I just read that another young black man has been shot and killed by police, not far from Ferguson, MO, where Michael Brown was killed. They say Martin was armed, but there's possibly a surveillance video that will show what happened. Antonio Martin's mother was said to be crying, "That's my baby!" And I thought - What's going on? These young men are somebody's babies, someone's children. Where is the breakdown? Are parents failing their children so badly? Are police failing their communities? Are young adults failing themselves? The cops are killing people, but is what the people doing bringing about their early demise? Are these "kids'" mistakes deserving of execution without trial? What about Eric Garner, who didn't attack police, but resisted arrest? Did he deserve to die? What about Rumain Brisbon in Phoenix, who ran away from the cops? He had a bottle of oxycodone pills in his pocket. The police believed he had a gun. Most people's pants pockets wouldn't hold a gun! Did he deserve to die? What about Levar Jones in South Carolina, who was shot for reaching for his ID at the policeman's request? Thankfully, he lived. What is so wrong in our world, in the United States, that we now have people protesting en masse, making news every night for awareness that black lives matter?
I don't know what happened with Mr. Martin, or the police officer that killed him, but my heart is heavy. I am crying for Martin's mother and family, and for everyone who has lost someone close to them who was so young. My thoughts are with his family during this traumatic time.
