For over 200 years, Americans have held dear to the right of assembly and the right of free speech. That being said, there is a marked difference between peaceful protest and destruction of property.
Across the country, Americans march in solidarity against the murder of George Floyd. While the majority of them are only seeking to have their voices heard, some are taking advantage and looting businesses along the way.
As I said in a previous post, I do not have the experience of a person of color in America and I will not speak of what I do not know of. I am also painfully aware that my skin color and my class have automatically opened doors that are closed the others.
However, I don’t understand what looting stores have to do with the cause of racial equality. It feels like the people who are looting are taking advantage of the situation for their own personal gain. It is also akin to pouring salt into the wound of business owners who were forced to close because of Covid-19 and have only begun to re-open their stores.
I wish that we lived in a country in which the laws and actions matched the ideals of our founders. But we don’t live in that country and because we don’t, protest is required for change. It just be a lot easier if looting was not part of the bargain.
Writergurlny 