Missing Your Miscarriage

Chapter XIV -I CAN'T BREATHE

     Since getting into this app and deciding to share my story, I decided to share myself with the world. The good, the bad, the ugly. Since last week I have been at a loss of words about the current situation. If George Floyd was white how would the world react, if the cop was black doing this to a white man? Growing up I was taught racism. I was taught I was better than people who were different than me and I could not be friends with them. Even as a small child I knew that everybody should be friends. No matter the color of their skin. We bleed the same color. The excuse of "I was taught racism" is overrated. You are grown enough to know that you are your own person with your own mind and beliefs. I am white, very very white. From German and Irish backgrounds to be exact. This does not mean that I cannot feel the pain of the black community at the moment. Maybe not all of it, but some. My child would have had to grow up in a world like this. Knowing That because his skin was darker than mine he was automatically a criminal. Knowing that repeating "I CAN'T BREATHE" to a police officer, the person you are taught to trust, will not stop him from killing you. Knowing that this said police officer will have people standing with him, telling my child he deserves it because he would not be white. Knowing that every move he makes in his life from the time he stops being that cute and cuddly toddler, will be watched, waiting until the moment that corrupt police officers may harm him. Knowing that being colored. Disabled. Mentally ill. Being anything but a cis white male could get you murdered. Bettie Jones, Michael Noel, Tiara Thomas, Eric Garner, Freddie Fray, Derrin Wilsonx Alton Sterling, and George Floyd. These are women, men, and children. Fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, cousins, let owners, worked, nieces, nephews, friends. These are PEOPLE. Who DID NOT deserve what happened to them. In schools we are taught police are the ones who save us, protect us from violence, but can we really teach that now? Can you look George Floyd's 6 year old in the eyes and tell them that police will protect them? That the same people who killed their father were supposed to make sure he was safe, make sure he was protected from danger. White silence is white acceptance. I do not accept this. I will stand, stand with this community and all of its supporters. I do not condone the looting and destruction of many places in American that is happening now. It makes no sense. This man is begging for another to make him stop hurting. So he can breathe. So to the looters and protesters who have made the decision to burn and ruin people's lives. The buildings and businesses they have worked so hard to grow: Do you really think others can breathe now? You are protesting for safety but are you making others feel safe by burning everything you see down? How will your children feel, your grandchildren? "Thie man deserves justice" you may say, and yes you are correct he does. Burning down the courthouse will not make the trial move faster. With this being said, I DO condone protests. Peaceful ones and loud ones, screaming and crying ones. We have reied peaceful protests for many others and has this worked? Athletes wore "I can't breathe" shirts to protest the death of Eric Garner. "They are doing too much.. That will not change anything". A man kneels on the football field to protest police brutality. "Execute him! Kick him off! Go back to the place you cane from! Terrorist". When will enough be enough? That is the question I will be signing off on today. Please keep negative comments to yourself, the world needs positivity right now.

-Summer Smith
"I Can't Breathe"