P.S Sincerely, Adventure

Posts tagged death

It is a curious thing, the death of a loved one. We all know that our time in this world is limited, and that eventually all of us will end up underneath some sheet, never to wake up. And yet it is always a surprise when it happens to someone we know. It is like walking up the stairs to your bedroom in the dark, and thinking there is one more stair than there is. Your foot falls down, through the air, and there is a sickly moment of dark surprise as you try and readjust the way you thought of things.

Lemony Snicket, Horseradish: Bitter Truths You Can’t Avoid (via d4untless)

(via theworldisquietherevfd)

So I live in Chicago. If there’s one thing you know about Chicago besides that President Obama is from here, it’s that we have a super high homicide rate as the result of gun violence. This is terrible. It’s to the point where people are desensitized to it. When there was the Colorado theater shooting and Sandy Hook shooting people were just like “well people die everyday in Chicago” as if this is normal or formal procedure. 

But most recently a young 15 year old girl named Hadiya was gunned down while she stood with a group under shelter from the rain. Undoubtedly, this is tragic. She attended King College Prep, and had just performed in the inaugural parade a week ago because she was a majorette. 

News sources everywhere have gone WILD about this shooting. I’m not sure what it is about this shooting in particular, but even CNN has picked up this story. It irritates me to NO END, how news sources pick and choose which black bodies were valuable. My school newspaper has a story about her death. And I’m trying to figure out………if this paper comes out every Monday….where are the rest of the names of people who die throughout the week? 

Honestly, it’s one of the first instances I’ve seen a black person who has died actually be painted in a positive light, rather than dredge up past offenses and basically justify the murder. A part of me believes that because Hadiya was a woman rather than a black male, this was more of a loss? 

I’m just trying to work through how the media has taken this and made it somewhat of the headliner for homicides/gun violence in Chicago. As if the only thing that should spur people to action is the death of someone ”innocent”. And while she was indeed innocent so to speak, meaning she had no gang affiliation, what does that say about others? Are other gang members lives less valuable? 

I know many echo the sentiment that when you become involved in this lifestyle you should expect what comes along with it, but in an interview with Diane Sawyer, a young gang member said “do you think I want to be out here destroying my community? Give me opportunities”. 

It is a fearful thing to love what death can touch

This quote is on Alison DiLaurentis’ grave. Where is this from?