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What the white couple in St. Louis brandishing guns says about society

White privilege was on full display this past Sunday.

A couple in St. Louis was seen waving guns around while protestors passed their house, which happened to be on a private drive.

Allegedly, the peaceful protestors broke into a gateway when allowing themselves onto the Private Drive, trying to get to Mayor Krewson’s house.

Many people who were involved in the demonstration said that the gate had been opened for them. Here’s a video that supports their claims.

However, after the protest subsided, the couple shared a picture of the destroyed gates.

How many articles are going to be written about this white couple? A lot.

Why do they deserve all of this attention? To put it simply… they don’t.

Mark, a St. Louis lawyer, stood with a long rifle gun next to Patricia, with a handgun. The McCloskeys mentioned that they saw peaceful protestors who were allegedly armed, which is apparently what made them feel justified in arming themselves.

https://twitter.com/KenidraRWoods_/status/1277407505824526337

According to their attorney, they only grabbed their guns after two or three white protestors threatened them and the neighboring properties.

“They want to make it really clear that they believe the Black Lives Matter message is important,” Albert Watkins, their attorney told the Associated Press.

I write about this not to give them a continuous spotlight in the news, but to express my concern for the world that we are living in.

In 2014, Tamir Rice, 12-years-old, was killed for playing outside with a toy gun.

In 2016, Philando Castille, 32-years-old, was killed by police after informing them that he had a legal firearm.

In 2018, Stephen Clark, 22-years-old, was shot 20 times because police thought he had a gun. It was a phone.

These are only a few examples of times that innocent Black people were killed, for doing far less than what the white Missouri couple was doing.

Rather than taking accountability for their misjudgment, the McCloskeys want to be applauded for standing their ground and defending their property.

Peaceful protestors walking the street alarmed the McCloskeys, apparently enough to pull out two guns (one an assault rifle) instead of just going on with their day. And why were the protestors marching?

Systemic racism, police brutality, and the fact that the Mayor of St. Louis, Lyda Krewson,  revealed the names and addresses of anti-police protestors. If ever there was a reckless and dangerous decision made by a public official.

The McCloskeys aren’t remorseful for their heinous behavior, and they seem even smugly gratified of the press they’ve gotten from their demonstration.

Even if they did apologize, it wouldn’t matter. We don’t want any more apologies, any more defense of reckless and dangerous behavior. We want to see changes made.