“I’m not a threat”

“As I walk down the street, my expression is calm, a smile printed on my face like a mask. However, my thoughts are a restless collage of fear and worry. Why can’t we just be treated the same? Why can’t we just be looked at as a human and not as a threat?” She poured her worries and thoughts out to me in a raspy voice as she fought back the urge to cry. I thought I understood. I, a white person, born into this world with an unbelievable amount of privilege. Privileges that people don’t normally consider. I can go for a jog. I can play with a toy gun. I can hold my phone at night. I can sleep in my car. I can do these ordinary things everyday without the fear of being killed by a police officer that excuses my death by saying they thought the phone I was holding was a gun “My skin colour is not my choice, My skin colour is not a weapon, my skin colour is purely just a colour caused by chemicals in my body. I am not a threat so why do they see me as one.” She left with that last comment, leaving me in a state of shock. Then I realised We don't have anything in common, though I thought we did. The activities I listed are some of the reasons why black people have been killed by the police. Killed for jogging: Ahmaud Arbery Killed for holding a toy gun: Tamir Rice Killed for holding their phone: Stephon Clark Killed for sleeping in their car: Willie Mccoy #BlackLivesmatter No freedom until we’re equal. No justice No peace. Say their names. Sign petitions. Please act.

by Grace, Age 14, Year 9

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