Jordan Davis, the 17-year-old teenager shot and killed by Michael Dunn over loud music, would have turned 19 years old yesterday and many people are still trying to process his murder’s trial. Although Dunn was found guilty on four out of five charges — three counts of attempted second-degree murder and one count of shooting a deadly missile into a vehicle — he wasn’t charged with murdering Davis at all.
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Writer Jamie Nesbitt Golden started the hashtag #DangerousBlackSons, seemingly in light of the trial’s verdict. She posted a picture on her adorable son walking into her living room:
Here’s potential future threat to society walking into the living room. #dangerousblackkids pic.twitter.com/JAmLnNFBpW
— J.N.G. (@thewayoftheid) February 16, 2014
What started out as a joke to reinterpret the stereotypical images of Black children being viewed as threats, turned into a viral Black Twitter feed, filled with images of people sharing pictures of their Black sons in suits, kids graduating from high school and children having recess in the playground.
Officer: we got to keep an eye on these two. they’re wearing blue. #dangerousblackkids pic.twitter.com/snpkCfn8aT
— Asmaa Lov (@AsmaaLov) February 16, 2014
Black Twitter is known to throw a dose of irony in problematic situations (remember, Don Lemon’s endorsement of Stop-and-Frisk?) and these tweets illustrate just how “dangerous” and radical black children can be when they’re educated, free-spirited, oh, and unarmed.
Some #DangerousBlackKids grow up to help Americans get health insurance & inspire a whole generation. Terrifying. pic.twitter.com/NupdvsLXRP
— TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) February 16, 2014
“You know, when Trayvon Martin was first shot I said that this could have been my son,” President Obama remarked after the teen was killed on February 26, 2012. “Another way of saying that is Trayvon Martin could have been me 35 years ago.” The same could be said of Davis, and thousands of other Black children who are slain each year.
These three are categorized as little thugs since they’re throwing up the number one. #dangerousblackkids pic.twitter.com/ZNW1AzFcOH
— Mariah Williams (@riahwilliams) February 17, 2014
Better not listen to loud lullabies. RT”@D_Brandyn: Young black criminals in their getaway car. #DangerousBlackKids pic.twitter.com/Fsex52sp6i”
— المثيرة الفوضى (@RomanKush) February 16, 2014
These three are categorized as little thugs since they're throwing up the number one. #dangerousblackkids pic.twitter.com/ZNW1AzFcOH
— Mariah Williams (@riahwilliams) February 17, 2014
The sad part about this whole situation is that many of us realize just how threatening Black children are perceived to be, in spite of their innocence. Between shooting cases that go national like Davis’, teens Trayvon Martin and Renisha McBride, in addition to all the other instances where Black children lose their lives and are never mentioned in the news, it seems like any child is a threat to everyone when they’re Black and don’t deserve to get justice from their deaths. Let’s hope that people are paying close attention to these tweets and understanding just how sad it is for Black children to have to fear for their lives.
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