#ChristianTaylor
By Jason Walter
I wrote this upon hearing of the death of Christian Taylor, who was shot by a police officer this past August. His story struck a chord with me because he tweeted out his shock at all the killings of young black Americans taking place and openly wondered if something like that could happen to him. Well, it did, and I tweeted these thoughts out when I learned of it, 140 characters at a time, shocked at how that tragic situation unfolded. The next day, someone tweeted back to me to “tell these kids not to do dumb things.” And as the media broke the story over time, it appeared that Christian Taylor was really at the wrong place, at the wrong time. In the video footage released, his behavior was not that great. When the autopsy report came back later, it was unfortunately revealed that drugs were in his system.
Wrong places, mistakes, are these really justifiable for the killing of a youth, when most, if not all, youths venture into the wrong place and make mistakes?
As the son of a former police officer and Vietnam veteran, I’ve always had a reverence for the men and women who protect and serve us. It’s impossible to know what it’s like to be in an excruciating circumstance, to have the weight of protection and service for the greater community on one’s shoulders in that exact moment, and say what we’d do or have done differently. Whether we agree with it or not, there are always two perspectives, and the officer whose action resulted in the death of Mr. Taylor has had his whole world turned upside down and backward.
That can’t be pleasant either. In the end, I’m damn certain the view from both sides of this unfortunate equation is not balanced, nor is it love.
Senseless action
Of the (glass) power reaction
How ‘bout some compassion?
Before you go splashin’
Another gun pops
Collective Heart drops
Another life is lost
Collective love coated in dust
Oh Lord, we must Trust
Nature let us see our Best
Before it’s far too late & we sealed our fate
So much hate
Too much hate
It’s not too late
But it’s far too late
B/c we lost
Yet another life
One far too young a life
Jay said “This can’t be life…”
We all know “This can’t be love…”
#ChristianTaylor
Jason Walter, Hawaii Opera Theatre’s marketing director, writes poetry and social commentary. His newest collection, The Empty Flask, is available on iBooks now.
“A SHARED SPACE” is an ongoing reader-submitted column. To share your story, email coconnor@midweek.com
