Modern-Day Racism in the Form of Police Brutality: A Fight for Justice Evolved

 

Hollie Adams/Getty

BY VIVIAN GOMEZ

“…When the looting starts, the shooting starts, Thank You!” finalizes a Tweet from Donald Trump as protests across the country break out, rioting for change to the blatant systemic racism institutionalized within the police force. Blacks make up about 13.3% of the general police force currently, while a gap pushes white officers to make up about

An updated image of Auhmad Arbery provided by his family. Photo credits to New York Times

77.1%, according to the US Census Bureau’s statistics. Police brutality is a long-standing dispute. Black lives have been swept under the rug for years, silenced by the people who believe they possess extreme authoritative power and corruption. Sparking the fight in 2012 with the death of Trayvon Martin, it was duly noted that these commonly white officers do not get apprehended for the quiet murders they inflict. Their families never received the closure as to why their son was killed without crime; killed without consequence to these officers.

In light of the recent homicides of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery, the organizations and families protesting for the pro-black movement, Black Lives Matter, are now realizing there is another underlying issue that could set them back in the struggle to mourn Floyd and Arbery’s igniting fates. There remains a major difference between how law enforcement handle protests; people of color that were standing for the liberation from the system of government are now being incriminated for participating in these same activities white people did. Before riots and looting, anti-lockdown protests brought dangerous crowds. In states such as Michigan and Ohio, there were instances where people showed up armed, threatening state legislators, and even Nazi symbolism was evident at the steps of politician’s. Nobody flinched an eye though. Trump encouraged these ‘justice-warriors’ by proceeding to defend that they were “good people” on Twitter. That would be, if the cause for good was that they endanger thousands of lives going against public safety for rights they already had. Officers responded by posing stoically and stood, facing the ones who should have been more of a threat than a man jogging through his neighborhood.

 

Because in this era of time, being able to get a haircut appears to be a far more valuable concept to protest than basic human rights.

A mural of George Floyd besides his last words “I can’t breathe” after a policeman stood on his neck for 8 minutes. Adam Berry/Getty Images

Meanwhile, video evidence from Twitter shows an instance of a black man getting teargassed as he stands, unarmed,  in front of a police officer at a peaceful protest. Viewers were quick to note that while there were a multitude of white people besides the man, he was the only one who was targeted. A TikTok video from a protest in Los Angeles portrays a woman hit by a rubber bullet, crowds being teargassed; chaos law enforcement instigated. Trump moved to Twitter to refer to the protesters as “thugs.”

@suecothechild

#blacklivesmatter this was a peaceful protest until the police showed up and started tear gassing and shooting rubber bullets. something has to change

♬ original sound – carneyval_

So, why approach the situation any differently?

As riots and looting occur at alarming rates after what was supposed to be peaceful protests, Minneapolis Mayor, Jacob Frey, repeatedly stresses that the wrongdoing of vandalism and destruction is not that of it’s residents. Governor, Tim Walz, also adds that 80 percent of protesters are out-of-state, elucidating yet another obstacle black people must face: being posed as anarchists in a time that is meant to emphasize peace.

The tactical differences BLM and anti-lockdown protests are distinct. Anti-lockdown protests thrived off of government threats, violent rhetoric – “A good Democrat is a dead Democrat.” – and classless confrontation. Black Lives Matter is a movement meant to be holding the foundational principles of Martin Luther King Jr. , carrying out peaceful demonstrations for the black people who are silenced and shunned daily. While looting does deter the name, it is not the sole purpose.

Sophomore, Jazmine Burnett, has outwardly voiced her opinion across her platforms, and chooses to make a stance against the matter. “I’m heartbroken seeing that another black man’s life taken for no reason by an ignorant person.

Photo credits to Jazmine Burnett.

I’m tired of all these innocent people losing their lives just because the color of their skin.”

Burnett stresses that while she encourages the protests, she believes that looting is void of the message the movement is meant to convey.  “People are starting to miss the point of what we are out there fighting for. Violence is just going to endanger us more and lead to the loss of more innocent lives.”

Regardless of the fact she can’t attend protests herself, Burnett contributes in other ways, such as “donating to the George Floyd fund, as well as a few others.” In addition to her monetary contribution, she has also “been advocating the Black Lives Matter movement on social media to further spread the movement to other people who would love to join”

Burnett also has suggestions for her peers that are looking to participate and be an ally in this movement.

“Know what you are fighting for. Don’t act like it’s some trend to follow, because it isn’t. Fight with us and use your voice with us because we will be heard and we will fight till our voices are heard and we see change.”

 

Silence is complicit. Choosing to remain a bystander or neutral to this supports the notion that black people will remain in silence, without a voice. Each one is essential. Make yours known, and make it heard.

Below is a list of resources for various causes during this time of historic justice.


RESOURCES

Attending Protests and How to be Safe During

Organizations to Donate to BLM + Racial Injustice

Donate to The George Floyd Fund

Donate to I Run With Maud, Justice for Ahmaud

Donate to the Protest Bail Funds

Mental Health Resources for Black Communities