Does Black Lives Still Not Matter?

When will the shootings and the killings finally stop against African Americans in the justice system? Today, on February 29, 2016, another African American male was shot and killed by the police department. In Southeast Raleigh, this male was shot not one, but seven times in the back. The police department is trying to justify this case by saying that the wanted man was running away, so they had no choice but to shoot at him in order to capture him. This man was wanted on a felony drug charge. They hunted him down with their guns as if he was a murderer. Although this man was wanted, the police did not have to gun him down and shoot him seven times in the back and kill him. Although there were at least 40 eyewitnesses at the crime scene, I feel as though another African American male was put to death due to police brutality against black people. From Trayvon Martin, Mike Brown, Sandra Bland to Freddy Gray. Due to the stereotype given to African American males as well as African Americans in general, police automatically put those stereotypes into play as soon as they see a black male or female on the street who they, for no reason, feel threatened by. Not all, but a lot of police seem to not care about black lives, hence the hashtag #blacklivesmatter. Too many black lives are being taken due to police brutality. I feel as though if a police officer was feeling offended by a white male or female, they would not automatically draw their gun out to shoot as fast as they would if the offenders were an African American male or female. I feel as though those police officers prove to the United States that racism is still more alive than ever. Black lives are being taken because of misjudgment, assumption, stereotypes, and racism. It is completely unfair and wrong. I feel as though no gun should be drawn at any person if they are not intending to shoot at or harm the police officer. The hashtag #blacklivesmatters is such a big deal because we are tired of our young black people being taken off of this earth due to the color of their skin and misconceptions. Some people are even resulting to rioting because it seems as though, our voices are still not being heard. For example, when Freddy Gray was killed, the whole city of Baltimore, Maryland began to riot. The riot may have got out of control, but what can you expect when the police department keep constantly taking our young black men and sometimes women off the earth for a reason that could’ve easily been settled where the victims would still be able to be alive today. People are tired of this going on and I agree that it is way past time for us to stand up to make sure as much as we can that this stops happening. Police shouldn’t let the color of one’s skin determine if they pull out their gun and pull the trigger.