Black Lives Still Matter

When will it ever end? That’s the question I’ve been asking myself. The “it” I’m referring to is police brutality and racial injustice. The death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on Memorial Day and the manner of how he died broke my heart. The video of a police officer pinning Floyd on the ground, using his knee and pressing the back of his neck for several minutes, pleading that he couldn’t breathe, was disturbing. It was heartbreaking to watch and was in tears.

Since arriving in Arkansas 10 years ago, reading and watching news stories unarmed black people dying at the hands of the police made me furious. Unfortunately in most cases, these rogue cops get acquitted for their crimes, get slaps on the wrists, and carry on with their lives. Yes, there are great cops out there who are doing a fantastic job protecting and serving our communities. However, there are others who abuse their power and authority, just because they have a gun and a badge. Police officers who aren’t leading by example need to be fully accountable for their actions. In other words, no bond, no bail, and no plea deals.

What you see above are 24 other black people who have lost their lives in the last decade.

From left to right.

Trayvon Martin: Walking home with iced tea and Skittles, he was shot by George Zimmerman, who was found not guilty.

Keith Scott: Sitting in his car, reading. Was shot by a police officer, who was not charged.

Atatiana Jefferson: Looking out her window, she was shot by a police officer, who is still under indictment for murder.

Jonathan Ferrell: Asking for help after an auto accident. Shot twelve times by police and the case ended in a mistrial.

Jordan Edwards:Was riding in a car and was shot in the back of the head by a police officer, who was found guilty of murder.

Stephon Clark: Holding a cell phone. Shot eight times, with six of those shots were in his back. Officers were not charged.

Amadou Diallo: While taking out his wallet, officers fired 41 shots. Four officers were all acquitted.

Renisha McBride: Auto accident and knocked on the door for help. Homeowner was found guilty of second-degree murder.

Tamir Rice: Was playing with a toy gun and shot by a police officer arriving on the scene. The officer was not charged.

Sean Bell: Hosting a bachelor party, 50 rounds fired by police officers, who were found not guilty of charges.

Walter Scott: Pulled over for brake light, shot in the back by a police officer, who pleaded guilty to civil rights violations.

Philando Castile: Pulled over his car, told officer he had a legally registered weapon in car. Officer was acquitted of all charges.

Aiyana Jones: While she slept, she was accidentally shot by an officer in a raid on wrong apartment. Officer was cleared of all charges.

Terrence Crutcher: Disabled vehicle and shot by a police officer, who was found not guilty of manslaughter.

Alton Sterling: Selling CDs and then shot at close range while being arrested. No charges filed.

Freddie Gray: Beaten to death by officers while being transported in the police van. All officers involved were acquitted.

John Crawford: Shopping at Walmart holding a BB gun on sale. The police officer was not charged.

Michael Brown: Shot by twelve times by an officer, including in the back. No charges were filed.

Jordan Davis: Killed because he was playing loud music. Shooter found guilty of first-degree murder.

Sandra Bland: Pulled over for traffic ticket, tasered and arrested. Suspicious “suicide” while in jail. No charges.

Botham Jean: Shot at home, which police officer mistook for her own. Officer was found guilty of murder.

Oscar Grant: Handcuffed and face down, an officer shot him in the back. Officer was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter.

Corey Jones: Waiting by his disabled vehicle, was shot three times by a police officer, who was found guilty of murder.

Ahmaud Aubery: Jogging, shot by two men who claimed they suspected him of burglaries. Both men were charged with murder and aggravated assault.

There’s still a lot of racial injustice happening everywhere. That’s why it’s important for all us to speak about stuff like this, no matter your financial status, race, gender, etc. We can’t shy away from it, nor keep silent. Your voice matters. Every voice matters. Parents, I encourage you to talk to your children about how important it is to love and treat everyone with respect. You have to make them aware of what’s going on now.

I’m not afraid to say Black Lives Matter and neither should you. You saying that doesn’t mean all lives don’t matter. Of course all lives do matter, but for right now, we’re talking about black lives. The families of those who have lost loved ones are still suffering and grieving. All they want is for police officers to be held fully accountable and have closure.

I do respect everyone’s right to protest. However, rioting, looting, and vandalizing property are not ways to express your frustrations rations and getting your points across. The late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wouldn’t approve of those actions if he were alive today. It’s only going to make the memory of the people that I just mentioned look bad. I understand that people want to seek justice for black individuals who were unarmed and killed, but all I ask of everyone is protest peacefully. That’s what George Floyd, his family, and other families of the victims would’ve wanted. Now do you understand why Colin Kaepernick took a knee? He took a knee in protest of police brutality and injustice. He didn’t disrespect anyone or anything. We should be thanking him for speaking up on subjects like this.

On May 30, I was scrolling through my Instagram feed and I saw this video and decided to take a screenshot and use it for this story. You can watch that video for yourself. There was a cosplayer dressed up as Batman at a protest and he received a lot of backlash. What wrong with being in cosplay at a protest, you ask? My problem with that and his video was simple: he was there for attention and for views. To me, it came off as insincere, disrespectful, and inappropriate. His caption read: “Saving my city. Be right back.” His response to my comment was “I’m Batman.” You could see the arrogance of his reply. As of this story, that video has close to 250,000 views. It didn’t sit well with me. His name was Bucks County Batman. I rarely go in on other cosplayers, but I had to say something. When I see someone using cosplay at a protest as a backdrop to be the center of attention, I’m going to call them out on it. I’m going to hold their feet to the fire. If you’re at a protest in cosplay looking for attention, then you’re doing it for all the wrong reasons.

So here’s what I wrote in the comments section underneath his video:

I received a bunch of likes on that comment, agreeing with my sentiments. Some were upset at me for calling him out. Another cosplayer replied to my comment and he was spot on with this:

Basically, Batman was just there for clout and validation. I felt like he didn’t come from a sincere place or taking the death of George Floyd seriously. Other cosplayers and some in the black cosplay community also blasted him.

So I ran across this tweet recently and reiterated everything that I’ve been saying. There’s a time and a place to do certain things in cosplay. Being at a protest in cosplay was not one of them. You’ll never see me on the streets of Fayetteville, Arkansas at a protest in cosplay, because it’s not about me. If you want to cosplay, that’s fine, but save them for cons, photoshoots, birthday parties, fundraisers, charity events, and other functions that aren’t protests. These protests aren’t about you, so please don’t use your cosplays as backdrops for attention. The focus should be focused on seeking justice for George Floyd and closure for his family. It’s all about respect. Don’t try to go viral when you shouldn’t, especially at a time like this. I have respect for all cosplayers, but I want them to be more mindful and considerate about who and what these protests are about. There’s nothing wrong with being an advocate for different causes and protesting, but leave the cosplays at home. I’m saying all of this because I care about you and coming from a genuine place.

In conclusion, I want to leave everyone with this: change has to start with us. Love one another and treat others the way you want to be treated. Positivity is the only way we’re going to get through these difficult times. We need more of that and less negativity.

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