Unless you’ve been out of the country or living under a rock the last week, you’ve heard the tragic stories of white cops shooting and killing black men on two separate occasions one day after the next.  To make matters worse, 5 police officers were killed and another 4-5 injured when a former Army reserve opened fire on a protest/rally in Dallas later in the week.  This comes after a horrific mass shooting at an Orlando nightclub where a proclaimed member of the terrorist group ISIS killed 49 people.  Is this the new norm we should start getting used to or are these events the tipping point for some real change in our society and the world?  I really hope it’s the latter but the recent events make it hard to believe we are moving in the right direction.

After hearing about the horrific deaths caught on camera, it made me think, has this been going on for awhile but just coming into the forefront because everyone has a camera on them now?  I mean the first major police brutality caught on tape I can remember was back in the 1990s with Rodney King.  Just imagine if that person videotaping had never recorded it…how would that have changed the course of the OJ Simpson trial?  Would there have been an uproar and the LA riots?  I’d be lying if I told you I didn’t have pre-determined ideas of certain people before meeting them.  The combination of interactions with people and the media’s portrayal of certain races has shaped many of our views.

Speaking of the media, what if instead of the media broadcasting all the problems in the world (terrorist attacks, shootings, robberies, etc.), they switched up the stories to report positive things in the world (people overcoming cancer, companies making an impact on the environment, etc.)?  How would that shift the collective consciousness of the public and influence those looking to inflict harm on others?  They wouldn’t get the exposure at the top of the hour and might deter them from doing what they’re doing if it doesn’t make the nightly news.

I remember an experience with a police officer that wasn’t so pleasant when I was a teenager.  Coming out of a parking lot after getting some frozen yogurt with my brother and sister, I made an illegal left turn into an island in the middle of the street going against traffic to save some time, not knowing that there was a cop right behind me in the parking lot.  He pulled me over and his comments the proceeded were really unprofessional and uncalled for.  After giving him my license, registration and proof of insurance he asked if I had been drinking that night which was a valid question (I wasn’t 21 yet but totally acceptable for the violation I made) but then proceeded to shine his light at my face and ask the question “what is wrong with your eyes?”  My response, what is wrong with my eyes?!?!?! WTF do you mean what is wrong with my eyes, I’m Asian, they’re small you POS.  Okay, that wasn’t my response but my older sister was sitting in the passenger’s seat and that set her off.  Although she didn’t respond at the time, after we drove off, she unleashed the dragon (she was born in the year of the dragon) about how racist the cop was – thanks for sticking up for your baby brother sis!  We decided to file a complaint with the police department the cop was from to no avail.  They told us that he was far from racist and that he flies to Japan to teach English every year.  HAH, that sounds like a whole lot of bullshit if you ask me.  I’m not going to say what I went through was anything compared to the 2 men that lost their lives last week but I can understand the general consensus about police abusing their power and thinking they are above the law.

As I finish this post, news broke of another tragedy in Nice, France where a man drove a rented truck through a crowd killing at least 84 people and injuring 200 more.  It breaks my heart knowing that innocent lives are being taken from this world because of the hate some people have in them.  It’s becoming harder and harder to live in this world without being fearful of the terrorist attacks, violence, and hate but I think if we start to live in fear, the bad guys win.  Let’s take a stand and throw a middle finger to all the negativity we are seeing today.  Hug someone, compliment your significant other or friend, say good morning to a complete stranger.  It’s the little things that sometimes make the biggest impact.  Spread the peace and love!

QOTP: “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion.  People must learn to hate and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for loves comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite. “ –Nelson Mandela