I'm sad. I'm sad that there continue to be deaths of black men while in custody of the police. I'm sad that these instances cause violent protests, and mistrust of the police. I'm sad that the city that I love is in the spotlight for the death of Freddie Gray. I'm sad for Gray's family for losing someone they love. I'm sad for Ferguson, MO and Michael Brown, and Charleston, SC and Walter Scott. I'm sad that it's 2015 and there are still racial tensions in the United States.
But I'm also proud. I'm proud of those protesters who are stopping traffic to get their voices heard. I'm proud of the police men and women who continue to do their jobs while getting spit on, yelled at, and constantly having their lives in danger. I'm scared for them all too. For the people who go against the grain and speak up for what they believe in, the fear of retribution is there. Just ask Martin Luther King or Malcolm X.
Black lives matter. White lives matter. Men's lives matter, women's lives matter, children's lives matters, Muslims, Christians, Jewish, Hindu, Gay, Transgender- HUMAN lives matter. Plan and simple, everyone on this planet deserves to be treated with respect. Whether it be because of race or religion, gender or sexuality, people should not lose their lives for it.
