not the first - wasn't the last

What needs to be taken into account are the circumstances that accompany the 1992 Los Angeles riots. The brutality and hatred shown towards Rodney King, as captured in video, is not a rarity, but instead a commonality. People reacted severely to the event, but, this was not the first time something like this had happened and it most definitely was not the last. This event is NOT a one time scenario, NOT an uncommon occurrence, NOT a freak accident. Violence against minorities, African American and black people in particular, is (and has been) continuously going on. The uproar that came with the beating of Rodney King only proved to provoke and awaken the Los Angeles people, as well as the far greater population that this then 'viral' video managed to reach. The pandemonium that followed the distribution of this video, as well as the fact that the police officers in question of using extremely excessive force were let off practically without even a slap on the wrist, worked in such a way that it made people more aware of the discrimination, racism, and hatred that still festers within our supposedly oh-so-great America.

 This event was not the start of police brutality against minorities; the beating of Rodney King was merely the public displaying of such a horrific situation. Nowadays, with all the technological connections we have around the world, abuse of police power in relation to hurting minorities is far more documented - even though it covers nowhere near all of the occurences that exist. Many motions are forming, such as the #BlackLivesMatter movement which makes an attempt to identify and combat systematic racism. America is not a fair or equal place: it is far from it. The only hope that we can have is the continuation of movements such as #BlackLivesMatter as well as others like it, and the further exposure of our society to these problems. What I hope for you to consider is: who are we if we choose to allow for this behavior to keep on, if we choose to not be a voice that can help stop the unjust and horrific treatment of minorities?

- Anya Lehman