Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to break bread with my colleagues and exchange views on current events. One individual in particular poured out their disgust of the recent Castile verdict, and simply said “that’s not enough”.
The recent acquittal verdict in the Philando Castile case has left many in the U.S., beyond just the black community, in a state of confusion. The obvious questions remain unanswered: What did Mr. Castile do, on July 6, 2016, to lose his life in a routine traffic stop? Why did Officer Jeronimo Yanez get acquitted for manslaughter – a charge that was supported with video footage?
As an answer to the first question, I say nothing. Philando Castile did NOTHING but be a Black male, which is no viable reason at all. As an answer to the second question, this outcome is very clearly a perpetuation of the system’s crooked intent. I’d ask you to truly consider these responses as you critically engage these questions from your own perspectives.
Some of us know the truth as it relates to the “blue on black” crime verdicts from the past 5 years, yet others still seem to have a skewed vision — one that continues to fundamentally ignore the right of black men and women to live, walk, drive, or generally take up space in our society.
Yanez’s justification for ending Castile’s life was contingent on his own personal fears, which were really just his unknowns. A prosecutor from Yanez’s trial exclaimed, “To justify the use of deadly force, it is not enough, however, for the police officer to merely express a subjective fear of death or great bodily harm. Unreasonable fear cannot justify the use of deadly force. The use of deadly force must be objectively reasonable and necessary, given the totality of the circumstances.”
Simply put, Philando’s death occurred without reason because Yanez did not know how to deal with his fear.
Yes, Yanez has walked away as a jobless free man for a crime he evidently committed — as many of his blue counterparts have been able to do in times past. Yet, I still believe anyone can learn from this tragic occurrence.
We in the U.S., as a community of diverse backgrounds, races, ethnicities, and experiences, cannot react in fear to our unknowns. We must think logically and empathetically, and we must be intentional in how our actions impact others and the world to come.
Food for Thought: The double entendre From Blue to Black..
| Blue | Black |
| Police officers that take the lives of Black/African American males | The death of Black/ African American males at the hands of police officers |
| The color which one turns when they have lost their breath, and essentially can result in death | Symbolizes the mourning of death |
