Black Lives Matter Movement and African Americans Essay Example

nearly 1,000 deaths nationwide in 2017 according to John Sullivan.

Nikole Hannah-Jones, in her article "Taking Freedom: Yes, Black Americans Fear the Police. Here's Why," discusses an incident involving two police officers and a mentally ill man in her local town. This incident took place amidst heightened tensions and unrest caused by the Black Lives Matter movement, leading to anger and hurt among African Americans due to ongoing police killings. Tragically, the mentally ill man escalated these tensions by shooting the two police officers. In response, Nikole and her African American husband decided to visit the precinct where the officers were stationed. However, upon arriving at the front desk, they initially received no acknowledgment from the officers until her husband broke the silence.

The following day, the narrator observed metal barricades and two officers armed with assault rifles stationed outside the precinct. Rather than safeguarding the city and its inhabitants, these officers seemed focused on their own protection. This action implies that they held a belief that African Americans were more prone to committing further crimes. Philip Smith, president of the National African-American Gun Association, acknowledges the stereotypes faced by African Americans. According to Smith, when encountering a situation, officers often assume that the black individual is responsible for any trouble that arises. Smith highlights how these deeply ingrained stereotypes can tragically result in numerous black men being sentenced to death. The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement emerged as a response to the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin - a 17-year-old African American boy who was killed while heading to a local convenience store in Sanford, Florida. To gain further insight into the events of that tragic

night, please refer to Greg Botelho's article "What happened the night Trayvon Martin died."

The biography of Trayvon Martin shows that George Zimmerman, the shooter, took charge of the neighborhood watch volunteers because crime rates were increasing. At that time, Trayvon Martin, a teenager who had been suspended from school three times, lived with his father and girlfriend. On the night of the shooting incident, Martin was wearing a black hoodie with his hood up. Zimmerman called the authorities to report someone he considered suspicious; possibly involved in illegal activities or under the influence of drugs.

Disregarding the instructions to remain in the vehicle, Zimmerman made the choice to directly confront Trayvon Martin. This decision had devastating results. Although the exact specifics of what happened during their altercation are not clear, it ultimately resulted in Martin's untimely death. As word of the shooting spread, public sentiment began to change and there was a call for justice. Despite initially asserting self-defense and avoiding charges of murder, Zimmerman eventually found himself facing charges of second-degree murder and manslaughter due to increasing public pressure.

In November 23, 2012, Jordan Davis, a 17-year-old African American boy, was involved in a shooting incident similar to Trayvon Martin's killing. According to Kristal Brent Kook's article "The Lessons of Jordan Davis's Murder, Revisited," Davis and his friends stopped at a gas station to buy gum and cigarettes before going to the local mall. It was during this time that Michael Dunn, accompanied by his fiance and in town for his son's wedding, approached Davis and his friends in their vehicle. Dunn asked the teenagers to lower the volume of their car's music which they initially

agreed to.

However, Davis had grown weary of people dictating his actions and raised the volume of the music again. Davis and Dunn engaged in a heated exchange, filled with profanities and shouts. As stated by Davis' friends, Dunn questioned Davis: "Are you talking to me?" and rolled down his car window, warning, "You’re not going to talk to me that way." Dunn then took matters into his own hands, reaching for a pistol from his glove compartment and firing ten shots at the car carrying the four young teenagers. Despite Dunn's frustration, there was no justification for firing ten shots at a vehicle occupied by adolescents. During the court proceedings, Rouer, Dunn's fiancee, recalls him expressing his disdain for the music by stating that he "hated that thug music." Furthermore, Dunn clarifies that he would have referred to it as "rap crap" instead of "thug music."

According to Mihir Zaveri's article "Black Man Killed by Officer in Alabama Mall Shooting Was Not the Gunman, Police Now Say," a recent incident at a Birmingham, Alabama mall on Thanksgiving caught the attention of the public. While shoppers were enjoying the extended hours and Black Friday deals, gunshots were reported at around 9:52 p.m. Dunn was found guilty and sentenced to 75 years in prison without parole (Kook).

Emantic Fitzgerald Bradford Jr., a 21-year old, was shot and killed by police after an altercation. The Hoover Police Department initially suggested on Twitter that Bradford might have been involved in the shooting, but it was later revealed that he had no connection to the incident. Limited details have been disclosed about the incident, but Bradford's family alleged in an article titled

"Black Man Killed by Police in Alabama Was Shot From Behind" by Daniel Victor that he was shot from behind.

Witnesses say a gun was pulled out and the individual rushed to protect shoppers. Witnesses later confirmed that the individual was directing shoppers to safety. Autopsy reports revealed that the individual was running away and posed no threat to the officer who shot him. This incident highlights the stereotype that police officers have on African Americans. Instead of immediately firing shots, officers should have questioned the individual first. This unfortunate event underscores the ongoing fear for their lives that African Americans experience in the United States.

African Americans face a constant threat to their lives due to an alarming rate of police shootings, which is much higher compared to young white men. According to Hannah-Jones, the likelihood of police shooting and killing young black men is 21 times greater than their white counterparts. Additionally, they experience ongoing mistreatment from law enforcement on a daily basis. This disproportionately high risk specifically targets black individuals. In contrast, the chances of a white person being shot are significantly lower at 2.9 out of a million, equating to less than 1%. Many white people are unaware of the advantages they enjoy through white privilege, which grants certain societal benefits based on perceived whiteness. These privileges enable them to avoid concerns such as police stops or feeling unsafe in their own neighborhoods.

According to Hannah-Jones, white people are generally unaware of the experience of being occupied by a police force because their encounters with policing differ. The hashtag Black Lives Matter emerged as a response to Trayvon Martin's death, expressing anger and addressing

injustices. While Twitter was the primary platform for its usage, other social media sites also employed it. Rashawn Ray's article titled "Ferguson and the death of Michael Brown on Twitter: #BlackLivesMatter, #TCOT, and the evolution of Collective identities" examines the connection between social media and the Black Lives Matter movement.

According to the article, Twitter was referred to as an "echo chamber" for the movement (Ray 1799). This echo chamber can result in territorial desegregation, polarization, isolation, and emphasize how people obtain and use information to form communities where their majority position is represented. The movement itself is regarded as an ideological and political intervention in a world where Black lives are deliberately targeted for destruction. It serves as a validation of the contributions, humanity, and resilience of Black individuals in the face of deadly oppression (quoted by Garza 877). In addition to advocating for equality and justice, the BLM movement also seeks to address internalized racism and its consequences. They actively promote self-love, collective efficacy, increased joy, and resilience (Hargons).The text raises the issue of ongoing brutality and inequality faced by African Americans. It prompts us to consider the potential differences in outcomes if certain situations were reversed, such as Trayvon Martin being a white teenager or Emantic Fitzgerald Bradford Jr., a white male with a gun, attempting to help innocent people escape. The text also questions whether Michael Dunn shooting at four Caucasian teenage boys listening to pop music would have been handled differently if he were an African American man (Zook). Further information on these topics can be found in the following citations:

1. Botelho, Greg. "What Happened the Night Trayvon Martin Died." CNN,

Cable News Network, 23 May 2012, www.cnn.com/2012/05/18/justice/florida-teen-shooting-details/index.html.

2. Eligon, John. "An Alabama Mall Shooting, a Black Man's Death, and a Debate Over Race and Guns." The New York Times, The New York Times, 30 Nov.2018,www.nytimes.com/2018/11/29/us/alabama-mall-shooting.html?rref=collection%2Ftimest opic%2FPolice%2BBrutality%2Band%2BMisconduct.

3. Hannah-Jones,Nikole."Taking Freedom: Yes, Black America Fears the Police." Pacific Standard,Pacific Standard ,10 Apr.2018,p psmag.com/social-justice/why-black-america-fears-the-police.

4.Hargons,Candice et al"Black Lives Matter: A Call to Action for Counseling Psychology Leaders." The Counseling Psychologist,volume 45,number 1.

6, 2017, pp. 873–901.

1 Aug.

2018, www.biography.com/people/trayvon-martin-21283721.

Sullivan, John, et al. “Nationwide, Police Shot and Killed Nearly 1,000 People in 2017.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 6 Jan. 2018,
www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/nationwide-police-shot-and-killed-nearly-1000- people-in-2017/2018/01/04/4eed5f34-e4e9-11e7-ab50-621fe0588340_story.html?utm_term=.0ee927334212.

Victor, Daniel. “Black Man Killed by Police in Alabama Was Shot From Behind, Autopsy Shows.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 4 Dec. 2018,
www.nytimes.com/2018/12/04/us/alabama-mall-shooting-autopsy.html.

Zaveri, Mihir. “Black Man Killed by Officer in Alabama Mall Shooting Was Not the Gunman, Police Now Say.” The New York Times.

2018,