Unfortunately, many people believe that racism is over and everyone is finally equal. However, in reality, racism is alive and well and continues to have a huge affect on society today.
One of the most prominent and most recent examples of racism is the case of Tamir Rice. A 12 year old African American boy was shot and killed by police for playing with a toy gun in a park. Although the person who called 911 said he was probably a minor and repeated two times that the gun was probably fake, this information was never told to the police officers. However, within seconds of arriving, the police officers shot Tamir Rice and proceeded to handcuff his sister and threaten his mother.
Although Tamir Rice was in the wrong by aiming his toy gun at people and removing the orange tip that indicated it was a toy, one must still consider how race affects this case. If a white boy was playing with a toy gun in a park, would he be killed? Would anyone even call the police? White boys play with toy guns all the time, yet they are not shot. Their sisters are not handcuffed, and their mothers are not threatened with arrest. White adults go hunting with real guns, but they are not killed by police. Although it is true that some cases attempt to use the "racism" card, this is not one of those cases. This case just one example of the racism, brutality, and prejudice that African Americans are forced to live with every single day of their lives. And far too many of those lives are tragically cut short due to racism.
Source: CNN
Becky Reals
Well-written and passionate piece, Becky!
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