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Eric Garner's Only Crime Was Indignation. He Should Be Alive Today.
Before Eric Garner stated "I can't breathe" 11 times under the weight of several police officers, he committed what is now considered a non-violent crime in today's America. Before an officer shoved his face into the pavement, after he was already on the ground and had no chance of getting up, the married 43-year-old with six children broke an unspoken rule in this country. His offense had nothing to do with being a threat to anyone nor was he in the act of committing a crime. Had he been caught in the act of selling illegal cigarettes, Garner would have been arrested on the spot. But no, his transgression was simply an emotion and a sentiment that many Americans, both white and black, can relate to:
Indignation.
Eric Garner is dead today because he didn't quietly "comply" with officers. As a result, he experienced what could happen to any citizen, especially a citizen of color, who rightfully feels indignant for what he or she perceives to be harassment.
The Garner tragedy is a testament to how American society views race, justice, and class. It's a mirror into the psyche of the United States and shows us who we are as a nation. Suspicion of selling untaxed cigarettes can end in a death sentence. Conversely, nobody has been convicted in a 2008 financial crisis that cost Americans $12.8 trillion in lost wealth. If we're not careful, more people could die in 2015 from the crime of simply expressing their thoughts in a manner that is deemed to be "resisting arrest."
According to medical examiners, Garner's death was ruled a "homicide" from "the compression of [Garner's] chest and prone positioning during physical restraint by police." According to the NYPD, chokeholds were to "only be used when the officer's life was in danger," and the video footage shows that Garner was never even remotely a threat. However, some people believe this African-American man actually caused his own demise.
Read More http://www.huffingtonpost.com/h-a-goodman/eric-garners-only-crime-w_b_6594588.html?utm_hp_ref=black-voices
