At this point, no one is a stranger to all of the events that have transpired in the Queen City recently. After a Charlotte police officer shot and killed 43-year-old Keith Scott, the city broke out into an utter uproar. Protesters flooded the streets and soon became violent, resulting in one protester’s death, according to CNN. Officials declared a state of emergency and announced a curfew to aid police and other officials in returning the city to its normal state.

The question is, however, is the city of Charlotte really back to normal after this incident? People were furious and many stood with the Scott family during this difficult time. CNN reported that the increase in police presence led to the decrease in protesters and an eventual settling of the city. The curfew and state of emergency were lifted, leaving those in Charlotte wondering what really happened to Keith Scott.

After much demand by the Scott family and the public, police officials released the video footage of Keith Scott’s encounter with the police that ultimately led to his death. According to CNN, much of the demand for the police video came after Scott’s wife released her own video of her dead husband lying on the ground. However, even after the official police video was released, many are still uncertain what happened during Scott’s encounter with police or if the shooting was justified by law enforcement.

After all of this, is it really fair to say that the Queen City is back to normal? I do not think it is. It is very strange and unsettling when a place like Charlotte is making national news for several days as a result of a police shooting. Police brutality and violence has been a hot topic recently all over the United States. People are demanding a police reform and the “Black Lives Matter” movement has grown bigger and bigger as the months have passed.

No one ever thinks that something like this will happen to them or happen in places near them and it is an odd feeling to see an issue like this happen four hours away. This speaks to bigger problems in this country. Things like racial profiling, police violence and oppression are popping up all over the United States and “What are we not doing?” or “How can we make a change?” is all I can ask. 

I think that, like in all careers, you have good and bad police officers, and I hate when people lump them all together as brutal and abusive of their power. Obviously, something needs to change and solely blaming the country’s policemen and women is not the answer. Sure, the abusive power by police officers is part of the problem but also remember that a large chunk of the police force wants to protect and help the citizens of this country. Be respectful, they have a hard enough time as it is.

Do I have an answer to an obvious problem? No, I do not, but what I do know is that it is everywhere. This is an issue we all need to address and the solution is not going to be a simple one. I am not sure how we go forward from this point, nor am I sure what the future will bring, but I am certain that the people of the United States will not rest until equality is achieved.