On May 25th, 2020 we lost yet another unarmed African American man in what is only the latest act of police brutality and excessive use of force. The recurrence of these tragedies has not only shone the light upon a broken and obsolete law enforcement system, but the ever-existent tone of racial inequality and injustice in America that many had thought was eradicated.
As a society, where do we go from here? Many of us, across all ethnicities, are stuck between empathy for the victims of rioting and looting but also the African Americans who feel that their voice is only heard through violence and destruction.
So how can we make a difference? While voting in presidential elections are important, don’t ignore your local city, county, and state politics. Voting for mayor may seem insignificant but mayors elect police chiefs, and police chiefs evaluate standards and cultures at departments. County elections and initiatives decide where taxpayer dollars are spent, and are vital to making sure schools are funded and lower socio-economic groups have the resources they need for success and potential class mobility.
While I cannot heal the pain of seeing African American brothers and sisters wrongfully slain, what I can do is promise that I stand by you, and that I will use my vote to help elect politicians that represent us all; regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation and identity, we all, as Americans, deserve the unalienable rights and liberties that are only afforded to some. I assure you that myself and many others like me will no longer stand passively while your constitutional rights are violated. To every person belonging to a minority group who reads this, I care about you. You matter to me. And enough is enough.
Ian B. Beegle
Everett
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