What has happened to us?
Maybe nothing has happened. Maybe we’ve always been this way.
The us I’m referring to is people, Americans.
When postal employee Angela Summers was killed, I heard some justify her murder, saying it was OK since she made racist posts on Facebook, stopped delivering mail to a house because of a dog and exchanged words with people about the delivery suspension.
I can understand being mad. I can even understand arguing. If the argument got physical, I would think it was a silly to escalate it to that extent, but I understand some people deal with things by fighting. But, killing someone? That’s going too far. And to hear people comment as if she deserved it makes me wonder how much we value life as a society if we can be so flippant.
What really got me was the way some from our community spoke is the same way others speak about Black people who are killed by the police. The conversation often turns to any wrong thing he or she may have done in his or her life to justify the death. You would think Black people would catch ourselves doing the very thing that’s done to us and stop perpetuating such behavior, but that would require some self-awareness, thought and a desire to treat people the way we want to be treated.
Fast forward a few weeks, and here we are with the death of Dreasjon “Sean” Reed. A young Black man killed by police. It didn’t take long for folk to start pulling up his criminal record and justifying his death at the hands of police. How does reckless driving and a criminal record equal a death sentence? People made the leap that someone who had gun charges would probably shoot at the police. I’m not so sure. But, maybe I’m naïve.
Reed was fleeing. That was obvious from the Facebook Live video. Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) say Reed had a gun, and he and the officer exchanged fire. Now, where it gets murky is when Reed supposedly shot at the officer. Is it after the officer deploys his taser, which seems to hit Reed as it appears he falls to the ground. IMPD has since said the taser was ineffective. Does that mean it didn’t work, or the officer missed? Did Reed fall and what caused him to fall if it wasn’t the taser? Is this when he shot at the officer?
These are questions I have as well as those who’ve contacted me and want answers.
Now, contrast this to the shooting of McHale Rose, who was killed by police a few hours after Reed. The community’s reaction is different. Why? Because most people understand if you ambush and then shoot at police, there’s a good chance they will kill you. Black people know this. So, for those who say we are anti-police, this incident should prove otherwise. We are against the unwarranted killing of Black men (people).
There are tons of questions when it comes to Reed. Not so much with Rose.
I think most people also are aware the police may be on edge after the killing of officer Breann Leath. That’s an understandable human reaction. However, since her death I’ve wondered about police protocols and procedures, and these new incidents brought up some of those same questions.
In the incident with officer Leath, the perpetrator fired through the door shooting her in the head. Four officers entered the apartment building. Three retreated when they heard gunshots, and one officer saw Leath down but wasn’t able to bring her. They left her. The suspect, Elliahs Dorsey, was also apprehended and taken into custody. Why is he alive but Rose and Reed aren’t? What is the procedure in these situations? I don’t understand those who act as if we can’t and shouldn’t ask questions and hold police officers accountable, especially when they’re paid with our tax dollars. They’re not infallible. No one is.
