For a few moments last evening, I sat back with relief.
Finally, the man who murdered George Floyd was behind bars.
Then, just as I thought we might enter an era of reform and accountability, a 16-year-old girl was shot by police in Ohio.
A girl who had called the police because she was being abused within the walls of her foster home.
Tell me why, when I reach my eighteenth birthday, I should pay taxes to support the police.
When all this pain, all this distrust, is because of law enforcement systems.
Tell me why a young woman was murdered for protecting herself.
Tell me why a uniformed officer shot her for being brave enough to say, "I need help."
Tell me why girls in similar situations aren't going to feel silenced, rather than supported now that they've seen what happens to girls who speak out.
Why do we continue to allow police officers to fill the roles of social workers and therapists? We have professionals who have been trained to handle cases of domestic violence and mental health crises.
We need to reform our system NOW or risk losing more innocent lives.
[See story about Ma'Khia Bryant here: "Ohio police fatally shoot Black teenage girl just before Chauvin verdict," Washington Post]
Finally, the man who murdered George Floyd was behind bars.
Then, just as I thought we might enter an era of reform and accountability, a 16-year-old girl was shot by police in Ohio.
A girl who had called the police because she was being abused within the walls of her foster home.
Tell me why, when I reach my eighteenth birthday, I should pay taxes to support the police.
When all this pain, all this distrust, is because of law enforcement systems.
Tell me why a young woman was murdered for protecting herself.
Tell me why a uniformed officer shot her for being brave enough to say, "I need help."
Tell me why girls in similar situations aren't going to feel silenced, rather than supported now that they've seen what happens to girls who speak out.
Why do we continue to allow police officers to fill the roles of social workers and therapists? We have professionals who have been trained to handle cases of domestic violence and mental health crises.
We need to reform our system NOW or risk losing more innocent lives.
[See story about Ma'Khia Bryant here: "Ohio police fatally shoot Black teenage girl just before Chauvin verdict," Washington Post]
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