What Is The Theme Of The Hate U Give By Thomas

Increasing Awareness of Unjust Police Shootings Through The Hate U Give The Chicago Police Department kills African Americans at an annual rate of 8.9 per million and Caucasians at 0.4 per million (Police Brutality Center). It is saddening to think that there is such a statistical difference in murder rates just because of the color of their skin. In Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give, she writes a story of a character named Starr that goes through her life between her neighborhood which is African American to her predominantly white school where she experiences instances of police brutality and racism such as the murder of her childhood friend Khalil. The Hate U Give, written by Angie Thomas, focuses on the shooting of a fictional character,

The case of Tamir Rice is a strong example of how unjust police officers can be when Tamir was shot and murdered for playing around in a park with no remorse. According to an online source “Towards the end of the call, he adds that the person pointing the gun ‘is probably a juvenile.’ Tragically, that crucial information was not relayed to the responding officers (“Tamir Rice”).” The initial incident happened in response to a police dispatch call, Officers Timothy Loehmann and Frank Garmback were dispatched to the park where a caller had reported that there was a young male seen pointing a pistol at people in the park. According to the same online source “Tamir was by himself, playing in a gazebo when two police officers pulled onto the grass right alongside the gazebo. One officer shot the sixth grader immediately, within three seconds, after arriving on the scene(“Tamir Rice”).” The incident escalated quickly because as soon as the officers saw Tamir was by himself. Also, the caller had said that the gun that Tamir had was likely a toy gun. According to the same online source “That was when police officers tackled Tamir’s sister, handcuffed her, and placed her in a squad car with the

According to an online source, “Officer One-Fifteen yells at me, pointing the same gun he killed my friend with. I put my hands up (Thomas pg 24).” In the book, Starr was not allowed to give medical attention to her friend or try and get people to help him Just as Tamir Rice when he was shot his mother was not allowed near him, and his older sister was arrested for trying to help him. Both of these cases show how unjust police can be they can't even try to give medical attention immediately or let the family/friends get their last words with the victims. According to the same online source, “He opens the driver’s door. ‘You're okay, Starr---’ Pow! One. Khalil’s body Jerks. Blood splatters from his back. He holds on to the door to keep himself upright. Pow! Three. Khalil looks at me stunned(Thomas pg 23).” Walter Scott too was a victim of unjustified use of force both getting shot multiple times for not even trying to harm the police or anyone else to begin with. This book will bring awareness that this is not just some fictional story, this is a reality for most African American Citizens being victims of police brutality in their day-to-day lives trying to avoid the people that are meant to protect them. It will cause shockwaves through every