“Again Her Life Did Not Matter” by Breanna Archie
“The most disrespected person in America is the Black Woman. The most unprotected
person in America is the Black Woman. The most neglected person in America is the
Black Women” - Malcolm X
As you all heard the news this week after almost 200 days since the tragic murder of
Breonna Taylor; A grand jury "indicted” one of the officers Brett Hankison of her case
in which it occurred March 13, 2020. But here's the catch, Hankinson was not charged
with murder but rather first-degree wanton endangerment, and the other 2 officers will
not be even charged with anything. In other words, they are charging him with bullets that
caused damage to her neighbor's property but not the bullets that extract her life. What
a slap in the face to not just Taylor’s family but for all Black people everywhere. This is
an example of a list of many reasons why the Black and African American community
can't even trust the criminal justice system in this country we like to call America.
Because once again history repeated itself, the Taylor’s have been failed with empty
broken promises of fulfillment towards real justice; They have been failed of receiving any
essence of decency and acknowledgment for their pain and suffering; But rather those
in power are continuing to manipulate and shift the narrative to justify their
actions. The reality is especially in Taylor’s case these same leaders who we trust to
have moral intentions to implement integral judgments regardless of statues, continue
to utilize institutionalized wealth and privilege as an attempt to erase the corrupted sins
of their actions.
But are we really surprised? Let's not get it twisted, this lack of accountability just only
reflects the generations of societal oppression in marginalized communities which has
been deeply rooted since the 1600s. In particular Black women(x) still face this
repeated cycle of oppression; which continues to traumatically rape the well-being and
peace of mind of these innocent souls. This is why you cannot say that all lives matter
yet because if all lives matter the Taylors would have received adequate and equitable
standards of justice. If all lives matter there would be no moral compromise of protecting
the oppressor and continuing to punish the oppressed.
If all lives matter Taylor’s life would have mattered. Yes, it is great that Taylor’s story is bringing more awareness of not just police brutality but state violence towards marginalized women(x) through media, magazines, music, and billboards. But yet she deserved more than just attention from the grave. Because reverence is not aquatinted with justice. She deserved the right to just being within her environment.
So if you are tired of hearing stories like Breonna Taylor, imagine how tired my people are experiencing this pressure every day. My people are tired of protesting, marching, and fighting for the basic right of just existing in society. We are tired of corporations using performative activism to capitalize on our pain and trauma just for their economic quota. We are tired of having to say her name, his name, their name, and making our lives temporary trends and not a full-time priority. We are tired of hearing empty words of promises and not seeing any implementations of macro and micro policies that will manifest change in institutions such as the criminal justice system in our society. We are tired of having to dream of the America we aspired to see and yet it keeps us going in this revolution of justice and
freedom.
So I ask you on this day, which side of history will you stand? Because at this
point in our history this not a matter where you stand in your political party. This is a
matter of life and death for people in this community. We depend on true allyship from
all people that are fighting against these immoral actions. So If you say that Breonna
Taylor’s life matters, come out and vote in November. Because your vote will not only
be the reflection of who you are but also the condition of our country.