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Silence Is Never An Option

The never ending fight against injustice and racial inequality

By Mark Wesley PritchardPublished 4 years ago 5 min read
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2020 has gone off to a rough start. The coronavirus pandemic currently has over 17 million cases. On top of that, the loss of jobs, high unemployment, numerous cancellations of large events, and so on. It has also taken the lives of over 150,000 people in the United States.

Aside from that, the year also started with the tragic deaths of a few unarmed black people. They are Ahmaud Aubery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and Rayshard Brooks. Police brutality, racial inequality, and racial injustice are issues that needs to be addressed. They’ve been an ongoing problem for decades and it’s still happening today. Too many rogue police officers are getting away with murder and not being held accountable for their actions. They like to use deadly force and ask questions later. It makes me not only angry, but frustrated.

Since the death of George Floyd on Memorial Day, there have been numerous protests in the United States and in many countries. Some of them were peaceful, while others have been using the death of George Floyd and other black people as a way to cause chaos in their communities. In other words, they’re taking advantage of a situation for their own selfish reasons: vandalizing buildings, looting, and destroying property. This is not the way to get your point across. I can’t and will never co-sign with those actions. I can understand being upset, but doing those things is hijacking the Black Lives Matter movement. It’s only going to make things worse. The families of victims who have lost their loved ones to police brutality want all of us to protest peacefully.

Things definitely need to change, as far as police being retrained and holding rogue cops fully accountable. I don’t believe that all police departments need to be defunded. I’m not going to be one of those people saying “F the police.” It’s not the kind of mentality I have. I refuse to paint all cops with one brush, assuming that all of them are bad actors. There’s a small few who are leading by example and keeping our communities safe.

As I’ve stated in my Black Lives Matter story two months ago, change has to start with us. We have to come together as one. Earlier this month, we’ve lost two iconic figures of the Civil Rights Movement: Reverend C.T. Vivian and Representative John Lewis. You have the right to protest, but looting and vandalizing property are not ways to stand up against racial inequality. Protesting in a non-violent manner and being kind to everyone is what these two men that I just mentioned would want from us.

Last but not least, I need to talk about those who are upset about athletes taking a knee. Recently, Pro Football Hall of Fame Coach Mike Ditka had some strong opinions about this issue. He said that athletes who do that should leave the country. New Orleans Saints Quarterback Drew Brees received backlash online for making similar comments, which he has since later apologized.

Let me take a moment to check people who are so easily offended about athletes taking a knee. First of all, them taking a knee is not “disrespecting” the American flag or this country. Also, please stop assuming that people who choose to kneel hate America. The reason why Colin Kaepernick took a knee during his time as a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers back in 2016 is to protest against police brutality and injustice in this country. However, many of you have characterized him as a bad person, like he has done something to you personally. You still haven’t fully understood the point that Colin was trying to make at the time. Instead of you making assumptions, try seeing the entire picture of why we kneel. If that one action bothers you so much, then you’re part of the problem and need to educate yourself on the subject. I applaud Colin for having the courage of speaking up about the things that people are too afraid to talk about. He may not be in the NFL, but he’s been an inspiration to me and millions of people. We should be praising Colin for his activism. Also, NFL Comissioner Roger Goddell has yet to apologize to Kaepernick. Until he does, I’m giving him the major side eye.

As a black man and a black openly gay cosplayer, I’ve been talking about injustice against my fellow black brothers and sisters, as well as other serious topics for years. I’ll continue to do so, whether people like it or not. Yes I can talk about cosplay. However, I live in the real world and have to keep up with what’s going on now. We need to have conversations like with our friends and children to make them aware. Not speaking up against injustice is injustice everywhere. Don’t be afraid or ashamed to say Black Lives Matter. It doesn’t mean that everyone else’s lives don’t matter. Don’t be afraid to use the hashtags #sayhisname, #saytheirnames, or #sayhername. No matter who you are or where you come from, your voice is important and it matters. It can make a difference, especially during these difficult times.

I’ve seen so many smart aleck people saying All Lives Matter online. I’m not sure if they’re being funny or just dumb. All lives won’t matter until black lives matter. We have to come together as one and make our voices louder. Stay woke, my friends.

I’m now on TikTok: @thecosplayerfromtexas. I’m always in need of new followers. Mention that you’ve found me on Vocal and I’ll follow back. Please check it out and enjoy my videos. Also, be sure to follow me on social media. The info to all of my social media pages can be found in my bio. If you enjoyed any of my articles, including this one, please feel free to send me a one-off tip, which is located at the end of every article. No tip is ever too big or small. It'll help me and other Vocal content creators to write better stories. Lastly, I encourage everyone to join Vocal+, a premium membership for Vocal content creators like myself to write better stories, connect with creators, and a lot more. So be sure to sign up for that membership and support your favorite Vocal content creators. Thanks in advance for your support of me and hopefully, I’ll see you on social media.

activism
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About the Creator

Mark Wesley Pritchard

Award-winning cosplayer, cosplay model, influencer, retro gaming fanatic, die-hard Texas Rangers fan, and nostalgic freak. Need I say more?

Threads: @thecosplayerfromtexas

Instagram: @thecosplayerfromtexas

TikTok: @thecosplayerfromtexas

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