The past week has been profoundly sad, and the pain continues. Still in the throes of a global pandemic, we are sickened, angry and traumatized by repeated acts of violence against Black people, particularly Black men, in the United States.
Black lives matter. In this moment, with cellphone cameras, surveillance cameras and even police cameras recording events, Black men, like Rayshard Brooks, on June 12; George Floyd, on May 25, and too many others, continue to be killed – no, murdered – in cold blood.
On two of the past three weekends, members of pro-Confederacy groups have visited our campus to continue to protest the toppling and removal of the Confederate soldier monument. I did not write after the first incident because one event, although deplorable, could be an anomaly. When the second event occurred, I felt compelled to respond. Two events could be the beginning of a trend.
