Yesterday no one could turn on a television channel or access any social media site without the news of Troy Davis appearing. Before long, #freetroydavis, #toomuchdoubt and, sadly, #riptroydavis were trending topics world wide on twitter. It was incredible to see everyone coming together, voicing their outrage, and trying to make a difference. The upset at the justice system was undeniable; and the voice of the people was heard.
While I sat reading tweets and watching news updates, I was saddened to see how quickly people were shifting from being outraged at the mistreatment of an innocent human being, to playing the race game. Did race play a factor in this case? Sure, while there is no proof of this, it is highly likely. However, this should not be the reason that people were outraged. We live in a multicultural world. One of the main reasons why there are so many color barriers is because we refuse to knock them down as a people. Troy Davis' case was not "just another black injustice"; it was another human injustice. Anyone who was touched or moved by this case, should have been equally moved if he were a member of any other race.
I also hope that Troy's case did not just spark "one time activism"; meaning, what will it cause people to do? Were you outraged yesterday but living life as usual today? I encourage everyone to know not only Troy's story, but the story of others who have been sentenced or could possibly be sentenced to similar fates. Find out what you can do in your community, school, town, or state. Take a stand. Words without actions are useless, and the only way to make a change is to get up and change something. Activist are proactive, they do not just sit on the sidelines waiting for something to happen. Take your stand.
0 comments:
Post a Comment