Advanced Essay #4, Randle (Stop The Criminalization )

Introduction:

My goals for my paper was to include 3 or more quotes to support my argument, to go over the minimum word count and to persuade my reader to agree with my argument. I also wanted to ensure that I sharpened some of my grammar errors and I even tried something new by using descriptive scenes to start of my essay. I worked on my essay a lot, I did a lot of deleting, editing and revising before I got a finished product. If I was to do this essay again I would write a lot more so when it comes to deleting I would not have as much to read and I would also get more peer edits. Overall I am proud of myself and my essay. I worked hard on it and gave it my best.

Stop The Criminalization

He walks down the street with all black on. Black hoodie, black jeans, black sneakers and don’t forget he’s black. Stopped by the police, quickly patted down and thrown in the police car. They didn’t find anything on him but as the police said: “He fits the description.”He fitted the description of some crime. The cops aren’t sure about what crime he “committed” but they are sure it is something.

This scene presented above is so common considering it’s one of the everyday norms African Americans face mostly males. For a long time, things have been this way back since racism. Racism has impacted the way things ended up occurring in today life. So many African Americans face the same troubles and worries considering this is such a norm and they often have to think how can I dress, talk or act so that I don’t get pulled over or attacked by police authorities.

We as a community and a society have criminalized everyday social interactions from our African American males. We have allowed our males to think that they will be punished for being themselves. Allowing them to second think their outfits, what neighborhood to be in and what to say considering they could be accused of something illegal based on stereotypes and accusations of their race.

Violence in the society has only gotten worse throughout the years considering the situations we have been facing. Your race, your gender, and your clothing can determine so much to a police officer nowadays. Walking down the street and you fit the description of a suspect. But it’s the same one suspect a black male and anyone can fit this description. The community is endangered and it's sad that enough people aren’t informed.

Statistics imply that “ 6.66 Black, 3.23 Hispanic/Latino, 2.9 White and 1.17 Asian/ Pacific Islander.” Of all the different races, the African Americans have the highest percentage of deaths due to police brutality. Statistics like this have allowed the males in our community fear for their race considering their race is the most endangered. Endangered considering huge populations of their own race have been getting killed and it's nothing they could do about it. The only thing they can do is worry and hope that they won't be next.

“Seeing so many black men killed by police and having negative experiences with law enforcement have made him less empathetic to the police.” African American males can not even feel comfortable or trust police enforcement considering they have often been accused and attacked just because of their race. “I’ve had a gun in my face from a police officer before,” he said. “I didn’t feel it was warranted, but he (the officer) did. I’ve been pulled over for a tail light that wasn’t out.” when you are being accused of something for no reason you have to stop and rethink everything action to ensure your safety.

You have to think should I turn here? Should I wear all black? Should I wear a hoodie? And I think this something that should not be a norm in today’s society. We have allowed black men to believe that everything they do, wear or say is a crime and that their race is automatically a target.

One resolution would be to work harder on fighting towards police brutality. If more people stood up and spoke out on situations there would be justice and statistics wouldn’t be as high. Another solution would be rebelling against things and being yourself. Don’t allow police brutality or your race stop any of your social interactions. If you like who you remain yourself.

“Along with racial profiling and other legal harassment, like stop-and-frisk, being pushed through a window by police has apparently become a new reality for brown-skinned kids. Yet how is such aggression and violence justified by law enforcement, and are these incidents to be imagined as mere coincidence” although this is considered a “reality” it should stop occurring.African American males should be able to love themselves and should never feel like anything they do, wear or say is considered a crime.  Stop the criminalization and start to love the African American males in our community for who they really are.