Tamir Rice, was 12 years old when he was gunned down by police for playing with a fake BB gun. There is a saying that, Boys will be Boys. When I think of that saying, I remember growing up with three younger brothers. Fighting, video games, playing with toy weapons and being rough was what that statement meant to me. I found it silly that they liked to pretend that they were superheroes, cops, and robbers, but to them it was the best time of their lives. These were the activities they loved most.
Now I imagine one of my brothers, playing in a park with their toy gun, pretending to be a villain and playing out scenarios with their FAKE weapon. How could I ever prepare them to be careful when doing so because the police might shoot them down? How could I teach them “TOY GUN SAFETY” and explain to them the proper procedure of carrying their FAKE weapon? The fact is, I couldn’t.
Tamir Rice could have been my little brother. He could have also assumed, as would I, that police don’t just shoot people down without giving fair warning. At 12 years old, my brothers didn’t know much about the world, but they knew that if they were in danger, to call 911. What happens when 911 is why you are in danger? How could they EVER be prepared for what happened to Tamir Rice.
My heart aches for the family of that precious child, who was at the wrong place, playing with the wrong toy. I yearn for justice but I don’t know if the system has the strength to carry out the justice that this country needs. What I know from the bottom of my soul is that ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. Evidence, policing, and laws are supposed to be in place to protect us, and most of all to protect our children! How can we sell toy guns in stores, if being shot down because of one is a possibility? I’ll say it again, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
Change MUST happen with our police system. Our BABIES must be kept safe from this corruption or we as the United States of America have failed our forefathers. We are failing each other if we all do not come together, despite race and religion, and protect the people we cherish most in this world. As moms and dads, it is our duty to protect our children, even if we are having to protect them from the system put in place to protect us. #ENOUGHISENOUGH
Sereniti Sparkles 