When a horrible thing happens, I can’t talk about it. It paralyzes me and sends me into despair. I have no words. If I don’t talk about it, I can pretend they are not real. Today, in the light of what happened with Alton Sterling, I no longer have the right to be quiet in the face of violence, abuse, and injustice. Too many lives have been taken for us to stay silent.
I recently finished the latest season of Orange Is the New Black, and those of you who watch the show know there is a scene in which one of the characters is killed by a guard’s excessive force. I teared up when I watched it, and it’s just a show.
However, in “real life” I regularly see these types of acts of hatred and violence, especially targeting African Americans. I’m sad, angry, and disgusted. As an advocate for diversity and multiculturalism, I always tell people the key to embracing a multicultural society is respect and appreciation. Too many lives have been taken for us to stay silent.
How can we achieve that if we don’t show equal respect and appreciation for all human life? How can we, as a society, as Americans, turn a blind eye to a reality that is taking valuable lives, splitting families, bringing so much sorrow? Too many lives have been taken for us to stay silent.
How can we allow it to become commonplace? Is this really an African-American issue? Are we that disconnected from our humanity? I refuse to think that those of us who are not African American can stand by without speaking against it. This is a human rights issue, this is an issue of police brutality, of hatred, and we cannot afford to stay silent.
Like Dr. King said:
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”.
This must not be seen as an African-American issue. We all have a responsibility to demand change, accountability from the police, and regulations for gun possession. We have to stop thinking about social issues by ethnic group. This is a human rights issue. This is an American issue. It must stop.
We have to stand with the innocent people that are being killed. It pertains to me, not as a person of color, but just as a person. It pertains to you as well, it doesn’t matter what you look like. We are at a crucial time in which we need to decide what’s acceptable and what’s not. I refuse to believe that this reflects American ideals.
As a mother, I feel for all those moms who have lost their sons to this violence. My heart aches even more because they are witnessing that even after their child is killed nothing improves. On the contrary, we are seeing it escalate. This is unacceptable.
Maybe you can’t remember their names and most likely you don’t know who they were, that doesn’t matter. What matters is what we’re going to do about it. In case you want to know hard facts about the more than 100 unarmed African Americans that were killed in 2015, you can click here. Too many lives have been taken for us to stay silent.
I don’t want my children to grow up in a society where some people are considered disposable. Where as a general rule, human life is not valued. I don’t want more families to go through the heartbreak of senseless violence. We need to demand action. I want to invite all of you to raise your voices. We need you to speak up, especially if you are not black. Let’s show the world that this is an American issue, a civil rights issue, and that we can unite to change the current situation.
To the family of Alton Sterling, and all the other families who have gone through this type of hateful crime, I’m with you. To all of you, ALL of you who have been silent, please, please speak up. This has to stop.
Call upon your courage, your humanity, or your faith. Do whatever you need to do, but, please don’t be silent. We need to stop this violence. NOW
[dania]
Well said, Dania. And congratulations on using your voice to speak against these tragedies. I unite my voice to yours and I add that the respect and appreciation you speak of starts with oneself and must be taught at home. It is a cycle that must be broken…and la union hace la fuerza.