VOL 4 ISSUE 32
#Blacklivesmatter
By Dorothy Gentry Contributing Editor
much over my one and only child. It’s because of the color of his skin and his gender that I hesitate Two black men shot dead in two when he asks, “Mom, can you drop days at the hands of police officers, me and my friend off at the movtheir encounters caught on cam- ies?” era phone or filmed is what was It’s because I know the history on my mind almost 14 years ago of how blacks were and to a large when I found out the precious car- degree, STILL are treated in this go I was carry- world that I yell at him to change a ing was a male piece of clothing that I don’t want child. anyone to get the wrong idea Yes. Four- about. Be it his favorite hoodie, teen years ago, sweatpants, Jordan sneakers with Alton Sterling the laces not tied or ripped jeans. and Philando GO PUT ON SOMETHING ELSE!!! Castile were He doesn’t understand. He on my mind. thinks “I’m trippin.” Most Dorothy Gentry black male youths Not them specifically, don’t. But we, the parbut their encounters ents do. We underwith police…and their stand our fears, our end…their lives reconcerns, our worries duced to headlines and over our black male hashtags. babies. I was about to raise And we struggle. Alton Sterling a black male child in a Do we tell them why world that sees them as we are afraid? Do we a danger. And the end explain the decades of Alton and Philando, long dangerous dyand Trayvon and Eric namics between police and even Rodney King, and black people? Do RIP, has ALWAYS been we share the history in the crevices of my of this nation and it’s Philando Castile mind, threatening to hatred and go get erupt at anytime. ‘em mob mentality toward blacks? It’s because of the legacy of how Do we encourage them to be reblack men in this world are treated spectful to adults, especially the that I hover maybe a tad bit too
www.TexasMetroNews.com
weekend raises scholarship funds for 22nd year
#Butmurderscontinue We just celebrated the birth of this nation on July 4 and my birthday on July 5, this week. The joy of those two celebrations were dampened this morning by the news Ruby Woolridge of another black man being shot and killed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana by the police. Alton Sterling, 37, a resident of Baton Rouge was killed outside a convenience store where he was selling CDs. My morning was punctuated with the scene of his 15-year-old
son crying because of the loss of his father. All I could think was here we go again. This situation keeps happening with the same results. A person of color is killed, outrage is shown, an investigation is conducted but the status quo continues. When will we change the way we handle these situations? I applaud the Arlington, Texas Police Chief who responded quickly when a police officer shot an unarmed young man at a car dealership. The courts disregarded the chief’s actions and failed to take action against the police officer on behalf of the victim. I was married to a state law enforcement officer for two decades, and understand personally what law enforcement officers face each
Please see #Butmurderscontinue, page 7
Week of July 6, 2016
Don’t Believe the HYPE
Please see #Blacklivesmatter, page 7
By Ruby Woolridge Special to Texas Metro News
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WWW.TEXASMETRONEWS.COM
Week of July 6, 2016
See page 16