We want to hear from you! Submit your raw reactions to the death of Alton Sterling who was fatally shot by an officer in Baton Rouge, LA and the death of Philando Castile in Minnesota.
Your submission may be featured online.
YOUR REACTIONS
Dee L. wrote:
This has affected my whole spirit. Not another one. Not today. I continue to say that I have witnessed white people cuss the cops out, spit in their face and they are still alive. Police find a way to disarm, disengage and not kill white people every day. What will it take for them to stop murdering our fathers, husbands, sons, grandsons? I so fear for my son and grandson. Going throughout their daily routines, minding their own business and … Congress is spending/wasting so much time on whether Hillary used her white house email for personal or intentional misuse “we/they do that every day”. What about finding a solution to keeping my son alive as he goes about his business, holding these cops accountable for their murders? Stop being distracted people. VOTE. I want my children to bury me; I don’t want to bury my children.
Zee S. wrote:
This is clearly another execution! It breaks my heart because I’m black with a black husband, black son, black brother, and black father (and black male friends that are dear to me) and I pray for them none stop!!!! If we (Black people) want change, us as parents must do more than pray. We have the authority to plant strong seeds into our children to be intelligent, self-disciplined, powerful, and carry self-control. We have work to do in our homes!!! If we want extended change, the laws in U.S. must be re-written. This is not of God— it’s man’s doing (stupidity, fear of destruction, HATE, RACISM, and lack of human-kind). Why do we have to be numb to this ignorant way of living???? When we protect ourselves we are labeled ‘trouble/terrorists’, when we educate ourselves we are labeled ‘white thinking’, when we gain success, we have to ‘dabble in the white image’, and when we pray, we are labeled ‘weak’. My prayers and never stopping methodology ‘black lives matter and will succeed’ goes out to all the BLACK MEN (in US) who were ‘executed’ starting from slavery and traveling to today heart goes out to you ALL!!!
Maria E. wrote:
My prayers are going out to these men and there families. I’m so tired of having to say this each time black men are gunned down by the police. We need to do more than what we are doing to send the message. This is getting so far out of control. I have a son, and I am afraid for his life everyday. I don’t wish this on anyone regardless of the circumstances. GOD HAS THE FINAL SAY!
Mary P. wrote:
I am sooooo over this repeated injustice that we are experiencing as a black community. This affects every black person as we all have fathers, brothers, sons and uncle’s. I have not gotten too involved with the black lives matter but I think its time we all got off the couch and find out what it is we can do.
Elise J. wrote:
This has to stop. [They] manage to not kill whites when they [receive] a call about them. Something has to be done. Too much racism among the bad apples that are in the police force. Everyone is not like them, but they can’t sit and watch the others hate. Police should report peers that act that way.
Cajil H. wrote:
I try not to speak on stuff on social media. However reading the multitude of comments about what happened in baton rouge, i just have to say i have 3 sons… all black males, 2 brothers… black males… a father… black man, cousins, uncles, friends, coworkers, associates…black men … so what do I say to my sons… you resist you die, you comply you die, you have a past you deserve to die, black men killing each other every day, so if you die why does it matter… black lives matter, all lives matter, nah… that individual life is what matters. Understanding, relating, and justifying are all different thing and that’s just my opinion!
James H. wrote:
Murder, murder, murder. Another Black man murdered by those who say they save lives. Liars and murderers!
Ali M. wrote:
When is it going to stop. Police officers can execute you in front of people,and nothing is done about it… They have no idea how he feels [until] the same thing happens to one of their loved ones.
Anita G. wrote:
Once again, This is so sad for this young man’s life to be taken away at the hands of another police officer. When will it STOP!!!!!! Why us!!!… I’m tired of hearing these kind of incidents. My prayers are with his family.
Ricky J. wrote:
Absolutely disgusting!!! Those officers MUST be prosecuted for murder to the fullest extent of the law! The police already had the man down and subdued. Why shoot him? My heart goes out to the friends and family of this young man! Murdering young Black men by the police HAS got to stop! In addition, police should NO longer get away with crimes like this!
Danielle J. wrote:
Heartbreaking.. My family knows the pain this family is feeling all too well..In Mobile, Al.. My 19-year-old cousin was gunned down by an off duty officer in Mobile, Al on 6/13/16 who swore my cousin had a gun during a traffic stop but after shooting him and cuffing his LIFELESS body. A gun [was] NEVER retrieved at the scene but retrieved later by a nurse at the EMERGENCY ROOM. Mike was wearing basketball shorts, IF a gun was in his possession, the gun clip that threatened the officer should have been removed immediately!! #MooreJustice #MICHAELMOORE #AltonSterling
Taylor A. wrote:
It saddens me that police officers don’t even take the time out to just simply arrest African Americans and take them into custody. This man was simply doing what he had to do to provide for his family. It makes no sense at how many African Americans are in the grave due to police brutality. American needs a change, we need pray, we need love, we more important we need justice.
Angelica S. wrote:
I’m tired. Tired of hashtags. Tired of justice not being served. Tired of the gun shots. Tired of fatherless children. Tired of the lack of sympathy. Tired of evil being justified. Tired of telling my friends to stay safe, there’s a chance I won’t see them again. Tired of people calling our mourning an act of being bitter. Billie Holiday sung Strange Fruit in 1939… But Who knew those sweet and fresh magnolias of 2016 still couldn’t cover the smell of burnin’ flesh? Blood on the leaves… More like blood on concrete
Jillina B. wrote:
I saw the video and heard the sobs of the woman in the background which just brought me to tears. This is quite disturbing. What was even more heartbreaking was seeing his oldest son 15 yrs old breakdown crying out for his daddy at a press conference. How many more shootings/killings do we have to endure before something is done to bring the police who commit these crimes against our people to justice?
Nina B. wrote:
I am outraged at the cruelty of black boys and black men in America. A man’s life is snuffed out while trying to hustle for his family of 5. No more “whys” it’s time for “no mores!” We avoid dogs and squirrels in the road, but we murder human beings! We see commercials in print and TV, feeding and playing with animals but we kill the breadwinner of 5 who will never feed or play with his children ever, ever, never again! Take guns from human hunting cops! I challenge law enforcement personnel to speak up if you know of or have witnessed a racist cop or one who may be experiencing mental illness or stress at home or on the job. Get them off the streets! What if cops were routinely killing unarmed white males? By the way, media stop putting sobbing mothers and children on display. Let them grieve privately. No justice, no peace just grief, sorrow, and sadness. #blacklivesmattermoretoday
Armelia M. wrote:
Cruel and “usual” punishment these days. It was stated a father of five trying to make a living, the store owner knew who he was and he seem to frequent the store but for some reason or another the store owner wasn’t having it that day. The police were called and action was taken from whatever the caller stated. No one deserves to die. We as a people tend to get bent out of shape when policemen serve the kill. We knew who killed this man. Do we know the black men who kill another black man? Murders go unsolved. Cases become cold or, cold from the very start because Black people who kill Black people never speak up or. Its a cold world out there being Black and Proud.
Sabrina R. wrote:
I’m not shocked by it. It’s like the war on drugs; nothing will change until it starts to disproportionately affect white people. Once it happens we will see a change in police policy and the gun laws will become tougher across the country. We are beginning to see an increase pattern of gun violence impacting white households on national news; like the mom who killed her two daughters and the dad who killed his son. Once they are impacted by police killing their family, we will see a change. We just need to keep shining a light for justice and protesting. The next President needs to have police policy as an action item for 2017. Which means we need to VOTE this election , because Black Lives Matter.
Twanna A. wrote:
I am an a African American mother. I have three children 2 girls and a boy. I fear for all my children. I can’t sleep unless each one calls me and tells me they are home safely. I am so tired of reading stories like this. I don’t have much but I can give my time and effort if someone could just point me in the right direction. This is a world wide epidemic just like HEROIN. I am in a small town in Barberton, OH and the police will racially profile and harass our young men and women of color for no reason. WE NEED HELP FOR OUR CHILDREN AND OUR CHILDREN’S CHILDREN. It has to start somewhere, I plead with anyone who will listen, let’s find a way to save our children.