T-Dog was an African-American male. T-Dog lived in Atlanta, Georgia, like many African-American men. By all accounts, T-Dog was an average African-American male. However, the story of T-Dog is a tragedy.
The tragedy of T-Dog is that he was like so many other African-American males: He was taken to prison, where he lived out his (far too short) life, ultimately dying within the system.
In America, 1 in 15 African American men are in prison. Many of them will live out their lives in prison via life sentences, or because of repeated offenses. Most of these people will die in the system. Many blame the criminal justice system: prosecutors deliver harsher sentences on AA men, and police officers are less lenient as well. T-Dog was no different - he was forced by a white sheriff into a prison.
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| T-Dog in what might've been his mug shot. |
Statistics this year suggested that young African American males only have an employment rate of 33%. That means that 67% of them are unemployed. T-Dog was one of the 67%. Like many African-American males of today, T-Dog simply lacked opportunities - there were no jobs where T-Dog lived.[1]
Ultimately, his friends painted a great picture of him. One spoke of him as a hero, "T-Dog wasn't a bad guy - when tragedy struck his community,[2] he drove his van around to help the elderly."
In the end, ultimately, it didn't matter that T-Dog was hero - he was taken to prison by a white hick sheriff without any evidence of a crime even being committed. The tragedy here is that T-Dog had an all-too-common ending to his story - his story ended like so many other young African-American men in a zombie-apocalypsed America.
Can we change America? Can we make it better? Can we fix the justice system so it does not disproportionately harm any racial group? The choice is up to you, America.
Can we keep sheriffs from making rash decisions and acting like they are the ultimate in unquestionable, infallible authority? That choice, well that choice is up to you, Darryl, Hershel, Maggie, Glen, Carl, Beth, Michonne, Carrol, and Axel... And maybe Judith if she can talk.
Can we change America? Can we make it better? Can we fix the justice system so it does not disproportionately harm any racial group? The choice is up to you, America.
Can we keep sheriffs from making rash decisions and acting like they are the ultimate in unquestionable, infallible authority? That choice, well that choice is up to you, Darryl, Hershel, Maggie, Glen, Carl, Beth, Michonne, Carrol, and Axel... And maybe Judith if she can talk.
1. Of course, if T-Dog hadn't been nomadic - moving from place to place - he might've had a better chance.
2. Some, like Reverend Pat Robertson, would say the tragedy struck due to the overwhelming acceptance of homosexuality in America. Also responsible: Feminists, lesbians, baby-killers/pro-choice people, sports fans, pornographers, gamblers, liberals, Barack Hussein Obama II.
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