Frank Islam
ON 25 May, there was a 9-minute incident in Minneapolis, Minnesota that sparked protests in hundreds of locations across the USA and in numerous cities around the world. That incident was the killing of a black man, George Floyd, by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin with three other officers in attendance. Chauvin killed 46-year old Mr. Floydby holding his knee on the back of his neck for nearly nine minutes while Floyd pleaded, “I can’t breathe.” A video of this tragic incident shot by a bystander went viral and has been streamed millions of times.
Sadly, the violence upon Mr. Floyd is not an isolated incident for African Americans. On June 12, after Floyd’s death, Rayshard Brooks, 27, was shot dead by a police officer, in the parking lot of an Atlanta restaurant. Earlier in the year, before Floyd’s death, 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery, was shot dead in south-eastern, Georgia by a white father and son while he was jogging. Breonna Taylor, a 26-year old emergency medical technician, was killed by cops in Louisville, Kentucky in her apartment. It was Floyd’s tragic death, however that triggered a national movement organized primarily by Black Lives Matter, aimed at fighting systemic racism, inequality and violence against African Americans. The movement has called significant attention to this matter.
On 8 June, the Democrats introduced as weeping police reform bill. On June 16, President Donald Trump signed a police reform executive order that was much less expansive in scope. And, the Republicans are reportedly working on their version of a reform bill. Some analysts see the current situation in the US as similar to the race riots and responses of the late 60’s. While there are some resemblances. The context this time around is far more complex and contentious due to a number of factors. The major ones include:
The1960’s movement occurred during Lyndon Baines Johnson’s presidency who signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the historic legislature banning discrimination on race, sex, religion, colour and national origin. The present protests are taking place under a president, who has not only undermined institutions and democracy but who has also worsened the life of ethnic and religious minorities.
Some see Trump as the most divisive leader since President Andrew Jackson who held office from 1829-1837. That’s because Trump is primarily focused on pleasing his voting base rather than working to unite all Americans regardless of their political persuasion. Owing to the President’s attitude and behaviour, Ishaan Tharoor of the Washington Post asks whether Trump is a “fascist?”, and Ezra Klein has called him a “political arsonist.”
I myself have labelled Trump a “model of irresponsibility, inconsistency and incompetence.” Given his poor performance related to Covid-19 and the killing of George Floyd, I would add two new ‘I’s to that description:” inflammatory instigator.” These are obviously precarious times for the political and social landscape of the US. I must caution though that the US is not the only country that has a history of systemic racism based upon creed, colour, language or religion.
The post-Floyd protests that have broken out in major cities around the globe suggest that other countries need to learn from what is going on in the US. Based upon those lessons, they should assess their particular circumstances and initiate the necessary pro-active reforms to make their nations more inclusive and equitable before their peaceful protests become violent ones.
The basic requirement for carrying this change process forward is this broad and diverse base of responsible and concerned citizens. That platform provides the basis for initiating, implementing and supporting a systemic and sustained response to America’s systemic racism. That change process must start with tens of millions of these citizens electing a new President when the US holds its national elections on 4 November.
If Donald Trump stays in office, America’s systemic racism cannot be brought an end. Electing a new president will bring the US a step closer to reducing police and structural violence against blacks. The journey toward a systemic response to eliminate America’s systemic racism has begun. The destination of a more equitable and inclusive America can be seen in the distance. The journey must be completed because the future of the American democracy hinges upon it.
—The writer is an Entrepreneur, Civic Leader, and Thought Leader based in Washington DC.
