“I am angry. Oh, I am very angry. I am angry because I myself am not someone of color. In fact, I am white, in other words, I am considered as someone who many would agree as having privilege. I do not deny my privilege, as I am aware and admit that it most certainly does exist.”

According to Thomas Jefferson’s United States Declaration of Independence, we have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It is said and assumed that these “unalienable rights” are given to all human beings, as well as protected by governments that we vote in power. Do you think that “all human beings” implies everyone and anyone? Now that I have brought it up, I would like to reiterate the phrase. The meaning of life means we all have the right to live. The meaning of liberty is defined as the right live in a society free of oppressive restrictions. Last but not least, pursuit of happiness is a fundamental right to freely pursue joy and life in a way that makes you happy, as long as you do not do anything illegal, or violate the rights of others. I would like to say that these rights are for everyone, and I mean everyone, regardless of class, gender, sexuality, and religion. Oh and I forgot one, race… however this is sadly not always the case..

Just last Friday, September 16^th  2016, a man who was just getting his life back together, as well as a man of God, and family man, African American male, Terence Crutcher was shot dead. Just before his death, Crutcher was just getting ready to attend Tulsa Community College. In fact, he was set to begin his first day of class the very day he was unjustly shot and killed by white police officer, Betty Shelby. From what they were able to tell from the cruiser dashcam, there was no reason that Officer Shelby had to pull out her weapon and pull the trigger, releasing the bullet, and taking Mr. Crutcher’s life. Oh, and did I mention, Officer Betty Shelby was put on administrative leave!

 Now, I have a message to anyone else who agrees that this was even the slightest act of justice. Please go ahead and justify Crutcher’s death all you want. Go ahead and justify Officer Shelby’s excuse for pulling out her loaded weapon and placing a bullet into Crutcher’s flesh, killing him. Go ahead and justify Crutcher’s incident as a result of him having a history of arrests and prison sentences. Go ahead and justify Officer Shelby shooting Crutcher as a result of Shelby growing suspicious. Yes, please justify it! Go ahead and justify it! Yes, I am talking to you, the same people who continue to justify a white man raping a young innocent defenseless girl, because he happens to be a successful college swimmer with a scholarship! While Crutcher’s death is mourned by his family members, please, please, please do not justify Mr. Brock Turner’s cowardly act of penetrating a woman without consent, as being a teenager having some fun, what you people also like to call, “Party Culture!”

Terence Crutcher was a man of God, a father, a college student, and he was black. He was having car trouble, and he was shot simply because he was black. He raised his hands, yet he was shot. He was a father, yet he was shot because he was black. He was a college student, yet he was shot because he was black. He was shot and killed because he was black. Terence Crutcher is dead because he was black.

 I am angry. Oh, I am very angry. I am angry because I myself am not someone of color. In fact, I am white, in other words, I am considered as someone who many would agree as having privilege. I do not deny my privilege, as I am aware and admit that it most certainly does exist. I am angry simply because I have never asked to live in oppressive institutions. I am angry because I walk with, go to school with, be friends with, and live with people who are in fact the oppressed of these very institutions. Now, I did not know Mr. Crutcher personally, but I think that it is safe to say that he was a good person, a good human being. I am not saying that he hasn’t made his mistakes in the past. I am not saying that he was perfect. I mean, who is? What I am saying is that he most certainly did not deserve to be shot and killed. What I am saying is that if I, a white man, had been in his exact situation, in his very shoes, I would still be alive. Why? Because I am white.

 You know, it strikes me odd that when a black man is shot and killed by the police, we are so quick to dig up his/her past as a way to justify the killing. We are so quick to criminalize these black victims, including Mr. Crutcher, as a reason to give the police officer, a pat on the back… or paid leave I should say. You are lying to yourselves! You are painting a mere fabrication of what you want to be true! You are feeding each other lies as your way of being able to sleep at night! You are justifying police brutality because you feel the need to pick a side! You justify police brutality because you feel the need to take the side of the police, our fellow “law enforcement,” there to “protect and serve.” But, please continue to justify it, all of it. Please continue to lie. Continue to pick the wrong side. Continue to deny the oppressive institutions that do exist. Continue to deny your white privilege. Continue to deny it all, because I don’t know how many more black bodies, dead black bodies it will take for you to one day admit it, and admit it all.

Disclaimer: The views, opinions and positions expressed by the authors and those providing comments, opinions on this website are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions or positions of M-Lifestyle and their affiliates. M-Lifestyle does not claim ownership of any images used, unless otherwise specified.