On the #BlackLivesMatter Movement. Act.
By: Caroline Jung
The #BlackLivesMatter movement is increasing especially after the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery. On social media, what used to be graduation or vacation pictures is now the BLM movement and its for good reason. Right now is a time to talk about race and how it affects the society we live in. I wanted to highlight what has amassed to this moment, what questions need to be asked, and how we can institute change for the future.
Brief History
Racism is inherent in America. This nation that we live in was built upon Native American conflicts, slavery, white supremacy, immigration exclusion acts, and many more. It is through an unequal society that America was founded—it was never the land of the free, unless the “free” excluded minorities. Just because slavery was banned (13th amendment), blacks could vote (15th amendment), or segregation ended, it did not mean equality. The south after the Civil War found the loophole in the 13th amendment that criminalized blacks for labor, the Civil Rights Act of 1875 was repealed, essentially robbing the 13th and 14th amendments of its value, Jim Crow laws still affected black living situations, the KKK rose to power three times and was legal, movies like “The Birth of a Nation” added to societal racial prejudices, the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s did not stop mass incarceration, and the list goes on. Black oppression goes on for generations and its effects are shown today. Even in Chagrin Falls, the Chagrin Falls Park Community Center is not well known, an area so close to Chagrin Falls but secluded economically and academically because of the history of segregation and redlining there. There is still discrimination, a racial wealth gap, and a higher likelihood for blacks to be unjustly looted by the police.
Protests
These protesters are the people who attack the societal prejudices that foster racism and affect daily life, the real issue at hand. Protesters are the people who stand in solidarity, raising their fists up in the air, kneeling to signify they want this system in America to change.
Recently, many protests have turned violent. I have spent days watching news outlets, scrolling on social media, watching youtube videos, and hearing opposing opinions. What I have gathered is this: protests start out peaceful, police come, undercover cops and looters will start smashing to make protesters look violent, the uniformed police will respond by using rubber bullets and tear gas (which can have lasting health effects), looters (not protesters) will take advantage of the violence, and yet, the protesters simply asking for lives to be valued are the ones labeled as “militant” and “violent.” News anchors reporting protests will be arrested for no reason. Innocent protesters showing no signs of violence will be beaten. Constitutional rights are violated by the same people who have vowed to uphold the Constitution.
“Protests shouldn’t be violent.” “Peaceful protesting didn’t work so we have no choice but to use violence.” The fact is, there is no right way to protest because protest is fighting against the very system that has prevented us from protesting. But one thing is for sure: we need to protest against this oppressive system. Whether joining a march or calling governors, we need to protest. To protest is to want to change the system that allows blacks and other minorities to be targeted for the benefit of the majority white population.
The Police & Justice System
I have also heard both sides of the argument of ACAB (All Cops Are Bastards). One side says that if five cops are bad but 15 good cops do nothing, then there are 20 bad cops. Another side says that we shouldn’t let the few bad cops tarnish our view of all the good cops. But I think the real question is what system is in place that allows a bad cop to become a police officer and take advantage of their power in the first place? What system feeds off the feeling of power to the point where its employers are blind to orders given by authority even to the extent of killing an innocent human? What system doesn’t punish or train their employers and instead justify it through qualified immunity? An unjust system. A system that needs change.
Grab a history book. The first police officers were slave catchers, riot suppressors, and mass incarceration supporters. They were the ones to enforce the Fugitive Slave Law. It was built on racism and it’s still prevalent even up to the justice system that allows the police to brutalize blacks without a punishment. Countless examples have blatantly shown this.
Pay attention to the response of the police for two types of protesters: one protested about the stay at home orders, wanting to go outside despite COVID-19. The other protested about their human right to breathe and their life be valued. Both protests started out peaceful, but one escalated and only in one protest did the police show up in riot gear. Why is that?
Pay attention to what happened after the event. Officer Derek Chauvin, the man who murdered George Floyd, was first fired. The preliminary autopsy of George Floyd claimed he didn’t die from strangulation, but from the combined effects of underlying health conditions and the conflict with police. Then protests happened and Chauvin was charged with 3rd degree murder. Then Floyd’s family ordered an independent autopsy that claimed asphyxiation killed him. More petitions were signed, and the media still pushed. Chauvin was charged with 2nd degree murder. The other three officers were charged with aiding and abetting 2nd degree murder and manslaughter. The Minneapolis City Council will disband the police department and change to community-led public safety. The last five parts wouldn’t have occurred if it wasn’t the media calling and pushing authorities. The last five parts are not a part of the justice system, so unfortunately, it’s become our job as humans to make sure we institute that change. (The events above are as of June 8, 2020).
If you are more concerned about the looting than the brutality of the police, please change your mindset. Police loot black bodies every day. That is the reality and that needs to be changed.
Action
So this is why I’m writing for your support. We are all part of a larger community named humanity. We all come from different backgrounds and we should listen to every voice.
White privilege is a fundamental part of America. It means although you may have experienced hardship, it isn’t from your skin color. Even as a non-black person of color, I have experienced a part of it as well. Though I’ve encountered discrimination, I have never feared for my life from the police and I will never fully understand the struggles of the black community.
Use white privilege to speak up and help our black friends amplify their voices. Right now, all voices are not equally valued, as is human lives. Non-blacks have a duty to use their voice, even other minorities. It’s not enough to be not racist, we need to actively be anti-racist. We need to be true allies. Everyone can sign petitions, read books, watch documentaries, listen to black voices, and call and email governors and mayors—it’s literally free. Act for change, don’t just empathize.
And to all the adults, I am asking you to vote. Your ballots hold so much political power that change can be enacted quickly. Please listen to your younger generation and think of what our future should be like.
Please listen and educate yourself; I am taking advantage of this quarantine to do so myself and these resources I’ve listed at the bottom are for me as much as it is for you. It is okay to admit wrong because that’s the only way we grow. We need to embrace the uncomfortable. So please join me in putting an end to silence. I am asking for you to act too.
Concluding Thoughts
Racism is not a debate. It is an immoral idea that should be expected of everyone to reject. Being anti-racist shouldn’t have to be thanked but expected. Blacks should not have to fear for their lives, a respected city figure should not have to be killed for feeding hungry protesters, protesters should not have to lose their eyes from rubber bullets, and hospitals should not have to be flooded with more patients. #BlackLivesMatter should not have to be a movement in the first place because it should be an obvious remark that black lives matter. Everything we’ve encountered—art, music, dance, etc—has benefited from black culture and history. Our American culture is nothing without black culture.
Racism has always existed. It didn’t disappear and it didn’t just come back—no, in fact, racism has always been this bad, if not worse. It is because these people died, because we developed phones to record it, that there have been countless stories similar to these that it has amassed to this moment where it “looks worse than it usually is.” Racism is so normalized that society can’t even recognize what it looks like. Only is it getting some attention it deserves now. It is more or as serious of an issue as a worldwide pandemic. Let that sink in.
Right now, we support blacks, we shed light onto this problem. But it doesn’t stop there. Racism will linger for every minority in different ways. We need to act collectively and bring change. That starts with us.
Here are some resources:
Why the Black Lives Matter Movement is needed (a basic guide to almost every topic with sources) https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bIzoK49zXDlVQtefmYsdt5vJyQIAb0OBXhZVm77JQaI/edit
If you don’t have the finances to donate, search up how to donate without money on YouTube. All the ad revenue will go towards BLM (take off an ad blocker). There are multiple videos now but here are a few: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCgLa25fDHM, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkXVaQq0v3E, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKo8OrBdLz8
To help contextualize the society we live in, please take some time to listen to Trevor Noah’s insightful view of current events on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4amCfVbA_c
Why we can’t just rely on big news channels and have to contextualize and reflect on the “why” (this is super important now that we have social media!!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srnA3cNTsXQ
Search up documentaries/videos about deep rooted racism
Netflix: 13th (also on YouTube); Explained: The Racial Wealth Gap (on YouTube too); Time: The Kalief Browder Story; When They See Us; Who Killed Malcom X?
Just Mercy (rent is for free for the month of June on various platforms) www.justmercyfilm.com
A mass resource for petitions, text/call, donate, protesting info, etc https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/, https://blmsites.carrd.co/
A mass spreadsheet for protesters’ bail out funds, fundraisers, petitions, protesting rights, books, other masterlists, etc https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/1/d/18sjJKe_2lfVUx2dQn3MKDTbShIuOTholuPHVcNhEjcs/htmlview#
A thread of not very well known petitions https://twitter.com/gwsjuIi/status/1267882930866708480
These are only a few, but if you go on any social media platform, there are countless resources!