On Thursday, a Congresswoman brought toys to use as props on the floor of the United States Congress to illustrate the absurdity in America concerning police killings.
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) said in her statements that, since the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, 2,195 have been killed by police in the United States.
“Each time we lose a precious life to fear, distrust and prejudice, the list of things that will get you killed as a black person in America gets a little longer,” Lee said.
She pulled out a bag of Skittles as she continued, “You can get killed for going to buy a bag of Skittles, like Trayvon Martin.”
“Or you can get killed for riding on New Year’s Day, for instance, in the subway in the Bay Area, like Oscar Grant,” she added, bringing out more props. “This is a subway card.”
She also used a toy car to illustrate police interactions with the likes of Sandra Bland, Walter Scott and Terence Crutcher.
“Should any of this warrant a death sentence?” Lee asked during her presentation. “Is this the America you want to live in? In 2016, when you’re black, too often you’re seen as a threat first and a person second.”