“Hands Up, Don't Shoot” is a saying heard through the protest held across the nation in midst of the numerous killings of black Americans at the hand of police officers.
In a study published by the Guardian as of Dec. 31, 2015, it was found that young black men were nine times more likely to be killed by officers, approximating in 1,000 deaths as of 2015. Government mortality data has also found that about one in every 65 deaths of young African American men in the U.S. is a killing by police.
Michigan State University Law School and Cass Technical High School students paired together to start the conversation most schools will often try to avoid.
“Why do only Black Lives Matter? Shouldn't All Lives Matter?”
“Were all the victims really innocent?”
These were questions asked at the Black Lives Matter forum at Cass Tech on April 8, an event sponsored by CT visionary Newspaper, Cass Tech NAACP and Michigan State University Law School.
The panel included Black Lives Matter activists and law enforcement along with judges and attorneys. In the panel the cases of Tamar Rice and Sandra Bland were brought to discussion through displaying the video and listening to panel feedback on the cases. Among those in attendance were students of both Cass Tech and Grosse Pointe South.
Following the forum, students were able to go to workshops paired with Grosse Pointe students to restart the discussion of how to interact with officers and knowing your rights.
“Black Lives Matter does not discount the fact that other races do not matter, but because of the actions in society, apparently it doesn't matter as much” said Michigan State Law School student Angela White when asked “Why do people feel Black Lives Matter is saying other lives do not?”
After the forum many people stated how they appreciated the topics of the panel.
“Though I did not agree with all of the points made on the panel, it gave me the opportunity to know what needs to be discussed more in schools and why this is a topic that should be ongoing in classrooms” said Cass Tech Junior Hunter Phelps, who attended with the Cass Tech NAACP.
The forum not only touched students, but adults in attendance as well. Given a moving testimonial by Christopher Hoorne of the Future Project of why Black Lives Matter is such an important component to the African American community and how much the movement has cultivated the journey of reaching justice in these violent crimes.
