“We have deemed certain cities, institutions, and neighborhoods as acceptable places for violence to occur, while others are not. We have perpetuated the construction of spaces for violence through a racial lens.”

“In the wake of the Aurora shooting, our nation rightfully felt compelled to speak, sparking important dialogue surrounding violence, gun control, and mental health. It has become clear to the general public yet again—as it did after Virginia Tech and Columbine—that gun violence is a crisis in the United States. The Aurora tragedy is undoubtedly one of the most-talked-about American news stories of the year.”

“As of July 25, Chicago has surpassed 300 murders and 1,500 people shot in 2012. Why hasn’t this violence received the same media attention that Aurora has rightfully received? Are we able to tolerate a couple of shooting deaths every night? Does our nation reserve its grief and anger for isolated incidents? Numbers alone may influence public perception of these shootings, but the real answer is elsewhere: race and class.”

The title of this article: “After Aurora: Why Aren’t We Talking About Heaven Sutton?”. 

(via Teach for America, via Eugene Roundtree)