Thanksgiving night ended in tragedy for one Alabama family after 21-year-old Emantic “EJ” Bradford Jr. was murdered because America is not used to a black super hero.
The @NRA’s ‘good guy with a gun’ mantra doesn’t apply to Black men.
Emantic Fitzgerald Bradford Jr., #EJBradford, an active duty Army officer & son of a police officer was home for Thanksgiving when he was mistaken for a mall shooter & murdered by Hoover, AL police.#WhyWeKneel pic.twitter.com/rMnRYDYFZN
— Bishop Talbert Swan (@TalbertSwan) November 25, 2018
The NRA has pushed back against every recent mass shooting saying the response to an active shooter is another shooter.
NRA Executive Vice President Wayne coined the “good guy with a gun” phrase after the Sandy Hook shooting.
There’s just one glaringly obvious problem. That’s right folks, America’s race problem.
EJ is military, licensed to carry, and ran towards the action, all things the NRA said it needed in response to an active shooter. Except that EJ is black.
In fact, eyewitnesses have come forward stating EJ was shot within miliseconds and was issued no commands to surrender.
Dylann Roof was taken into custody and given a cheeseburger, but a real American hero wasn’t even spared a few words.
The reason #RepresentationMatters is important as an movement is because too many people can’t seem to view Black people in a positive light.
Media is important. If we can get artists and creatives to include Black skin in all narratives that translates into populations like the police force being able to see Black people as more than just thugs.
EJ has become the worst thing in Black America, a hashtag. And all his family is offered is a non-apology, apology.
“We regret that our initial media release was not totally accurate, but new evidence indicates that it was not,” police spokesperson Capt. Gregg Rector.
Where is the regret for loss of human life? It’s this lack of empathy and lack of compassion that leaves America fractured.
Family of E.J. Bradford speaks after he was killed by police in Alabama mall shooting https://t.co/BEHpdeHsSp
— 7News DC (@7NewsDC) November 25, 2018
This story is currently under investigation, and hopefully the police department takes this loss of life seriously.
May the Bradford family find peace.
My only hope when tragedies like this occur is that people in positions of power and influence take note. May the creatives of this nation take seriously the power of #RepresentationMatters.
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