When I was little I was terrified of jail, because of the small toilet that sits in the middle of the room where everyone can see you use the bathroom. My mother assured me, "don't worry about it, just obey the laws and you'll never go to jail". So I lived my life as an upright American citizen sure that I lived in a country that protected the good and taught the evil right from wrong.
Yesterday, around 5 o'clock I heard on the news that they were still moving along with the execution on Troy Davis. I felt sick. I stayed away from the TV for the rest of the night. On facebook, someone posted that they Supreme Court would be making a decision, I felt a bit of relief. But finally at midnight as I lie in bed, I got an email to my phone from Change.org that confirmed it. Troy Davis had been killed. I'm pretty sure the whole country was taking a moment of silence. If not physically, they definitely were mentally.
For a man, I never met, I felt deeply saddened. And for the country I've always had such pride about, I felt equally as sad. If we are for the people, by the people, why was it when so many of us lifted our voices and spoke out, it fell on deaf ears. It's as if the powers that be felt so powerful, they forgot who their bosses really are, US. The citizens.
So what do I tell my future children? Certainly I can't tell them what my mother told me. Maybe I'll have to add, "never be in the wrong place at the wrong time", or "be extra careful, sweetie, you're a person of color". And if I were to have a little boy, well he just better stay in the house, because the odds are already against him. I hope that as Americans we can work to change the system now, before any other families have to suffer.
Yesterday, around 5 o'clock I heard on the news that they were still moving along with the execution on Troy Davis. I felt sick. I stayed away from the TV for the rest of the night. On facebook, someone posted that they Supreme Court would be making a decision, I felt a bit of relief. But finally at midnight as I lie in bed, I got an email to my phone from Change.org that confirmed it. Troy Davis had been killed. I'm pretty sure the whole country was taking a moment of silence. If not physically, they definitely were mentally.
For a man, I never met, I felt deeply saddened. And for the country I've always had such pride about, I felt equally as sad. If we are for the people, by the people, why was it when so many of us lifted our voices and spoke out, it fell on deaf ears. It's as if the powers that be felt so powerful, they forgot who their bosses really are, US. The citizens.
So what do I tell my future children? Certainly I can't tell them what my mother told me. Maybe I'll have to add, "never be in the wrong place at the wrong time", or "be extra careful, sweetie, you're a person of color". And if I were to have a little boy, well he just better stay in the house, because the odds are already against him. I hope that as Americans we can work to change the system now, before any other families have to suffer.
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