Thursday, March 28, 2024

The Race of the Shooter Matters.

October 11, 2017 by  
Filed under News

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(ThyBlackMan.com) Monday morning America would wake to find that while some of us were sleeping a mass shooting took place in Las Vegas claiming the lives of at least 59 people while more than 500 more were injured. Stephan Paddock would open fire on concert goers at a country music festival in Las Vegas, before he could be arrested he would kill himself. This even is beyond tragic…it’s devastating and cries out for our government to actively address gun regulations in this country. It’s in these times that we come together as Americans to try to heal, and find hope in a nation that is increasingly dangerous. It is unfortunate that it takes mass killings to force our hand to discuss gun violence on a national level.

On social media, there has been a different discussion brewing, and though it seems ill timed it is very important. Our country has been embroiled in the issues of race, and black people are disturbed that Stephen Paddock has killed at least 59 people and injured no less than 500 more. Yet, they are reminded of the double standards of this country when he is not labeled a domestic terrorist. His life is not ripped to shreds in the media before all the facts are released. His face as not immediately posted, and he is memorialized. He was remembered, at the very least, as a quiet individual. For many blacks, this is angering.

Though some will cry this is not a race issue, and blacks that feel this way are wrong. The problem is those that say this don’t live the black existence in America. Black shooters are scrutinized for much less. The issue is fairness in the way crimes are handled in this country. Some would try to speak of Chicago…but they paint the youth there as hopeless thugs while a white man can kill 59 people and at least be remembered as a quiet person. Regardless of what others would say the race of the shooter matters, as it further confirms to black Americans what white privilege…or should we say white male privilege looks like. He can kill 59 people, but he is never stripped of his humanity by the media or anyone else. He’s evil to many…but human nevertheless.

To further look at the matter there are some that stood firmly against gun control, but after this shooting even some strong gun rights advocates are saying there needs to be some manner of regulation. This is true, and we are glad they have opened their eyes. However, it’s so sad that many shooting prior to this one took place, and yet some of the same gun rights advocates had yet to change their minds. Children and teenagers have been dying in the hundreds in this country but they were the wrong color…so they were not worth fighting for better gun regulations.

America has been on an internal collision course for decades, and so much social unrest is coming to a head. Its time, as a nation, we truly look at the root issues in this county, (such as race, sex, class, etc.) and realize either we begin to work on truly healing our nation or this country will continue to spiral out of control. We don’t all have to like each other, but it’s time we began to consider equality under the law in all aspects. Ignoring the illness of this nation has costed us so many lives, and the body count will continue to rise if real change does not occur.

Staff Writer; Christian Starr

May connect with this sister over at Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/christian.pierre.9809 and also Twitterhttp://twitter.com/MrzZeta.


Comments

One Response to “The Race of the Shooter Matters.”
  1. Douglas Loss says:

    Christian, I think you’re inventing an attitude among the American public that doesn’t actually exist. NO ONE is trying to humanize this insane man. Talk to anyone on the street and you won’t find a one doing that. Maybe some in the news media (which lean reliably to the left, by the way) are doing so, but no normal folks.

    It seems like you’re just trying to imagine another way to divide us as a country rather than to help us respect and support all Americans in their hopes and endeavors, regardless of their race.

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