NO JUSTICE FOR BREONNA TAYLOR

On March 13, 2020 cops executed a no-knock warrant that led  to the execution of Breonna Taylor. She was killed in her home in the middle of the night. Her partner tried to protect his and her life and was summarily arrested for that act. The cops were at the wrong house, they kicked in the wrong door, and they murdered an essential worker—a woman who risked her life daily during a global pandemic as an EMT. The officers were fired after weeks of protest but none of them were charged.

Today, September 23, the Louisville Grand Jury handed one indictment to former Officer Brett Hankison of wanton endangerment. His accomplices,  Sgt. John Mattingly and Det. Myles Cosgrove, were not charged.  In preparation of this announcement the city enacted a curfew, built barricades, and established a   quasi-police state for any unrest that would arise from the Grand Jury indictments. All of these preliminary actions sent the tone that Breonna would not be getting justice, that the officers involved in her murder would walk away without penalty, and that once again, the lives of Blacks would hold no value. Unfortunately the indictment proved this to be true and all too common.

How now do we honor Breonna Taylor when this justice system refuses to do its job? We, the people, must bring justice for her as our institutions have failed us. There will be no change in this nation is we continue to elect officials that consistently devalue and denigrate Black Lives. We will continue to be stuck in this cycle if we do not make the changes we need. The elected officials of this country and Louisville failed Breonna Taylor. Let us not add to that. To hold up her sacrifice we must be bold, we must be brave, and we must vote. We must vote out the race baiters and abuse excusers. We must vote out the misogynists and bigots. We must vote out those that protect a system that does not protect us. We must honor Breonna by not letting her death be another annotation of Black deaths but rather be the beacon of light, like she was, in making us do better for her and for our future.