Most people will probably say the major historical events they remember are September 11, 2001, and the Covid pandemic. While those are definitely major events with great impact on our society, I am going to bring you a little further back in time to March of 1991.
I was all of 12 years old and in the 6th grade. I was mostly focused on my band friends (yes I am a very proud band geek!), MTV, reading, and video games. You know, typical pre-teen things without really acknowledging the larger world around me. I clearly remember watching the news with my dad and stepmom before our nightly ritual of watching Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. (I will share one photo, but will not link the video as it could be a trigger for some – feel free to google it and watch for yourself if you choose to.)
Broadcast on national TV for all to see was a man being beaten by several police officers. Rodney King was pulled from his car at a traffic stop and severely beaten with batons repeatedly. I couldn’t believe how long it went on for. Even if this man was resisting arrest, this was a clear case of excessive use of force, at least in my opinion. He was clearly on the ground and not fighting anymore. I remember thinking no one is safe if the police will beat you like that, even if you did something wrong. Additionally, these few officers give the entire law enforcement community a very bad reputation. It was my first taste of how unfair and crazy this world can be.
Fast forward to about a year later, when the 4 officers accused of the beating were acquitted. The rioting that began in L.A. was crazy! People were looting stores and burning everything. This was mob mentality at its worst. The riots lasted for 6 days and I remember watching it on the news in horror. It was scary to me – I worried that other cities would follow suit and riots would happen closer to home.
Sadly, the hate and prejudice is still prevalent today, 33 years later. It frustrates me that it is like that, and I wish there was more I could do to change it. If more people just loved one another, or at least tolerated each other with respect, the world would be so much better.
“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” -Martin Luther King, Jr.
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