Tonight, we’ve reached a tipping point in America as several Dallas police officers were killed during a rally to protest recent police shootings. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of those men and women who put their lives at risk daily to protect and serve.
Here is a rundown of what sparked the rally followed by solidarity messages from celeb women we’ve featured on the blog:
Within 48 hours, two black men in “concealed weapon license to carry” states exercising their rights to have guns in their pockets were nonetheless shot and killed by police officers. Both killings, one execution style and the other in front of a 4-year old child during a routine traffic stop, has sparked outrage.
Alton Sterling was selling CDs outside of a grocery store in a high crime neighborhood and exercising his Second Amendment rights as an American, carried a weapon to protect himself. Someone reported to the police that Sterling had it out waving at people and after scuffle with the officers who arrived at the scene and eventually took Sterling down, another took out his revolver and emptied a couple of rounds into Sterling’s body before falling off the man’s chest and shooting a few more shots. The store owner and another eyewitness filmed the shootings on their smartphones and circulated it on social media. The outrage has been swift.
That same night, another man, Philando Castile, was driving with his girlfriend Diamond Reynolds and her 4-year old daughter in the backseat when he was pulled over for a busted tail light. Diamond turned on her Facebook Live and shared the incident as it happened with her followers on the social media site. The world was witness to the moments immediately after one officer shot him as he reached into his pocket to pull out his driver’s license as asked to do so by the officer, per Reynold’s account. The officer can be overheard on the video saying “ignorance”.
As with other past police killings of unarmed black men and boys, many parents have been shaken by the incident especially parents of young black boys. In social media, many have expressed fear that when their children grow up, they will be seen as menacing threats simply for being in the skin they were born in and could be the next hashtag.
I know personally, I’ve talked to my kids again as my husband and I do periodically throughout their lives to make sure they are aware what they need to do to escape a possible police encounter alive. My father in law is a retired veteran police detective and my husband’s uncle was a police officer. We fear for the lives of blue and believe Blue Lives Matter as well, but at the same time, we are frightened by the pattern of brutality among some officers.
To Kiyan ? #philandocastile #altonsterling ??
A photo posted by LaLa (@lala) on
We checked in on several of the celeb moms we’ve profiled on the blog before and noticed that some of them spoke out about the shootings in social media.
Beyonce, Alicia Keys, Kristen Bell, Olivia Wilde, Kelly Clarkson, Kelly Rowland, Tamera Mowry-Housley, Tia Mowry, Jenna Dewan Tatum, Tamar Braxton, Ellen Pompeo, busy Philipps,Eva Marcille, Phaedra Parks, Rasheeda, Yandy Smith,Toni Braxton, FAntasia, Brandy all shared posts and Kim Kardashian West and Vanessa Simmons rt’d others.
Here is a roundup of their shares, excluding Monica Brown’s who posted an excerpt of Reynold’s graphic video:
Click the link in my bio to go to Beyonce.com. Turn our anger into action. A photo posted by Beyoncé (@beyonce) on
Praying for a more peaceful world for our children and our children’s children. ?? A photo posted by Kourtney Kardashian (@kourtneykardash) on
We are all equal in the fact that we are all different. We are all the same in the fact that we will never be the same. We are united by the reality that all colours and all cultures are distinct & individual. We are harmonious in the reality that we are all held to this earth by the same gravity. – C. JoyBell C. We must fix this… Racial injustice is not ok. #altonsterling #philandoCastile A photo posted by tameramowrytwo (@tameramowrytwo) on
My heart is heavy Illustration by- @nichollekobi
A photo posted by tiamowry (@tiamowry) on
We can’t be silent… I don’t care what you call me… I won’t be silent
A photo posted by Ellen Pompeo (@ellenpompeo) on
A photo posted by kellyrowland (@kellyrowland) on
ENOUGH already!!!! When does this nightmare end? #philandocastile #BlackLivesMatter #PoliceBrutality A photo posted by PHAEDRA (@phaedraparks) on
‘Strange Fruit’ Billie Holiday. I keep hearing that song. No more. #FalconHeightsShooting #AltonSterling #PhilandoCastile #BlackLivesMatter
— Jaime King (@Jaime_King) July 7, 2016
NO. I DONT WANT TO WATCH. I WANT IT TO STOP.
A photo posted by Busy Philipps (@busyphilipps) on
OUR Fathers. OUR Brothers. OUR Sons. When will this end? I am heartbroken.
A photo posted by Fantasia? (@tasiasword) on
A video posted by Nia Long (@iamnialong) on
This. Is. Cray….. At some point we gotta STAND together? A photo posted by Taytay❤️ (@tamarbraxton) on
A photo posted by Christina Milian (@christinamilian) on
It is truly tragic when a vicious few turn a peaceful protest into a bloodbath. Horrific and sad. #nomoreviolence
— olivia wilde (@oliviawilde) July 8, 2016
Accountability is key. This is way past ridiculous. This is scary, & real, & it’s murder either way you look at it. https://t.co/TYTQnffr8q
— Kelly Clarkson (@kelly_clarkson) July 7, 2016
Praying for a more peaceful world for our children and our children’s children. ??
A photo posted by Kourtney Kardashian (@kourtneykardash) on
A photo posted by Toni Braxton (@tonibraxton) on
Stand up, speak up. Stop Killing Us!!!! #blacklivesmatter
A photo posted by Eva Marcille (@evamarcille) on
A photo posted by Eva Marcille (@evamarcille) on
#altonsterling I am just heartbroken today for his family. We need change. ?
A photo posted by Jenna Dewan Tatum (@jennaldewan) on
#philandocastile A photo posted by Rasheeda (@rasheedadabosschick) on
And this is our reality…… A photo posted by Rasheeda (@rasheedadabosschick) on
#ENOUGH ?????? #altonsterling??
A photo posted by @garcelle on