Columbus, Ohio Holds Black Lives Matter Unity Walk
America has been through a rough July, with a number of innocent men being murdered in cold blood by the cops. After the deaths of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge and Philando Castile in Minnesota, the big debate of Black Lives vs Blue Lives have once again blown up. Without hesitation, a lot of people have sided with Blue Lives once again, not understanding that Blue Lives are a choice.
People choose to be cops, you cannot choose to be Black, nor can you hide the fact that you are Black. You can however, hide the fact you are a cop. On June 6th, 2016 Henry Green, 23, was senselessly shot by two cops in Columbus, Ohio.
Green was walking with a friend in South Linden when an unmarked white van pulled up. When two men dressed in plain clothes on approached the two, they started to yell at them. Green had a firearm on him; however it is legal to carry a firearm openly in Ohio. Green also had a permit to carry the firearm. The police told him to drop the gun, and then he allegedly sent a shot out. Officers Jason Bare and Zachary Rosen both shot back at Green and killed him, however, neither of the cops are injured.
One of Henry’s friends, Barshea Green said, “Bubby was the realest person I knew. Loyalty meant everything to my brother; he would never fold on you, never. For the last two years he’s been focused. If it wasn’t working, or us, he wasn’t leaving the house. I miss him for real.”
On July 4th, 2016, Delrawn Small was murdered by cops in his car in Brooklyn in front of his girlfriend and 3 children for alleged road rage. Then on July 5th 2016, Alton Sterling was murdered in front of a store in Baton Rouge for selling CD’s, which he had permission to do so by the store owner. On July 6th 2016, Philando Castile was murdered in the car in Minnesota in front of his girlfriend and child after being asked to get his ID in his pocket. On July 9th, 2016, officers shot Alva Braziel 10 times, with 3 to his head in Houston while he was turned around with his hands up because they thought he had a gun. Beyond all this, people are still trying to justify their shooting and bring up their pasts as if it has something to do why they were killed.
Columbus, Ohio, along with other major cities and even different countries has held unity walks, peaceful protests, and other events. On Saturday, July 9th, 2016, there was a Black Lives Matter unity walk in downtown Columbus that started from the police station on Long St. to the State House on Marconi where five months ago caring revolutionist, mentor, freedom-fighter, and poet Marshawn McCarrel took his life, whom was friends with the organizer of the unity walk. The walk had people of all different races and not one argument or fight broke out, which the mainstream media tends to say always happens. People were shouting “No justice, no peace,” and “Black lives matter!” There were various speakers at the walk on Marconi. One speaker named Devaughn Golden said who said “You cannot say that the education system is failing my child, when you don’t want to teach my child.”
All people are saying is that they want justice, answers, and convictions for cops who kill innocent men, not paid suspensions.
Photo’s attached courtesy of Arianna J. Corbin.
