This morning, I watched footage of the group of white police officers who accidentally killed a black man while trying to subdue him for a minor infraction in front of a few shops in New York. It was all filmed on a witness’ cell phone. It became news yesterday because a Grand Jury decided not to press any charges against the officer who choke-holded the guy. It seems very obvious that the death was an accident, and I’m sure the officer who’s responsible is very sorry…but to let him off scott free with no punishment is total bull crap…and having this news come-out so soon after a similar situation with a white officer killing an unarmed black guy and being pardoned in Ferguson, MO, is unbelievable.
I’m not one to rant…but my own opinion about all this is that it’s exposing layers of race prejudice & discrimination that are still alive and well in this country. To me, these are just recent examples of the same type of hypocritical self-interest that my European ancestors brought with them when they systematically conquered North America from the Native Americans, stole slaves from Africa to work their fields, and who still work against new immigrants who want to come here to chase their dreams.
We white people seem to have a pattern of disregarding the rights & interests of other people in order to promote and protect our own, and today I am somewhat ashamed to be an American middle-aged white guy. All I can do is try to live my life in a way that will communicate the love, value, and equality that every single person shares in God’s eyes.
