We Want Equality

I believe in equality in America. This is a very controversial topic nowadays since the emancipation of slaves in 1863, the Civil Rights Movement from 1954-1968, and the legalization of same sex marriage in 2015. It never truly seems as if equality has been displayed. Being an African American women, I can personally say I have faced, continue to face, and will always face discrimination because of my gender and the color of my skin. There have been several circumstances in the past couple of years where I and others have witnessed or have encountered discrimination because of our skin tone. There have been many times that when I decide to shop in a rather expensive store, I am stared down as I make my way through looking at items because employees think I am stealing something or I am asked why I am in the store. This is something that happens all the time and honestly I’ve grown to tire of it.

Recently, there have been many questionable shootings of black civilians and white police officers; resulting in the deaths of those black civilians and the officers walking away without jail time. It feels like yesterday when Michael Brown was fatally shot in 2014 by a St. Louis police officer, being just thirty minutes down the road in Ferguson. I was sitting in the kitchen with my mother eating dinner when all of a sudden, it was all that was on the news. A day later, the unrest began and there were riots and protests. I remember being at a protest with my mother and seeing the burnt buildings and shattered glass everywhere I looked; people crying and upset. I knew my people were hurting. It seems like week after week there’s a new story, like our blackness is some kind of weapon. Philando Castile’s story in 2016 was nothing but a reason to be more afraid when he was pulled over in his vehicle and shot by yet another police officer. The fear of being pulled over should not be in the back of my mind when I am driving neither should the fear of an altercation taking place. My family should not have to feel the need to teach my brothers, uncles, and cousins how to act in situations involving police to ensure they do not get shot or tackled to the ground. Persons of color should not feel afraid of the authority issued to protect our community, whom feel as if they have more power over us because they are white and a badge that sits pretty on their chest.

Colin Kaepernick, a professional football player for the San Francisco 49ers, lost his career in 2016 because he kneeled during the national anthem. While some Americans took offense to this gesture, others saw it as an act of heroism. It was said that he was disrespecting the US flag and the military troops, but he never intended for it to be seen that way. The purpose of this protest was of what he believes to be misconduct of African-Americans and other minorities through police brutality in the United States. This is what I believe to be true.

The LGBTQ+ community is another topic that has sparked my interest when it comes to inequality. Members of this community have faced many forms of hatred and injustice, including not being able to get married, experiencing bullying by other people, and even being violently killed for just being who they are. The shooting at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida, in the year of 2016, stole many innocent lives and since then the happenings concerning the LGBTQ+ community has been a hot topic in America. On June 26, 2015, President Barack Obama legalized gay marriage in the country. Again, many loved the new policy regarding same-sex marriage, while many others did not agree with the President’s gesture. This is a very sensitive argument, especially for those who are religious and follow teachings of the church. I have always grown up as a preacher’s kid and it was instilled into my mind that “man is to be with woman.” Some people will argue and state that gay people “choose to be the way they are.” I remember speaking with my uncle, who is gay, about this and he said that he never chose to be the way he is. He practically forced himself to like women and he was just always attracted to men, and believed that it was what God wanted so he stopped fighting it. Like a broken record, whenever I heard the subject of gay marriage, I always asked my pastor, “If God doesn’t accept gay people, then why does he make them that way?” He would respond that he did not know.

Regardless of others’ opinion, I believe that people who support and are in a same-sex relationship should be treated fairly, just as minority groups should not be discriminated against for their skin color. All of these unique varieties of people are what truly makes America great. We just want equality.