A Prayer for Black Lives

and the System that Kills Them

Family and Friends of Philando Castille
©New York Times

Once again an officer has been acquitted of murdering an unarmed black human being, Philando Castille, during a routine traffic stop. Mr. Castille, a beloved school cafeteria worker, informed the officer he had a registered weapon in his car. The officer shot Mr. Castille five times while Castille was still inside his car and his 4-year-old daughter was in the back seat. The weapon was not within Mr Castillo’s reach. I weep with Mr. Castille’s friends and family.

Last month, another officer was acquitting for the same thing. While another unarmed black man, Terence Crutcher, walked slowly to his car with his arms above his head, four officers had guns on Mr. Crutcher; he was shot in the back by one of those officers.

How much longer are we to accept this standard of killing…