Dear Next President,

986 people were killed by police in 2015, and there were already 11 fatal shootings in 2016 by January 6. As you can see, there is an issue with racial profiling of African Americans against police brutality. Racial profiling does not only affect the person that was killed, or injured. It affects the family, community, and bystanders. I cannot sit back and watch our world go corrupt, so here is my time to take a stand.

The killing of unarmed black men, and women, from teens to adulthood, is evidence that our system is broken down. For example, Alton Sterling. Alton was a black man standing outside of a convenience store selling CD’s to earn a few extra dollars. The store manager announced that “alton never made any harm. He was a great man, and could help out whenever he could.” So why was he targeted by the police? Well here’s the real story. A homeless man was pestering Alton for money time and time again that night. Alton looked down at his pocket to reference that he had a gun. However, that does not mean he was any danger to citizens around. The police then were called by the homeless man and when they arrived they had already had alton on the ground and an officers legs above sterlings head on the pavement gun pointed. Video evidence shows that he cooperated with the police, and was not only shot once, but 6+ times. The police continued to shoot, although sterling was no threat any longer.

Trayvon Martin, was a black teenager walking home from a corner store in Florida when George Zimmerman, the police officer on duty, approached him and moments later neighbors called in to report gunshots being heard. Zimmerman was on “neighborhood watch” that night, when Trayvon was looked upon as a “suspicious person”. When zimmerman called the chief and was declared NOT to take action, which he declines instruction. Police in the station also signify that racial slurs about Trayvon were made by Zimmerman before exiting the vehicle. Trayvons girlfriend, 15, tells police that she was on the phone with him when the incident happened and she recalls the officer saying “Who are you, What are you doing?”, a few scuffles, and the phone had been disconnected. Zimmerman Claims that this was “Self- Defense”. Wounds on Trayvon when he arrived dead at the hospital were an Open scalp, broken nasal bones, etc. Trayvon used no weapon or deadly force, and the wounds that were found on zimmerman declare that to be true. Zimmerman was untouched.

These are examples of stories of innocent people who are targeted by police based on the color of their skin, even when they cause no threat. We are going backward on our timeline, and we need to realize that all people have a place on earth black, white, pink, or purple. ALL lives matter. 

Sincerely, Haley