EDITORIAL
Two Years Later, Breonna Taylor’s Family Continues to Seek Justice
Breonna Taylor’s family, friends and supporters continue to demand justice after marking the two-year anniversary of her death on March 13, 2022. And while a few Black men unjustly killed by law enforcement, most notably George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery, have been allowed to finally rest in peace, for Black women like Breonna Taylor, one has to wonder why her soul’s cries for justice remain unanswered. It may be Women’s History Month but women, especially Black women, still find themselves relegated in spaces behind men, color notwithstanding. In downtown Louisiana on Sunday afternoon, a section of the square was filled with blue and silver balloons while Breonna’s family, joined by demonstrators and organizers, gathered to remember the young Black woman who died in a police raid gone bad. Taylor's mother, Tamika Palmer, stood at the center of a memorial made up of paintings, posters and flowers. She released the last balloon into the air as the crowd shouted Taylor’s name. The memorial occurred just weeks after one of the Kentucky police officers involved in the raid, Brett Hankison, was found not guilty on charges he endangered neighbors the night he fired into Taylor's apartment. Sadly, his acquittal more than likely has shut the door on the possibility of state criminal charges against any of the officers involved in the raid. None of the officers involved were charged with the 26-year-old Black woman’s death. Taylor, an emergency medical technician, was shot multiple times during the raid in her apartment during which no drugs were found. As for the warrant, it was later determined to be flawed. During the memorial, Taylor's aunt, Bianca Austin, condemned the Hankison verdict saying the Louisville Metro Police Department has not been transparent with Taylor's family or the city's Black residents. “Kentucky has failed Breonna Taylor,” Austin said. “Kentucky has failed our community. We demand the truth, we demand transparency. We are going to continue to demand answers and we're gonna continue to keep pressure on the Louisville Metro Police Department who continues to fail us and our community.” Many have suggested that disgruntled citizens show their displeasure by voting out Jefferson Circuit Judge Mary Shaw who signed the warrant for the raid and is up for reelection in 2022. And there’s the off chance that an ongoing federal investigation could be more extensive and provide a last chance for justice for the death of Breonna Taylor. But experts say it’s doubtful. It’s enough to make a grown man or woman cry. WI
Two Years Later, COVID-19 is Still Here
Spring is in the air just days before it officially arrives on March 22. Flowers are blooming, trees are budding and all eyes are on the arrival of the Cherry Blossoms at the Tidal Basin and in Oxon Run Park in Southeast. Daylight savings time is here, too, and permanently if the Senate has its way. A bill which passed unanimously on Tuesday will head to the House of Representatives for approval and then to President Biden’s for his signature. No longer will we spend days remembering to spring forward or fall back. Our clocks will stay the same. In cities and states across the country, mask mandates have been loosened or lifted, leaving the choice up to individuals to wear one or not. The recent change deflated efforts by the “Freedom Convoy” of truckers who passed through D.C. They ended up trying to redefine their protest after driving for miles across the country to demand the end to mask and vaccination mandates already removed. Still, there is evidence of reluctance by many who refuse to believe the CDC or local officials who advise that it is okay to remove their masks. The CDC said it was okay this time last year; then we were faced with the Delta variant. Not long after, the Omicron variant emerged and while incidents of infections and death rates declined, the virus continued to spread. This week, media organizations reported that a new Omicron “stealth” variant has contributed to the rise of COVID-19 cases in Europe in countries that include France, Switzerland, Italy and the Netherlands. In Germany alone, there are reportedly more than 250,000 new cases of infections per day. ported a day. There is no denying that COVID is a deadly virus that has ended the lives of more than 964,000 Americans over the past two years. COVID long haulers continue to suffer from the effects of the virus, and others may never recover from the COVID-related deaths of their loved ones. It’s been two years since COVID took over our lives and it’s still here. No matter how free spring may make us feel, we cannot ignore the dangers of COVID. The virus is still with us and spreading among us every day. WI
TO THE EDITOR I’m just writing to say how much I appreciate receiving my weekly free copy of the Washington Informer. I make sure to grab one as soon as it comes out on Thursday because if not, they will be all gone. I’ve been a loyal reader for years and I’ll continue to be. Keep up the great work! Lynette Thomson Washington, DC
I have an idea for the Washington Informer. It’s not totally inventive but something I think can make a big impact on myself and others. It would be awesome for the newspapers to host workshops on different topics for the community. I say bring your health, financial, educational and wellness supplements to life with an in-person instructor who is an expert on the subject. What do you think? Let me know. Ray Phills Hyattsville, Md.
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