Review: I Can't Breathe by Matt Taibbi

I Can't Breathe: A Killing on Bay Street by Matt Taibbi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Published: October 2017
 

I Can't Breathe talks about the life and death of Eric Garner. Eric Garner was an unarmed black man who was killed by New York polices officers in 2014. Eric Garner was not a model citizen, but he did not deserve to die. Garner was a hustler, he did what he had to do in order to provide for his family. Mostly, he sold cigarettes on the street corner that he would drive down to other states to get.

He always wore sweatpants that were dirty and everyone knew Eric.

"So when police beat someone badly enough, the city's first line of defense is often to go on offense and file a long list of charges hoping one will stick." (taken from uncorrected proof)

It feels like we as black people are stuck in the system of shoot first ask questions later, or choke first and ask questions later. The title of this book rung true again at the beginning of this summer with the death of George Floyd. He was the straw that broke the camel's back. People have come out in droves from all racial backgrounds to march and protest for black lives. Yes, all lives matter, including the lives of police officers and other ethnic groups, but we as black people are constantly treated as if we are not worth of normal everyday things in this life.

This book really gave me insight to the corruption in the New York police department.


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