Use Your Privilege to Help #BLM
photo source: dukechronicle.com
Yet another black victims fallen from the harsh brutality of the police force. George Floyd died after getting detained by Derek Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer, who suffocated Floyd using his knee pressed against Floyd’s neck, while he cried out, “I can’t breathe.” This incident was able to cause so much uproar because it was caught on video. In light of this situation other names, who were killed by the police, surfaced on Twitter.
People are outraged by Floyd’s death and on Tuesday, May 26th, protesters gathered in Minneapolis to call for the arrest of Chauvin. Afterwards, protestors gathered in New York City, Columbus, Phoenix and Denver. In Minneapolis, they set a police building on fire, rioted and looted. Police used tear gas to disperse protesters, but when white men carried riffles during a protest earlier this month, at the Michigan State Capital Building, they were left unharmed. New Yorkers gathered in Union Square to stand against police brutality, where 40 people were arrested.
We have heard these words before. Eric Garner, a victim of police brutality, cried them back in 2014 and this country continues to make the same mistakes. How many black men, women, and children have to be senselessly murdered before real change happens? Enough is enough.
Think about all the lives that were taken that mainstream media didn’t catch wind of. For instance, black women receive less media coverage than their male counterparts. “And everywhere, the awareness of the level of police violence that black women experience is exceedingly low,” said Kimberlé Crenshaw, a scholar on race theory, during a Ted Talk. This is the result of both sexism and racism happening at the same time, which is called intersectionality (I recommend that everyone watch Crenshaw’s Ted Talk).
One of the most disheartening aspects of police brutality is that President Trump has no sympathy. Instead he went on yet another Twitter rant, where he called looters thugs and threatened to kill people using the National Guard. This has only left the black community to feel powerless and they have every right to take that power back.
Use your privilege to help #BLM!
It’s so important to educate yourself and others. If you hear someone say something ignorant or intolerant at least try sharing your knowledge with them.
If your sharing any content showing police brutality, please include a trigger warning.
If your sharing videos of protestors, blur out their faces! A few activists, who were part of the Ferguson protests, were found dead.
Donate if you can. Official Memorial Fund for George Floyd, Black Lives Matter, Communities Against Police Brutality, Minnesota Freedom Fund, Committee to Protect Journalists, Know Your Rights Camp.
Sign a petition. Justice for George Floyd, #justiceforfloyd, The Minneapolis Police Officers to be charged for murder after killing innocent black man, Justice for Big Floyd.
If anyone would like to share what else we can do, please comment it. All of the things mentioned above are the bare minimum.
In order to see real change we must infiltrate and dismantle this oppressing society from the inside.