I remember when I was younger that the L.A. riots was the big issue at the time. At this time Rodney King, a black man was beaten down by a group of policemen. All of the officers got off without any major penalties, which caused an uproar within the inner city streets of California.
It seemed among my generation there was a spark of hope. With our Cross Colours clothes and 90’s TV shows that catapulted minorities into the viewing eyes of mainstream America. There was the Cosby Show, Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Martin, Living Single, NY Undercover, Family Matters and others that gave me stars to look up to and identify with.
The problem with the TV shows and the racial diverse clothing is that like everything else during that time, it has come to an end and now I find myself twenty years later flipping through the channels with more stations than ever to watch and still it seems the majority of shows doesn’t portray accurately the percentage of minorities in the towns and cities their characters live in. The realization of police brutality in this country is like a bloody scab being peeled back. The pain sensation surges through like the wound never healed. The worst part besides the unnecessary deaths of the young men, is the blatant color lines that is the racial residue dating back to the colonizations.
There are so many big issues that need to be addressed urgently, but can’t because groups on both sides refuse to take part in an open dialogue that can be helpful for the future. I do see a glimmer of hope in the future generation of this land. In the days following the Eric Garner case, citizens react with an explosion on twitter and Facebook that I can say I was really pleased to see. The hashtag #crimingwhilewhite, #blacklivesmatter, #Icantbreathe trended for almost a whole week with hundreds of thousands of people of all color lines showing support. I hope that now government knows that the youth is watching them that they react more proactively to injustice for all races.
