The Rest of Our Lives Matter

I recently read about a trial in a subway attack in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A black man had been harassed by a group of intoxicated white men and beaten by one of them following a Kenny Chesney concert the men attended.
Kevin Lockett had just gotten off of a train car in a downtown terminal when he encountered the men. All of what followed was caught on camera.
The video showed Lockett pulling a cooler. First, Lockett was accosted by someone he said used the n-word. Then, you see Lockett grabbed by a man identified as Ryan Kyle who threw Lockett off the platform. Fortunately, the subway system in Pittsburgh isn’t like the one where electric current flows through a third rail.
You then see Lockett pull himself up onto the platform, grab his cooler and try to walk off, but that wasn’t enough. The same attacker threw a punch knocking Lockett to the ground where he was pummeled continuously. As he laid motionless on the platform, the men walked away with Lockett’s cooler.
But, only one man is facing jail time. The others went home after pleading no contest to criminal conspiracy and endangerment. They received a six-month probation, and they must perform community service to benefit minorities as well as undergo drug and alcohol testing.
Outside the courtroom a stunned Kevin Lockett proclaimed that if five black guys had beaten a white guy, no one would be going home. You know what, Lockett is probably right.
You know if five of us were together and one decided to rob a bank, sell drugs, or steal a car, chances are we’d all go to jail. It’s called being an accessory. But, not this group.
Here’s another reason Kevin Lockett is probably right. Black men are generally viewed as dangerous and not worth rehabilitating. In fact, there are some who simply want to remove us from society so the rest of our lives don’t matter anyway. There’s an acceptance that black men are dangerous just because they are black men. The fear of us and lack of regard for us as men is frightening and frustrating. But, it seems that when young white boys are involved, their futures are always an issue, and ruining their chances of a better life almost always comes into play.
The district attorney defended the plea deals, saying, “You can see from the video that one person assaults Lockett, actually puts him on the tracks. The other guy is standing there and won’t let him come up, the other three just kind of stand around.”
So isn’t just standing around enough for a punishment more severe than probation? Apparently not. Once it’s up, their lives will go on.
To be fair, the key perpetrator will more than likely get jail time. And, all the while Kevin Lockett could still be nursing his injuries wondering why he was beaten in the subway and then again in court.