The Pursuit of Justice in America

Guest writer, Monique Thomas provides a powerful response to police brutality in America

(Media provided by Wix)

All I can say right now is that I am darn right speechless, appalled, frustrated, and disappointed all at once. I've just undergone a 2 month, and possibly even longer quarantine at home, lost the last quarter of my senior year, and experienced the world's first virtual graduation, all due to COVID-19. As small and as selfish as these problems may seem for an 18 year old like me, this is not where the emotions I expressed before stem from. I am well aware of the imbalance of value concerning issues impactful to those around me that far outweigh my summer plans and require dire attention. The constant injustice, silence, and lack of pursuit of empathy in this country are the very root of these complex emotions. Since day one, growing up in a state where less than 5 percent of the population looks like me, I've known that not everyone will look like me, share the same experiences or the same backgrounds as me. And in the same regard, there are some things, and you cannot deny it, that if were performed by a person of different color, would have a completely and possibly lethal outcome.

Some of the folks out here have never sought out the reason why some experience the anxiety of placing themselves in a “dangerous” situation. I've been told that if I were to walk around past midnight in a restricted area, or just in the safety of my own neighborhood, I shouldn't feel like I could get pursued, shot, or called the cops on. I've been told that the police force is here to protect and serve the people, and in my heart, I believe that, but then I see constant news of another unarmed life taken from a "misunderstanding" or assumption of ill intent. I've been told that the men in my family are forced to be reckoned with and can properly handle themselves, but I get nervous and fearful when they go out by themselves. This is probably the first time I've put these thoughts into words here, but whenever I attempt to seek understanding from another human being, I'm met with the "just another" case of bad timing, wrong area to be in, or whatever excuse they can come up with to switch from the uncomfortable subject.

This "just another" phrase is the source of indifference that plagues our nation. If you find yourself uncomfortable when talking about these types of issues, when you see these things on the news, or when they're happening right in front of you, good: it means that you're human. But another part of being human implies speaking up and taking the necessary action to stop what you think is wrong. Sixty years ago, the man we herald as the leader of the Civil Rights Movement (you know who I'm talking about) strove for the nonviolent pursuit of justice, for the colored people in America, and although he never lived to see it, that dream of his became a legal statute for all to follow: to mitigate the violation of civil rights and racial segregation in all forms. But, eighty years into the future, can we really say that we've progressed? Can we really say that all people of color feel safe? Feel that their lives are not in danger, and not worry of the constant injustice in the states crowding them into a corner?

Everyone should want something to be done about this, regardless of your race, gender, or sexuality. If you are human and care about the future and prosperity of this nation, you should speak up and show that you care about this outrageous and rapidly progressing situation. As a young adult, I've learned and seen the raw power that lies within words and using my voice, and I can only hope that my peers have realized the same. A lesson for all to apply to ALL situations like these is that silence never accomplished anything in history. It's only led to chaos spreading the length of its flames until every living thing is touched and experiences their measure of destruction. A famous Holocaust survivor shared inspiring words in the same building home to an individual with the power to take action in this country, the White House. Elie Wiesel's words were as follows: "I swore to never be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We all must take sides."