November 22, 2014

The Death of Tamir Rice

In Cleveland, Ohio, 12-year-old, African-American, Tamir Rice was playing with a toy BB gun at a local park when police fired at him twice just two seconds after arriving at the scene. Neither officer administered first aid and Tamir passed away from the gunshot wounds the next day. Many people in the media blamed Tamir's "threatening" toy as the reason for his shooting.

HOW DOES THIS CONNECT TO STRUCTURAL RACISM?:

Historically people of color have been denied the same rights as whites and have been forced to live in high poverty neighborhoods with little opportunity for economic success. The fact that some people have turned to gangs to survive has lead to a myth of blacks as being dangerous or prone to violence. The police clearly acted out on this dangerous myth.

For more see, " Tamir Rice Shooting " .