As more details become known about Saturday’s (May 14) deadly attack at Tops Friendly Markets store in Buffalo, New York, more people are voicing their opinions on what needs to be done to prevent incidents like this from happening again.
Yesterday (May 15), chart-topping artist Chance the Rapper used Twitter to call for action.
“Black people (globally) should be in conversation with each other (privately) about the race massacre [that] happened yesterday, and how we should respond,” he tweeted. The rapper added, “Please don’t reply with any plans or thoughts here.”
It’s not clear where those who agree will discuss possible solutions. Although the “No Brainer” rapper asked for followers to not publicly respond, there was still a healthy amount of discussions that stemmed from his post.
“U spoke my mind!!!!” one enthusiastic user responded.
Another chimed in with more of a solid plan. “What we need to do is VOTE in local/federal elections PERIOD. Every rapper should stop rapping about backsides for a minute and start rapping about voting in ALL elections. If we don’t, WE are exactly what they want us to be. Marching with no vote is meaningless,” the user tweeted.
While some users thought only peace could unite us with responses like, “We can never come together until we learn to start loving each other first,” others thought Chance’s post to be careless. “This sort of talk can be divisive and dangerous. Shame on you Chance.”
One thing for sure is that action must be taken to prevent this kind of deadly situation from repeatedly happening.
According to BBC News, after suspected gunman Payton S. Gendron allegedly carried out his attack at the supermarket in the predominantly Black neighborhood, Buffalo’s police chief said he had plans to “shoot more Black people.”
Reports added that a 180-page manifesto was found in connection to the suspected gunman where he allegedly referred to himself as a white supremacist. The supposed document is still being investigated, however.
Mayor Byron Brown said that the shooter had every intention of taking “as many Black lives as possible.”
In Saturday’s (May 14) attack, 11 of the people shot were Black. Gendron was charged with first-degree murder and has already appeared in court where he pleaded not guilty.