Dear President of the United States,

My name is Charles Barkley. I was born in Haiti and I am a resident of New York City. I’m a senior at Brooklyn International High School in New York. I’m writing this letter to you to address the major factors that bring a disaffection to America: black society is being extremely ignored by the white government. The country is run by white society's values. There needs to be a better system to help bring an end to those issues. I personally challenge America to do better. We all know that America can be or do better.

We are widely being ignored, no matter the class of a black man living in the United States, we can never be protected by the law. From the history of America, the Constitution never was written by African Americans or meant to protect African Americans. There is a false commitment from the Constitution for freedom of speech, freedom of expression, and freedom of religion. It is all false and those issues need to be addressed to create a better society. Unarmed black civilians are being killed all over the country but never fully get their justice. Cleveland: Tamir Rice; New York City: Eric Garner; Florida: Trayvon Martin; Baton Rouge: Alton Sterling.

Tupac Shakur has a song that says, “I see no changes.” I feel the same way now. All that protest going on all over the country fighting for justice there is still no improvement nor justice. Black society has been fighting for equal rights in America for centuries. But no justice, no equal rights have been fully won by black citizens in America. The African American civil right movement started in the 19th century to make a difference in a white society where a black man can have their equal rights with white. Starting from the beginning of this country, a black man has being discriminated and stereotyped. In the Alton Sterling shooting in Baton Rouge, one of the officers assumed he had a gun and screamed, "He's got a gun! Gun!" It seems to me that many white Americans make this same assumption about black people. It doesn’t matter your class, they believe you carry a gun on you. The message that the officer is trying to spread is proving the fact that every black man carries a gun no matter if they search him or not, they will still oppress black people.

Unfortunately, these shootings of black men by police keep happening. In Tulsa, a police officer shot a black man and her lawyer said, “She’s afraid he could have a gun in his pocket.” (Scott Wood attorney representing Tulsa police officer Betty Shelby). It is the same stereotype that is being used against black men living in America. Crutcher, who is the victim of the Tulsa shooting, him being black played a huge role in his death. A black man is being stereotyped as a killer who carries guns, a thief and a threat to white society.

This racism need to be addressed so the world can hear the impact and the division it brings to our society. I see no change in the society, our society still oppresses a black man living in America. Whoever you are, next President, you are white. And because you are white, you have privilege. You need to listen to the protests and support the Black Lives Matter movement. You need to appoint African Americans to the Supreme Court or your cabinet.

To clarify, there aren't enough laws that protect a black person or any person in America. As long you are white you still have more respect than any class of a person of color. Is it going to be perfect? We all assume not but can it be better? Yes. The society and the way people treat each other can be better but there always this group in the white society that always going to discriminate. We cannot let one person's actions define the whole group.

All we see in our daily lives is the white faces targeting black faces. As long I stay black, I am always going to be a target. There needs to be a better system that allows a black person to walk in the street or be a part of society where he won’t be judged or discriminated against or thought to be a dangerous person to society.

Sincerely,

Charles Barkley

References

https://play.google.com/music/preview/Tqow672zqihg3pexpjdjumyysym?lyrics=1&utm_source=google&utm_medium=search&utm_campaign=lyrics&pcampaignid=kp-lyrics

http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/21/us/terence-crutcher-police-shooting-point-counterpoint/

http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/22/us/tulsa-officer-charged/