From day-to-day, too many innocent black lives are being targeted solely based off the color of their skin, which leads to the importance of justice for those who no longer have a voice.
Since 2013, the Black Lives Matter movement has shed light on recurring issues ignored by mainstream society. Given the circumstances, what measures need to be taken to prevent police brutality, inequity, and racism at large? Bucks students express their thoughts over the matter.
Romatta Gerring, 19, a pre-med undergraduate, voiced her concerns towards law enforcement.
“I feel that cops need advanced training, prior to becoming one. But how does one teach an officer not to be a racist? Taking into consideration all the chaos that has transpired over these last few months, a change must be reinforced,” said Gerring.
The deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Jacob Blake, and many more, created an uproar of emotions over the summer.
“If you watch the news, you begin to notice a pattern. A white person who shoots up a school, murdering several children, leaves the scene untouched. Meanwhile, a black man is shot seven times from the back because he opened his car door. That man is named Jacob Blake and he is left paralyzed from the waist down for the rest of his life. I don’t know about you, but that is a hate crime,” said Gerring.
Niyaana Tyson-Thomas, 19, social work major, who, not too long ago, transferred from Kutztown University, stated her opinions about the topic.
“I have a lot of mixed feelings when discussing the Black Lives Matter movement,” Thomas said. “In order for there to be real change, people of different communities need to work together. We need to do more than just protest. The police should accommodate with group leaders to show how not all cops are out to kill us. It should be mandatory for schools to teach the younger generations the harsh reality for those who are black and not what is taught by using outdated textbooks. Enough is enough,”
Without a doubt, Gen Z, commonly known as the “woke” generation, refuses to stay silent until equality is served.
Active protester and communications major, Betsy Watson, is heavily involved with the movement.
“In general, I actually think the protests are getting a lot done. Protesting and rioting have always been the frontline of most social injustice movements,” Watson said.
Due to the multitude of protests across the U.S., the officers held accountable for the death of George Floyd were charged and arrested. Now, Black Lives Matter advocates are demanding to defund the police.
“The police are far too overfunded when those resources can and should be used towards important programs. Also, they need more biased training, along with scanning for previous mental conditions,” Watson said.