AUTHOR: JESSICA T. NOVA
PUBLISHED: 3RD JUNE 2020
Black lives matter.
How can a statement be so controversial? How can a statement cause unease? How can a statement make some so uncomfortable?
We are no strangers to the divided strands on which our society is built. From social standings to religious beliefs, our ethnic origin has always been in the middle of nearly every conflict, every war, every battle. For generations, the strands of our cultural identities have been at the core of our nature. Because of them, we have always differentiated ourselves to those around us and they have embedded in us the notion of ‘Us vs Them’.
We don’t have to look far back in history to see events caused by such thinking. In the period from 1939 to 1945, we saw the slaughtering of innocent Jews, homosexuals, and other ethnic minorities. World War II demonstrated the power of dictation and the ugly side of humankind. It is a perfect example of what intolerance can do and why we, in 2020, should feel uncomfortable that the black community, or any other ethnic minority, should have to prove their lives matter.
Why does it feel like we are going backwards?
Culture and ethnicity are the things which are sewn deep into the heart of every human’s core. We search for belonging, we yearn to fit in and so, we put ourselves, and others, in groups. Our future is still decided from the moment we enter the world based on what family we’re born to, and what tint the colour of our skin is. So, what is the colour of our skin? According to our society, it’s a definitive marker in shaping our achievements, a characteristic, a decider on whether you’re the elite or the already doomed.
Social structures are made up of factors which favor some more than others. In a world where we need Affirmative Action so that universities can have the opportunity of having a ‘diverse’ student body, it shows that we, as a species, have made little progress in moving forward. Our society is highly built on systematic racism. The median net worth for a black family was $11,000 in 2010. When we compare that to a white family ($134,000), the issue is clear, the difference is astonishing. Sadly, racial inequality is not just in wealth. It is apparent in health, in education, and poverty. The racial divide is a reoccurring issue and so are the racial stereotypes which play a part in other race-related incidents still happening in the USA and around the world.
A black ethnicity does not mean that someone has come from the Ghetto. Being black does not mean the same thing as being aggressive by nature. Being black does not directly translate to being a thug. Being black is a physical appearance, something that is encoded in your DNA. It’s just the same as being White, Asian, Middle Eastern, Mixed, etc. In the end, we must think, what do we all have in common?
We’re all human.
Nevertheless, perception is everything and not everyone can see that the world we live in is messed up. Arguably, when it comes to race; our worlds are indefinitely separated. An example would be the fact that some people see the police as heroic individuals who want to protect us, some see them as a threat. Of course, with the subject of police brutality in mind, we cannot categorize all policemen to be like Derek Chauvin. However, we should recognize that we should be doing our part in bringing justice to the George Floyd case and recognize that more needs to be done in order to guarantee the safety and humane treatment of all citizens.
‘Not all black people are criminals. Not all white people are racist. Not all cops are bad. Ignorance comes in all colours.’- Unknown
Still, if we should not categorize all policemen... We should stop categorizing all people. The strands of cultural identity are a core quality in our nature. Even so, those strands are also linked to the parts of us that differentiate ourselves to those around us. The strands that we must unpick, from our very core, are the same strands which have embedded in us the notion of ‘Us vs Them’.
Some of us may say, - “I’m not black, I’m not affected.” - Others can be prone to saying that the racial divide and racial injustice only exists between the white and the black communities. Yet, this is the prime example of the ignorance that exists among people. It’s this same attitude that has fed into the ongoing racial divides among all races.
By saying we need to cut away the strands that separate us into groups, I mean to say that we have to recognize that the journey to the equal treatment of all people is a battle for everyone. For this, we simply cannot allow ourselves to be categorized into groups. It is so important to try to understand.
“All animals are equal. But some animals are more equal than others.” - George Orwell
As a mixed-race individual, who is ultimately protected by her white privilege, I could never understand what the black community is going through. However, I understand that there is more to a person’s skin colour and that skin colour does not define someone. I understand injustice. I understand that my actions to support the BLM movement are just as important, if not more important, because of how society listens.
Still, targeting messages of anti-racism towards white people is not enough. We need to target all ethnic communities. We need to understand that our actions speak louder than words. It’s easy to say, “I’m not racist.” But, it’s harder to prove. In saying it, you recognize that the problem exists, but you don’t do anything to solve it. For those of us who understand that ‘I don’t see colour’ is a term which lets us avoid the situation, or make some feel as though saying something is enough, we need to act. Educate others, be assertive, publicize the issue.
It is also clear that governments do not listen. Politicians are afraid to speak out against dominant leaders like Trump. The world has become consumed by products and services, countries care more about economic growth and their global image in terms of power and authority. World leaders are more concerned with entering an arms war rather than addressing the problems on their own turfs. It’s crucial that we come together.
The #BlackLivesMatter movement is not just a problem for the black community in the US.
The fact that the #BlackLivesMatter movement needs to exist in 2020 is my problem, your problem, and ultimately, the world’s problem.
RESOURCES FOR MORE INFORMATION ON RACISM
Instagram accounts to check out:
@colorofchange, @theslumflower, @nowhitesaviours, @florencegiven, @laylafsaad,
@candicebrathwaite, @moemotivate, @ckyourprivilege, @blackwomenradicals,
@munroebergdorf, @teachandtransform, @rachel.cargyle, @urge_org, @antiracismctr,
@arlanwashere, @bailproject, @ibramxk, @officialmillenialblack
Books:
Me and White Supremacy by Layla F Saad
Why I'm No Longer Talking To White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge So You Want To Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo The Bluest Eyes by Toni Morrison
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
It's Not About The Burqa by Mariam Khan
The Colour Purple by Alice Walker
White Fragility by Robin Diangelo
How To Argue with a Racist by Adam Rutherford
12 Years a Slave by Solomon Northup
Films:
Selma
BlacKkKlansman
Just Mercy
Hidden Figures
13th
More Than a Month
Podcasts:
You're pretty for a...
About Race
Diversity Gap
1619
Uncomfortable Conversations
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