Roger Forston was shot six times by a sheriff's deputy for the crime of answering his own door after hearing loud banging. The deputy’s supervisors said that he acted in self-defense. But hadn’t Fortson?
The Second Amendment, citizenship, and military membership should have given Fortson the right to defend himself. Unfortunately, we know these rights are not distributed equally across racial lines. Police kill Black people disproportionately.
“Stand Your Ground” laws have been used to justify many shootings since Trayvon Martin’s killing 2012. Many white supremacists now feel empowered to be vigilantes, shooting first with little care or remorse. But what about our safety?
Black gun ownership and the supposed right to bear arms often clash with the impunity that police officers have when they kill. Authorities who will kill without hesitation can’t outweigh our right to protect ourselves.
Black people are expected to be powerless against police violence. The fact that even Black members of the military can’t escape it speaks volumes. The criminal legal system thrives on our suffering, so we cannot expect it to defend us.