He was found floating in his pool. Initial reports state
that King likely died as a result of accidental drowning.
Rodney King wasn’t the perfect victim of police brutality.
In many ways that’s what made the story that unfolded after footage of police savagely
beating him for 15 minutes after a police chase touch me. No, King wasn’t the perfect victim…totally
innocent and lacking shades of grey.
King was the typical victim…the average victim of police
brutality, with his oh so human challenges and struggles.
King was anyone…everyone…the strong yet troubled black man straight
from central casting to be beaten for 15 minutes by police in the middle of the
street.
And now Rodney King is dead.
King lived a life before…before the police chase ended and police
surrounded him and beat him.
Rodney King lived a life after he was assaulted…after the
police were acquitted and a city went up in flames.
For some, Rodney King will always be the man writhing on the
ground as police circled around him delivering blows for 15 minutes.
For others King will forever be the large black man who got
what he deserved…who must have done something wrong…who then played the
mystical race card to get paid.
But for me, King is anyone and everyone…a point in history
where I learned the difference between a black man’s justice and the justice
white men enjoy.
I see King…face swollen and bruised, lips trembling with
emotion…a human being standing before the world asking whether we can all just
get along.
And we answer that question…over and over again…day after
day.
Can we all just get along?
We can…
…if we want to.
1 comment:
And sadly, most not only can't be bothered rather must actively muck things up so that folks can not get along.
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