Black Kids Don’t Have to Be College-Bound for Their Deaths to Be Tragic
The piece by Jasmine Banks linked below is something I think folks should read. I agree with the sentiments wholeheartedly. While I understand some aspect of the intent, it absolutely feeds into this hierarchy we create in terms of who is more or less deserving of respect, dignity, compassion, even justice.
Read the entire piece here.
The message is clear...
Let me be clear: Unarmed college hopefuls don't deserve to be shot. Unarmed kids heading to work or trade school don't deserve to be shot. Unarmed kids floundering aimlessly through life don't deserve to be shot. Unarmed kids who have been in trouble—even those who have been nothing but trouble—don't deserve to be shot.
The act of pinning the tragedy of a dead black teen to his potential future success, to his respectability, to his "good"-ness, is done with all the best intentions. But if you read between the lines, aren't we really saying that had he not been on his way to college, there'd be less to mourn?
That's dead wrong.
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