Thread by @sethjlevy

When I was a kid my mom would tell me, “Seth, be careful who you are with and where you go because if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time you will get in as much trouble as the person who did something.”

She was explaining that life isn’t fair. That sometimes you get punishments you don’t necessarily deserve. That if you are putting yourself in bad situations, bad things happen.

She was helping me confront reality.

Did Ma’Khia Bryant “deserve to die”? Maybe not. Was she a bad kid? Maybe not.

But she had a knife in her hand and was lunging at another girl in front of a police officer.

The officer’s job is to defend those in danger. Waiting to see what Ma’Khia may have done would’ve endangered the life of the other girl so unfortunately in that situation the officer had very few options.

Sometimes life costs you more than you should pay.

These situations are horrific and painful. But we need to teach our children not to put themselves in places where they could pay a price beyond what they expect. We have to help them to confront reality.

Don’t threaten another person with a deadly weapon.

Don’t resist arrest.

Don’t attempt to flee from an officer.

Don’t associate with people engaged in criminal behavior.

If you do these things, you are risking your life.

It’s dangerous.

Stop.

Don’t do it

I wish more of our leaders and our media were pushing out messages that empowered young people to make better choices. To stay out of danger. To value their lives.

Thanks mom for giving it to me straight.