BLACK LIVES MATTER
In the 19th
century, many people to the belief that the human population can be divided
into races. The term racism is a noun describing the state of
being racist, i.e., people to the belief that the human population can or
should be classified into races with differential abilities and dispositions,
which in turn may motivate a political ideology in which rights and privileges
are differentially distributed based on racial categories.
The history of
the United States is usually taught in school from the perspective of the
dominant culture. The typical story about race in the U.S. lays out some of the
struggles, but without fully explaining the causes – particularly the racist
policies and actions of the U.S. government. These include the genocide of
Native Americans and the continued breaking of numerous treaties with Native
American nations; internment of American citizens of Japanese descent during
World War II, constitutional encoding of enslavement of Africans and others
until the passage of the 13th Amendment.
The post 13th Amendment imposition of
Jim Crow and Sundown laws, and racial profiling of Latinos and African
Americans and other people of colour that continues today. The typical
historical story also does not acknowledge the impact of these policies and
laws today, specifically in how communities of colour fare in basic areas such
as education, housing, etc. Knowing their history it is a critical component for
understanding racial inequities and structural racism. This section provides
timelines from several sources acknowledging key events and decisions in the history
of racism.
Recent event
On May 25, 2020, George Floyd,
a black man, died in Minneapolis, Minnesota after Derek Chauvin, a white officer with the Minneapolis Police Department had
been pressing his knee to Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes while Floyd was
handcuffed face down on the ground. During the last three minutes, Floyd was
motionless. Three more officers who were involved in the arrest further
restricted his body movement and prevented onlookers from intervening. An
ambulance was called at the scene. Later, Floyd went into full cardiac arrest and
was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.
Floyd was arrested because he was accused
of using a counterfeit, $20 bill at a market. Police said Floyd
physically resisted arrest.
Some media organizations commented that a security camera from a nearby
business did not show Floyd resisting. The criminal complaint filed later said
that, based on body camera footage, Floyd repeatedly said he could not
breathe while standing outside the police car, resisted getting in the car and
intentionally fell down; then, after Chauvin placed his knee, Floyd repeatedly
said "I can't
breathe", "Mama", and
"Please". Several
bystanders took videos, all of which were widely circulated and
broadcast. While knee-to-neck restraints are allowed in Minnesota under
certain circumstances, Chauvin's usage of the technique has been widely
criticized by law enforcement experts as excessive. At two points, Lane asked
to "roll him on his side". All four officers involved in the
arrest were fired the next day.
Two autopsies were conducted and found that
the manner of death was homicides. The Hennepin county medical
examiner's autopsy found that Floyd died from cardiac
arrest while being restrained by officers who had employed
"neck compression", with significant conditions
"arteriosclerotic and hypertensive heart disease; fentanyl intoxication; and recent methamphetamine use". An
independent private autopsy commissioned by Floyd's family found that the
"evidence is consistent with mechanical
asphyxia as the cause" of death, with neck compression
restricting blood flow to the brain, and back compression restricting breathing.
The FBI is
conducting a federal civil rights investigation at the request of the
Minneapolis Police Department. The Minnesota
Bureau of criminal apprehension is also
investigating. On May 29, Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for Floyd's death,
with Hennepin county attorney Michael. O. Freeman saying he anticipated
that charges would be brought against the other three officers.
After Floyd's death, demonstrations and protests against racism
and police brutality were
held globally, despite the ongoing COVID-19
pandemic and the movement and gathering restrictions put in place by
governments to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Protests in
the Minneapolis Saint Paul area
were initially peaceful on May 26, and became violent as a police precinct and
two stores were set on fire,
and many stores were looted and damaged. Some demonstrators skirmished with
police, who fired tear gas and rubber bullets.
Additional protests
developed in over 400cities throughout
all 50 American states and internationally. Floyd's death has been likened to
the 2014 death of Eric Garner,
an unarmed black man who repeated "I can't breathe" while placed in
a chokehold by
a police officer in Staten Island, New York.
Problems caused by the recent brutality
- At least 9,300 people have been arrested across the United States amid the ongoing protests.
- US President Donald Trump has outraged faith leaders and protesters for walking to a historic church near the White House and creating a photo opportunity, just minutes after police used chemical smoke canisters and flashbangs on peaceful protesters to clear the way for the rare walk.
- Protesters are demanding all four officers involved be charged in Floyd's death. So far, only one - white officer Derek Chauvin, who knelt on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes as he pleaded, "I can't breathe" - has been arrested and charged on Friday with third-degree murder and manslaughter. Medical examiners have ruled the death a homicide.
- Those protesting against police brutality have been met with, at times, excessive force by authorities. Journalists have also been targeted by police. Officers have also been injured in the protests.
- Protesters have remained undeterred by curfews and the presence of the US National Guard in some cities. Largely peaceful protests have turned violent, with looting and vandalism as the night raged on.
How to prevent
this to happen
- Educate yourself
and read up on what it means to be anti-racist.
- Be an ally and
advocate after the outrage ends.
- Stop supporting
organisations that promote hate.
- Don’t center the
narrative around you. Identify privilege and condemn it.
- Stop spreading
normalizing and commodifying black deaths.
- Cities that enact these eight use-of-force policies can reduce polices violence by 72%. A project by campaign zero has started #8cantwait.org to take action right now. They are as follows
- Ban chokeholds
and strangleholds.
- Require de-
escalation.
- Require warning
before shooting.
- Exhaust all
other means before shooting.
- Duty to intervene.
- Ban shooting at
moving vehicles.
- Require use of
continuum.
- Require comprehensive reporting
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| Click on the image to see the emotional sppech by Oliphant agaisnt Police brutality |
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| Click on the img to know more on ways you can help |
In the end, it goes without saying that
God has created living beings as an entire species and not as individual
colours dominating the other. Humans, as a species, has become savage and
beyond repair at this point. But still there are some good people who belive
that humans can change. But there are a whole lot of humans who create
differences amongst people, likewise slaughter innocent animals and make hell
on earth.
Humans are supposed to be intelligent
creatures, not brainless beasts. Discrimination must be stopped at any cost.
#JusticeForFloyd
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