Dear Tamir,
You've been gone two years, My cousin will be turning 13 soon he's still young unaware of the harsh realities he will face because of the color of his skin, from time to time I try to kick a little knowledge his way but at that age I wasn't receptive either so I can't fault him but his situation is more dire than mines because hes younger and although the intentions are covert the actions of systematic oppression are overt. Life keeps on pushing many seem to have forgot, I can say I am no different caught up in myself. These battles we face as people of color keep us so we can barley maintain self let alone worry for another brother or sister. At that age son I have to wonder what dreams did you have? what goals did you achieve? how happy were you? did you even get to have your first crush much less kiss?
Little man you were just too innocent for a guilty world, a victim of hatred, fear, and judgement. I saw an article about you today, your mother still fighting but she said she feel like everybody moved on, your story all but forgotten. I'm sorry you had to go the way you did, I'm sorry you had to be used as a bargaining chip in today's social media era, tossed around as if you were a piece of gossip instead of a reflection of society and its deeply rooted hate.
12 Years, 144 Months, 624 Weeks, 4380 Days, 105120 Hours, 6307200 Minutes, 378432000 Seconds
Sincerely,
Shawn
"His birthday is always going to be tough for me because Tamir would have gotten older," said Samaria. "I don't even know what he would look like as a teenager, as a young man and as a grown man, so it is very hard for me, it is. I will always have the memory of him as a little boy that we see."
Remembering Tamir Rice on his 14th Birthday
You've been gone two years, My cousin will be turning 13 soon he's still young unaware of the harsh realities he will face because of the color of his skin, from time to time I try to kick a little knowledge his way but at that age I wasn't receptive either so I can't fault him but his situation is more dire than mines because hes younger and although the intentions are covert the actions of systematic oppression are overt. Life keeps on pushing many seem to have forgot, I can say I am no different caught up in myself. These battles we face as people of color keep us so we can barley maintain self let alone worry for another brother or sister. At that age son I have to wonder what dreams did you have? what goals did you achieve? how happy were you? did you even get to have your first crush much less kiss?
Little man you were just too innocent for a guilty world, a victim of hatred, fear, and judgement. I saw an article about you today, your mother still fighting but she said she feel like everybody moved on, your story all but forgotten. I'm sorry you had to go the way you did, I'm sorry you had to be used as a bargaining chip in today's social media era, tossed around as if you were a piece of gossip instead of a reflection of society and its deeply rooted hate.
12 Years, 144 Months, 624 Weeks, 4380 Days, 105120 Hours, 6307200 Minutes, 378432000 Seconds
Sincerely,
Shawn
"His birthday is always going to be tough for me because Tamir would have gotten older," said Samaria. "I don't even know what he would look like as a teenager, as a young man and as a grown man, so it is very hard for me, it is. I will always have the memory of him as a little boy that we see."
Remembering Tamir Rice on his 14th Birthday
