Black Lives Matter Movement: How it Started Essay Example

and continue attacking him while he was defenseless on the ground. Throughout the trial, the officers consistently maintained that Rodney King had resisted arrest.

In his 2018 article, Feuerherd asserts that the criminal justice system's flaws are evident in the severe beating and sense of powerlessness endured by a person. The individuals accountable for this incident were convicted, resulting in two officers receiving a state prison sentence of two years and six months, while the remaining two officers were found guilty of all charges. As a reaction to this event, the African American community in Los Angeles participated in riots lasting numerous days, which caused significant damage to city streets and involved looting and theft from various stores.

According to Jstor Daily, the African American community expressed dissatisfaction with the actions of "white" police officers towards Rodney King (Feuerherd, 2018). Several officers employed their authority to restrain an innocent black man, leading to King's hospitalization. It wasn't until 2013 when the Black Lives Matter movement gained prominence that people started acknowledging deficiencies in our system. In response, some states initiated the use of body cameras for law enforcement personnel (Feuerherd, 2018). As a result, officers became more vigilant and aware of their surroundings while performing their duties.

Despite the start of the movement, African Americans in the US still faced discrimination. In New York in 2014, Eric Garner, a 48-year-old African American man (Gross, 2017), was fatally assaulted by a police officer for allegedly selling cigarettes.

Eric Garner was arrested by the police after a disagreement, during which one officer choked him from behind and caused him to fall. Despite being on the ground, Garner continuously stated that he

couldn't breathe. The officers continued to restrain him by holding his hands. Eventually, Garner stopped moving and an ambulance was called to take him to the hospital.

According to NRP, Eric Garner died after being put in a chokehold. Although his death was ruled as a homicide, the police officer responsible was not held responsible. This resulted in widespread anger, prompting protests nationwide.

The resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement is attributed to recent uprisings sparked by cases where police officers used excessive force to apprehend Eric Garner, an African American man with a strong physical presence. These incidents led to regulatory changes being implemented in specific states. Presently, it is against the law for law enforcement officers to use a chokehold while making arrests (Gross, 2017). This restriction was put in place due to the potential danger associated with improper usage of this technique. The objective is to prevent any more deaths during arrests because some individuals may resist being subjected to a chokehold and face severe consequences.

In the aftermath of Eric Garner's death, another incident took place on August 9, 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri. It involved Darren Wilson, a white police officer, who fatally shot Michael Brown, an 18-year-old African American man (Hafner, 2016). As Brown and his friend were on their way home from a convenience store, Officer Wilson approached them while driving his car. This interaction escalated into an argument that ultimately ended with Officer Wilson shooting Brown.

The friend fled and concealed themself. The police officer persistently fired at Michael Brown, even after the initial shot. Shortly thereafter, the police officer ceased shooting, but by then Michael Brown had already succumbed to

his injuries. Demonstrations erupted throughout the United States.

In the trial, Darren Wilson, the police officer, was not indicted as he argued that despite Michael Brown being unarmed, he posed a threat to him, leading him to shoot first. Additionally, Wilson fired another shot when he believed Brown was trying to take his firearm. Hafner (2016) emphasizes in an article for USA Today that there is racial bias within the criminal justice system. Critics claimed that Brown and his friend were targeted solely due to their race. As a result, African American communities and individuals protested against the verdict throughout the United States.

The social media movement #BlackLivesMatter gained popularity as street protests took place. Unfortunately, these demonstrations turned into riots, with individuals damaging stores and participating in looting. It is important to acknowledge that certain participants may have been influenced by others without fully understanding the consequences of their actions (Hafner, 2016).

Hafner (2016) reports that a large number of people sustained injuries and clashed with the police, causing widespread chaos. However, they eventually realized the pointlessness of their actions and stopped, understanding that it would not bring about any change in their city. Despite this realization, discontentment with the government continued. Currently, as stated by Feuerherd (2018), there is a demand for police officers to wear body cameras while on duty.

After the death of Michael Brown, another incident took place where a white police officer shot and killed an African American man. In Minnesota in July 2016, Philando Castile was fatally shot by a police officer while he was sitting in his car (Robinson, 2017). The reason the officer pulled over Castile was because one of

his brake lights was not working properly. When informed about this issue, the officer asked for Castile's license and insurance. It was during this conversation that Castile revealed he had a firearm in his vehicle.

The police officer gave Philando Castile a directive not to remove an item, yet he ignored the instruction and proceeded to reach for it. As a result, the officer pulled out his gun and discharged several rounds, leading to the immediate fatality of Philando Castile. In the subsequent trial, the police officer received a second-degree manslaughter conviction and was subsequently sentenced to 10 years in prison (Robinson, 2017).

There is a debate over whether the shooting of Philando Castile was unjust and cruel, with some arguing that the multiple shots fired were excessive. It is important to recognize that his race alone did not cause the shooting. This incident has angered various groups, including African Americans and people across the country. The police officer's repeated gunfire aimed at Philando Castile clearly demonstrates the excessive use of force.

Despite Philando Castile's disclosure of having a gun in his vehicle and possessing a valid firearms license, the officer chose to shoot him five times instead of just once. This incident led to widespread protests across the nation as people called for reforms within our current system.

Acts of violence and fatal incidents committed by police officers, such as the shooting of Philando, represent an unfair abuse of authority. The Washington Post has recognized this particular case as proof of systemic racial discrimination (Robinson, 2017). Sadly, law enforcement in the United States indiscriminately targets individuals from different racial backgrounds due to their misuse of power. This troubling

trend can be traced back to the time of slavery.

Despite ongoing efforts, change continues to be difficult to achieve as history repeats itself and lives are tragically lost. It is noteworthy that individuals with a non-white skin color often bear the greatest burden of this suffering. One may wonder if they are specifically singled out because of their position in the United States. The reason behind this phenomenon remains uncertain. Nevertheless, it is crucial to emphasize that the crime rate in the United States has reached its lowest point ever (NAACP, 2018).

Despite a decrease in criminal activity, the United States continues to have the highest number of prisoners globally. As reported by the NAACP, African Americans comprised 34% of prisoners in 2015. Their most recent data from 2018 reveals that African Americans are five times more likely than white individuals to be convicted and incarcerated in America. This clearly indicates a substantial issue within our justice system.

Despite the presence of the Black Lives Matter movement and ongoing incidents of violence against racial individuals in the United States, there is still a persistent targeting of people based on their identity. The African American community faces a high rate of incarceration. Nevertheless, by joining forces and working together, we have the potential to create substantial change and revolutionize our society.

It is the only way we can grow as one nation.

Bibliography

• Feuerherd, Peter. (2018). “Why Didn’t the Rodney King Video Lead to a Conviction?”. JSTOR DAILY. Retrieved from https://daily.jstor.org/why-rodney-king-video-conviction/

On March 3rd,

1991, Rodney King, an African American male, was pulled over by Los Angeles police and brutally beaten. The incident sparked a massive outbreak in Los Angeles, with upset African American communities taking to the streets to protest. These protests escalated into riots and caused widespread destruction in the city. The impact of the incident extended beyond the African American communities, resonating with many people throughout the United States. It was an example of white Americans assaulting an African American, capturing national attention. This event served as an early catalyst for communities in the United States coming together to protest.

• Gross, Terry. (2017). “I Can't Breathe' Examines Modern Policing And The Life And Death Of Eric Garner”. NRP. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2017/10/23/559498678/i-can-t-breathe-explores-life-and-death-at-the-hands-of-police

On July 17, 2014, Eric Garner, a 48-year-old African American male, was confronted by multiple police officers concerning the selling of cigarettes in New York.

After the Treyvon Martin case, a police officer was responsible for fatally choking Eric Garner in a heated dispute. This incident became a significant catalyst for the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States. The prevalent belief was that Eric Garner's African American ethnicity played a vital role in his targeted victimization.

Communities in the United States came together to protest against police officers abusing their power towards citizens, leading to changes in laws.

• Hafner, Josh. “How Michael Brown's death, two years ago, pushed #BlackLivesMatter into a movement”. USA Today. Retrieved from https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2016/08/08/how-michael-browns-death-two-years-ago-pushed-blacklivesmatter-into-movement/88424366/

On August 9, 2014, an officer in Ferguson, Missouri fatally shot Michael Brown while he and his friend were walking home from a store. The police officer stopped them and a confrontation

occurred resulting in the officer shooting and killing Michael Brown on the spot.

After the Eric Garner incident, another outbreak in the United States led to street protests that eventually turned into riots. These riots resulted in injuries to individuals due to police involvement.

Law enforcement officers have become more cautious about their surroundings before using deadly force following the incident.

• The NAACP (2018) reported that the United States has one of the highest incarceration rates worldwide. More information can be found at NAACP.org.

A significant portion of the African American community, which falls into the group living in poverty, is targeted by the system resulting in their higher arrest rate compared to other races. This bias contributes to around 34% of African Americans comprising the prison population in the United States as opposed to white Americans who makeup over 55%.

• Robinson, Eugene. (2017). “The acquittal in Philando Castile’s killing makes clear that black lives still do not matter”. The Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2017/06/17/the-acquittal-in-philando-castiles-killing-makes-clear-that-black-lives-still-do-not-matter/?noredirect=on;utm_term=.a3ea57f28039

The killing of Philando Castile highlights the ongoing disregard for black lives in America, as emphasized by Eugene Robinson's article in The Washington Post. Castile, an African American male, was fatally shot multiple times during a traffic stop. This tragic incident generated widespread attention and sparked discussions surrounding racial inequality within the United States.

The police officer was found guilty of second-degree manslaughter for shooting Philando Castile. The act of shooting him multiple times was deemed unnecessary and cruel.

People took to the streets, protesting in demand for a change. It is unacceptable for individuals to be victimized based on their skin color.