Our legal system is flawed and I do not understand how some individuals fail to see this truth. The vestiges of inequality and racism, which continue to silently influence our society have been swept under the rug for too long. The Michael Brown and Eric Garner cases as well as the many police brutality cases that have occurred in the past are evident of this. The decision made by the respective grand juries not to indict the officers in both of these cases was disappointing, but should not be a complete shock.

The message from both cases and others is clear: law enforcement is above the law, using brutal force is justified against unarmed individuals, the differences in community policing tactics are only tall tales that certain communities embellish in order to use “the race card” or “race baiting.” And most of all, realizing that our society and legal system need to change is a theory created by unlawful “thugs” who only seek to demonize law enforcement instead of accepting the responsibility of their own “criminality.”

I really wish that people in society especially those who make harsh and biased commentary on media can take a look at these two cases using different lenses and putting themselves, their community, and their loved ones in another person’s shoes.

We need to really ask ourselves: Is it right for people of any group to be targeted because of their ethnicity or appearance? If an individual is unarmed and innocent or unarmed and has allegedly committed a petty crime, should he or she face the death penalty for resisting or seeming to resist arrest? Is it really self-defense if someone fires several shots at an unarmed and/or wounded individual who is at a distance?

Shouldn’t crime scene investigators and others handling a case be equipped, competent, and thorough? Aren’t prosecutors supposed to present cases in order to prosecute or do they build cases for the defense? Why do we have grand juries in this country if they are not helpful in seeking justice? Why haven’t these police brutality cases been brought to a trial and why aren’t the officers in question convicted of killing unarmed individuals?

There are lots of questions left unanswered in the Michael Brown case; news analysis and articles as well as the interviews of Brown’s parents detailing how this case was mishandled from the start further proves that there needed to be a trial. The testimony of Darren Wilson, the officer who shot Brown, should have been examined. In his interview with ABC News, his words and mannerisms seemed rehearsed and the language that he used to describe Michael Brown reflected stereotypes often attributed to young black men.

Nothing in his story seems credible to me: I do not believe that he approached Brown and his friend courteously and Brown responded in complete insolence. I cannot fathom a young black man who is innocent or has allegedly stolen an item from a store attacking a police officer. Most people especially people of color know not to pick fights with law enforcement and to run away from gunfire and not the opposite. I also cannot see how someone who is wounded from gun shots would continue charging at someone with a gun; it defies logic.

The fact that Wilson said he had no regrets and that he “did his job that day” struck a nerve with me. Police officers are supposed to serve and protect the community that they are patrolling not kill unarmed residents who are innocent or are suspected of committing misdemeanors. Whether or not Michael Brown stole the cigarillos from that store, he should not have been killed. If Officer Wilson knew that Brown was a suspect in an earlier theft, he should have approached Brown and arrested him. If Brown committed this petty crime, he should have been able to learn from this wrongdoing and make a better life for himself. Michael Brown is not here to defend himself and there is no video footage to see what really occurred between him and Darren Wilson. Maybe if there was, would there be a different outcome in the case?

The Eric Garner case WAS documented on video and clearly shows officers using brute force to arrest him for allegedly selling loose cigarettes. The individual who was recording the video stated that Garner just broke up a fight and was not doing anything. Officer Daniel Pantaleo can be seen placing Garner in a choke-hold, forcing him quickly to the ground. While Garner was on the ground and pleading several times to the officers that he could not breathe, the officers continued pressing their weight on his body and pushing his face into the pavement. The response of the officers and the EMT workers who came to assist did not display urgency for a man who was in need of medical attention. Garner’s life was in danger for something petty and no one standing there seemed to care.

The officers were accusing Eric Garner of a petty crime and all he did was try to plead his case.  The use of force was unnecessary; these officers treated him as if he was a dangerous and armed criminal. Garner’s size does not excuse their actions and his health issues do not absolve their role in his death; this should not have been done to anyone regardless of stature, weight, or health. The use of the choke-hold is against NYPD policy so why was this officer given a pass? The video of this incident is all over the internet and the jury chose not to indict. How can anyone see this video and not realize that Officer Pantaleo’s actions were wrong and led to another unarmed individual’s death?

No one should blame the protesters for using their First Amendment right and speaking out against police brutality cases and unfair procedures. Our society needs to stop accepting injustices against people in this country. Our society needs to realize that siting black on black crime as a counter-argument to police brutality is an attempt to dismiss an important discussion that needs to happen. Crime is an issue in this country; all groups who live in the same proximity unfortunately commit crimes towards each other.

Black on black crime is a problem, but so is white on white crime, Latino on Latino crime, Asian on Asian crime, and so on. What steps are being taken to improve our society as whole…tossing everyone in jail or shooting them is not a solution. Unarmed civilians in this country should not be looked upon as “thugs” who deserve to be taken down in a barrage of bullets or an illegal choke-hold. We have to hold our law enforcement to high standards and hold them accountable for actions which lead to unnecessary loss of life.

Stating this fact is not anti-police sentiment; law enforcement is an important part of our society. There are wonderful police officers and there are those who are not and the same goes for civilians. People have the right to be concerned about police brutality and there needs to be reform because these situations are happening too often. There needs to be an end to racial profiling and officers should have body and police car cameras. There needs to be better training given to police officers and more minorities should be part of police departments especially in minority communities.

Law enforcement has to build better relations within communities and these communities should to be able to trust that the police are there to serve and protect.