:quality(70)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-cmg.s3.amazonaws.com/public/7PNFRIDCIFY775Z5RCXQD7N5JI.png)
On Saturday, a new play opens that revolves around a police officer who enters a convenience store and encounters a young black man with a gun who is engaged in an altercation with the store clerk.
The play is “Blind Justice,” and is written and directed by Harry McDowell.
“My original idea was to show that in a moment's time, the best of the best can become the worst,” McDowell said. “At any given moment, life can change.”
The play touches on the subject of guilt, loss and the consequences of a split-second decision.
When seeing the policeman, the young man approaches the policeman, who is uncertain of the object in the young man's hand warns him to drop it. Refusing to obey the command, the young man continues to approach the officer. Pulling his weapon, the officer fires, striking the young man in the upper right torso. The community is outraged at the explanation from the department as to the actions of the officer.
Later in the play, an activist, who is the voice of the community, speaks out against police violence. The activist encounters the officer and the play unfolds into a life-altering experience.
“We as blacks have to understand the society we live in,” McDowell said. “There is good and bad in every aspect of our lives, but we have to protect the integrity of who we are.”
McDowell said that this play is not the answer for the systemic racial problems that the country faces, or the fear that is perpetuated from one generation to the next.
“Blind Justice” shows that there are many different approaches to the situations in the world. McDowell said the performance doesn’t intend to highlight differences between people but to substantiate the fact, if given the opportunity to converse, we are more alike than we want to admit.
“We can’t defend wrong. White or black,” McDowell said. “We have a moral obligation to respect the law.”
Click here to purchase tickets.
Blind Justice
When: Saturday at 4 p.m.
Where: Northside Christian Academy, 333 Jeremiah Boulevard, Charlotte
If you have an inspiring story to share, email Kevin Campbell, WSOC-TV/WAXN-TV public affairs manager, kevin.campbell@wsoctv.com
Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/LH3JSJEF3VBLRJLJQESEAG34AM.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/INIPJDENXRDZJDZJH25FT7D76U.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/TZXO4QLA7ZDEVNMPB3MVVI7ZJY.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/SWNKG6TR5ZDIFJHRE3MIO7Y6QE.jpeg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/VEL35QBB4JA3TEY3SDLNACI7AI.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/TZFNRJK3UZCNDLRYME4GGG22UA.png)