RACISM IN AMERICA

I Can’t Breathe

The system is broke

Gayle Kurtzer-Meyers

The racism in America we see today isn’t about one individual. It’s about the entire system.

On May 25, 2020, we witnessed what would be the start of a revolution, unlike any we have seen in several years. We would see an uprooting of the world as we know it, and the struggle for a new world with less pain and more compassion.

“The plague of racism is insidious. It enters into our minds as smoothly and quietly and invisibly as floating airborne microbes enter into our bodies to find lifelong purchases in our bloodstream”— Maya Angelou —

George Floyd, a black man, was killed during his arrest by white police officer Derek Chauvin, who kept his knee on Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds. Three other police officers stood by while a murder was taking place. It was not an isolated incident.

A few days after the killing, I was on the phone with a dear friend of mine, Kate, who could not understand the protests and aggression she saw on the streets — confused about why people resort to these measures, especially when we’re already living with the threat of COVID-19. What would make people put their lives at risk to go out and protest?

For lack of better words, I told her why this had to happen — in the simplest way possible. Individuals of all races are willing to put their lives at risk to go out and protest for something. It isn’t a statement, but rather the reason why these protests had to happen.

The situation with racism in America is so horrific and deadly that people are more interested in standing up against it than protecting themselves from coronavirus.

It’s hard to explain it to someone who has never had to live a day in the life of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). Having to go through your entire life feeling afraid that the very people who are supposed to keep you safe, will kill you at any chance they get.

I have never experienced it myself but, unfortunately, have witnessed it with black friends and family. Black lives matter. The emotional hurt and physical pain I feel towards this matter stays permanently etched in my heart.

Living in a world of injustice

One brutal reality that affected Kate was when I narrated what would happen if a white man were in place of a black man in certain situations. Floyd had allegedly used a forged $20 bill at a nearby store, which is why the police showed up in the first place.

However, a white man suspected of the same act, would have been let off with a warning. Equality is not supposed to work this way. The system is broke.

There is a stark contrast to how people of color get treated. On the one hand, a person of color dies while pleading for his life and telling police officers that he “can’t breathe,” while on the other, the police officer bears no guilt for the way he handled the situation.

In times like these, it is only through protests that the oppressed people of the society get their voices heard. When protesters from all 50 states across the country came out in opposition to the violence against people of color nationwide, the police officer who killed Floyd was arrested and charged with murder.

We, humans, tend to push away the thoughts that bother us the most. However, after talking to Kate, I realized it was time for me to face the truth of what happens in the community that I call my home. BIPOC haven’t just recently been subject to this unjust and uncalled for behavior at the hands of law enforcement officials and authorities.

For generations, people of color murdered, irrespective of their crime. They were always caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, surrounded by racists who could not see past their skin color. Their only mistake: being born as a non-white individual in a country where racism lies deep within the core of our system.

It’s about more than just an individual racist

The racism that is prevalent today is about more than just one person. All the police officers and authority figures that witness, hear about, and allow the gross injustices that BIPOC has to face are equally to blame as those who carry out the violent acts that take a person’s life.

The only reason why police officers can violently harass civilians, permanently damage their bodies or even kill them is because they know the system has their back. Racism and discrimination documented throughout the structure, with policies and laws that our authorities have made.

There’s no question that racism is killing hundreds of people. Children orphaned, spouses without their partners, and parents are left to mourn their beloved children every day. But is racism the only reason why this inhuman behavior continues to take place?

The problem lies with the authorities

Of course, every racist individual influences society. Imagine, if one racist raises a family, they would be responsible for a group of people that believe they are above people of color. If one father imparts his biased views to his children, he is responsible for the racist beliefs they hold as they grow older.

However, if we look at the bigger picture — it is about more than just the average American. If our authority figures openly talk about the dangers of people of color in our neighborhoods, they’re cultivating a society of civilians who dial 911 at the very sight of a person of color walking in their streets.

When the people we look for guidance are spreading the message that it is acceptable to discriminate against people of color — they are laying out the foundation that racism needs to thrive.

In a society where acts of racism are frowned upon and actively avoided by one and all — whether it’s the police, judges, lawyers, or politicians, the individual American would not be free to display their internalized dislike of people of color.

How can the police not be challenged for their violence against people of color? Most of them claim to have acted out of self-defense. Simultaneously, in other situations, the person of color is incapable of presenting one’s side of the argument, the case dismissed without a proper investigation.

Prosecutors often let police personnel off the hook, which is surprising. Many police officers, such as the ones involved in George Floyd’s case, have a history of abuse and unnecessary aggression against people of color during police encounters. What’s more — they have no fear of ever facing the consequences of their actions because they know from experience that the prosecutors will let them get away with their crimes.

Society has the power to change

There is nothing set in stone, not even a practice as old as racism. While racism lies in the core of what our society currently stands for, it doesn’t have to stay that way. A simple look around you at inclusive countries that encourage respect, regardless of age, race, gender, and religion, will help you realize how monumental a change would be to our country.

The tragedy of racism is that it requires a radical revolution in our society to come to an end. A few compassionate people fighting for human rights and fair treatment for people of color create a heartwarming image.

It also serves as a reminder that until our authorities incorporate these views into the policies we currently have, the laws we abide by, and the repercussions we face for acts of violence and racism — nothing will ever truly change.

Before we eliminate racism from society as a whole — we have to determine who is letting this mindset persist. Who are the people responsible for allowing an entire country of 50 states to get away with both minor and apparent acts of racism daily?

Everyone has the responsibility to reflect on their actions and change problematic views and behavior, no question that we should be unlearning the harmful patterns we’ve developed throughout our lives.

However, the authorities make the rules, and they moderate society. Until and unless they open up to the idea that we need to do some significant restructuring of our laws and policies, the average American can only have a minimal impact.

Once the law enforcement starts penalizing people for discriminating against people of color as much as it punishes people for being non-white, we will see a shift in the way our society functions. Racism in America can come to an end.

When we start acknowledging the change required in our law enforcement system, we can start hoping for a more peaceful future, where innocent lives aren’t taken in the heat of the moment. Once our police are held accountable for reflecting on their current courses-of-action and revamping the system, we’ll be one step closer to the inclusive society we so desperately need. America is a land of many colors. Together we can get the broken system fixed once and for all.

“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced .”— James Baldwin —