chills

It's only a matter of time until Grand Rapids makes headlines. Not for artistic breweries or large social media events, but for the latest round of senseless gun violence.

Just saw the preview for Fruitvale Station right before watching the biography of Nelson Mandela. The juxtaposition of these was interesting as I considered how little my generation concerns itself with the affairs of others. Perhaps if we were made more disturbed by the pattern of gun violence we would be able to steer our ship away from the course that has been set before it.

I just watched this video. I can't get it out of my head.

At the end a few victims of police brutality are listed, and the name Amadou Diallo jumped out at me. Ouari Diallo was a close friend of my parents while they lived in Guinea, and his brother's name is Amadou. This is merely coincidence as the two Amadous are not related-- yet maybe not so much coincidence as circumstance, for Amadou Diallo was also a Guinean immigrant who was shot by police when he pulled his wallet out of his jacket. 41 times. 41. 41. 41.

Completely chilled at the thought that one person has the power to end another's life with a flick of a finger.

I don't know what I can do, but I know I can't allow myself to sit back and do nothing.

A CLASSROOM OF KINDERGARTENERS WAS MURDERED AND NOTHING HAS CHANGED.

What hope is there for African-American men if cute little white kids didn't change the minds of the nation?

Sean Bell, Rodney King, Trayvon Martin, Oscar Grant. Amadou Diallo.

Maybe my name will be next.