Students at San Luis Obispo High School need to do better.
Racism is still a major issue in our country and only the young, powerful voices of young adults can change that. Our communities are filled with fearful individuals who are afraid of living as who they are. At SLOHS, everyone can say, and does say that they aren’t racist. That racism is a thing of the past and no one actually suffers because of it: That’s where we go wrong.
Our small and tight knit community of San Luis Obispo has racial issues and inequalities everywhere. From the lack of diversity to the ignorance some students choose to display, our small city is far from the glorious ideals it stands for.
In our country today, hundreds of colored persons have been brutally murdered by police brutality. One of the most recent victims to this racial prejudice is George Floyd. Floyd was arrested due to suspicions over a counterfeit twenty dollar bill used to purchase a packet of cigarettes.
Floyd was handcuffed, laid on the ground face down, and had the knee of Derek Chauvin placed on his neck for eight minutes and forty six seconds.
In a video released by a bystander, Floyd can be clearly seen asking for help and breath as he is pinned down on the ground.
News of this sparked outrage across the country, igniting riots and protests that unleashed the repressed anger that many Americans share.
In our small city, there was a protest at Mitchell Park on May 31 that was filled with angered and passionate individuals who cared for our community at the well being of our community members. As expected, there were many people, but there was a lack of SLOHS students who could’ve supported.
It is understandable that many are not allowed to leave their homes due to the COVID-19 pandemic ravaging the nation; however, there are many ways that students can still contribute.
By donating money to organizations, singing petitions, writing letters to our government representatives, or even sparking conversation are great ways to begin the change. It’s the small things that when joined together, create real differences in our world.
The issue is that students at SLOHS aren’t enraged enough as they should be; for many students at the high school, the issue of race and racism isn’t something that is majorly concerning to them, and that is troublesome.
Every student who is capable of doing so should protest the wrongful and senseless killings of black and colored individuals in the United States by either marching or raising awareness on social media platforms. Writing on the sidewalk outside “Black Lives Matter” or any small act of mutiny that shows our government and the perpetrators that enough is enough. That racism should never occur, especially not in 2020.
For all SLOHS students, this is a difficult time; the pandemic has stripped the graduating class of a well-earned farewell and the traditional celebrations that follow it. Our country has been greatly impacted by the immense loss of life that the coronavirus has brought and on top of that, racism is still happening.
If anyone can stand to say that they are a good, decent person then they cannot and must not remain silent on this topic, for that is siding with the perpetrator. We must all rise and have our voices be heard, no matter our age or our own background. What is necessary is the outrage and anger that should accompany students on account of what has transpired in our nation. If one part of the country is not safe for all, then no part of the country is.
Speak up and speak out as that is our only hope in the fight against systemic racism in our nation today.
