Pardon Me Please: Cyntoia Brown and the Justice System’s Contempt for the Rights of Black People

"The outcry that precipitated Cyntoia Brown’s pending release on August 7, 2019 is a resonating reverberation of the voices of counter-resistance, which continue to echo in the halls of American injustice. From the social media platforms for social justice to the chambers of the Supreme Court, the pleas for pardon are nothing new. Pardon me for driving, pardon me for walking home from the store, pardon me for walking in the street with friends, pardon me for playing with toys—all while Black. While you’re at it, excuse me for wanting the right to equal education. As a matter of fact, excuse me for breathing." [.]