#BlackLivesMatter
Updated: Apr 6, 2022
Anger. Frustration. Pain. Three words which cannot completely express the plight of the black people who are constantly the subject of discrimination and injustice. George Floyd was sadly a victim of this racial discrimination, and his death is an immense loss to the African-American community. Protestors have resorted to violent measures to express their solidarity to George Floyd, which has caused American cities to be salvaged under a series of riots. Today marks the sixth day of nationwide protests which have only kept on escalating since the day they started. The protests have caused looting and vandalism at many storefronts across the States as protesters torch cars, property, and much more. With many shopkeepers, retailers and companies fearing vandalism and thievery at their shops most have shut shop for a temporary time. This can inflict wounds on American businesses due to hurt revenue and cash flows and in consequence, put their survival in question.
These dark times are a reminder of the horrific days of 1968 when the communal tensions across the States had escalated into mass protests across America. While it has been 5 decades since those protests, the plight of the black community, oddly enough, hasn’t changed. America has spearheaded the global economy by being the most domineering force of the modern and digital revolution by being one of the leading pioneers, innovators and inventors of the 21st century. Despite attaining all these heights the country has lagged in key areas of human rights, equality and justice because of the sheer oppression of the black communities in the nation.
Its almost as if these successes were only facades, which were hiding the true colours of a country which still feeds thoughts of racial discrimination and inequality. The murder of George Floyd at the hands of a police officer is not just appalling but rather an act of shame and disgrace. “Being murdered by a police officer”, is not something one hears daily as we aren’t used to seeing our protectors kill our brothers and sisters. America is one of the most advanced and developed nations of the world and such acts just rub the American legacy, heritage and name in the mud.
George Floyd’s murderers haven’t till now been sentenced and this only reminds us of the Nirbhaya case where the slow wheels of justice sentenced the accused seven years after the crime took place. We have always imbibed our trust and security into the hands of the valiant police and law enforcement agencies that protect us, our near and dear ones and our nation. Yet, these acts lead us to question the ethical morality of those very agencies and their beliefs around law enforcement.
Such monstrous actions are derogatory to humanity, brotherhood and the sacredness of this planet. Still, not every human is perfect and many will commit crimes which act as a statement of indecent, deplorable and pathetic behaviour. The only way of tackling these defected products of society is to not delay justice to the victims. We are all the same set of children with only our physical appearances and thoughts distinguishing us from each other. So stop differentiating, stop discriminating and stop hating.