my heart and praying for families and survivors for what feels like a weekly ritual. There was Samuel Dubose shot in the head and killed by a campus cop at The University of Cincinnati two weeks ago, Sandra Bland on her way to a fresh start back at her alma mater in the lone star state and found hanging from a jail cell 3 days later and Freddie Gray dying of spinal cord injuries and a crushed voice box last Spring. Then this week there was the outpouring of tears by celebrities over the arrogant slaughter of "Cecil the lion" by a Minnesota dentist in Southern Africa. While I was saddened by the senseless killing of this majestic animal that represents Africa, I cannot say I ever saw such an outpouring of emotion over little Tamir Rice who was shot in the chest by a cop within 2 seconds of arriving at the scene. Btw, dentist Walter Palmer should be extradited to Zimbabwe for what he did and rightly dealt with in their justice system. Seems some people want to kill all things African.
Some have suggested that these cases aren't new, they've just been captured by the current technology: personal cell phones and dash cameras. I do think that has some merit but I also cannot help but wonder if the current presidency is connected to this constant barrage of race-based murders. Afterall, there is some deeply ingrained hatred for the current president no doubt in sections of the general population. Barack Obama entered into history as the first black President of the U. S. in 2008 and has had more death threats and security breaches than any previous commander in charge. And since 2010 it feels like these killings have been increasing at an alarmingly strident pace.
Now while not all police are bad, abusive, power hungry people, some are and to our detriment. Many cops go to funerals of crime victims, suffer from PTSD and strive to balance having compassion and strength in their duties. But some cops are a menace to society and it's rarely been discussed in all the recent news coverage of policing in America that there are white supremacist groups that exist in some police departments and corrections. I imagine if there are people who hate and resent President Obama enough but can't act on it, they can take that blind rage out on black people who don't signal a lane change or play their music too loud at a gas station or don't comply as quickly as they should from a "command". And to be clear, not all these killings have been at the hands of white civilians and cops. Rekia Boyd was shot and killed by a black officer in Chicago who was vindicated because black women's lives really don't matter. But still, South Carolina police took Dylann Rooth to Burger King on his way to jail after slaughtering 9 black people at a prayer meeting.
