Responsibility

This morning, I couldn't sleep, so I turned on the TV.  After channel surfing for about two minutes, I stopped on local news to see what the weather was going to be.  What I actually saw was completely disturbing.

Tear gas, riots, military-esque fighters, fires, gun shots.  It appeared to be a scene out of the Middle East.  Until I realized that it was here, on American soil.

It seems that we are at war.  Not against some foreign invader, but with those who are sworn to protect and serve.  Our own police force has turned into terrorist militias, forcing the American public to live in fear.  As the details came rolling in, it turns out that some poor kid was executed on the streets of an American town.  By a police officer.  Allegedly for being a black male.  

Even as I write this, the governor of Missouri is deflecting the media, talking about pictures of himself.  There are rumors that the police force is trying to create a media blackout so that the truth cannot come.  The family of the victim have not been talked to by the police as of this morning.  And it appears chaos is ensuing.

But what's even more baffling and appalling to me is what Anonymous is doing. I understand releasing the name of the officer and the recordings of police chatter, but I'm very concerned that they are threatening to release the officer's address.... What about this man's family? They did nothing wrong.  Why put them at risk?  Even online, the threats, trolling, and uncivilized replies is enough to make one afraid for their own personal safety.

I am not an aggressive person.  I consider myself to be very peaceful, but even I am considering purchasing a hand gun.  If the government continues to arm our police like militants, and hidden people continue to put innocents at risk, I fear that I will not be able to protect myself in any other way.  I hate guns.  I think that so many issues are caused by guns, but I'm at the point where I see no other way....

The protestors are very contradictory to their end results.  While they want justice and awareness for the victim of police brutality, their violence and the assumed media reports are overshadowing what they want to achieve.  I feel that everyone is looking to extort this situation, to bring about personal gain. On Instagram, there's a trending hashtag #ifiwasgunneddown in which people are putting two contradictory pictures up of themselves trying to determine which the media would use.... And I just can't help but shake my head.... This is such bullshit.... Yes. We know the media can be biased. But honestly, if you didn't take such idiotic pictures, you'd have nothing to worry about.  My social media is very limited to those outside of my friends circle.  If my photo was needed, the media would get me in big sunglasses, making silly faces, or participating in a color run.  Because that's what I choose to let people see. 

Take some damn responsibility.