“Man, I can’t breathe.” These chilling last words were spoken by George Floyd, a man that was killed by a police officer after allegedly using a fake $20 bill. Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, silently killed George Floyd in just 8 minutes by kneeling on Floyd’s neck. But the protests after George’s death in May of 2020 were not silent at all; people across the world expressed their greatest outrage and the need for justice. Across the globe, the Black Lives Matter movement has grown in popularity and supporters. BLM protests advocate for the entirety of the black community and should not be looked down upon. Let’s take a look at another time when police officers walked free, unscathed, after their egregious misdoings.
In 1991, a black man named Rodney Glen King was speeding on the highway in a car with his friends. After police officers surrounded the car, King and his friends were hit, stomped on, threatened, and tazed. One officer drew her gun out even though the victims were unarmed. All of the traumatizing events were recorded and released to the public, which went viral. Eventually, King sued the city and the police officers, taking the case to trial. As a result, all seven officers were acquitted whether they were charged by assault or force. A year after King’s arrest, the Los Angeles riots of 1992 began in response to the arrest and abuse of King and his friends. The residents of Los Angeles began violent riots involving looting, the destruction of property, and assault. Not only this, but the looting became such a serious problem that Koreatown struggled to make ends meet. To deal with this, Koreatown shop owners had to protect their property from looters by arming themselves with handguns. On the other hand, innocent people were brought into the chaotic riots. On one account, Reginald Denny, a truck driver, was not actively participating in the riots. When he was driving in his truck, Denny was dragged into the chaos and beaten. With 63 killed, over 2,000 injured, and about 12,000 arrested, the Los Angeles riots proved that people wanted change and that they would undergo serious measures to obtain it. Even though the L.A. riots delivered their message, this was not the end.
Fighting with hate was ultimately unsuccessful because decades later, black lives are still being taken. Imagine throwing a sandwich in your high school cafeteria, and having several school employees restrain you and hold you to the ground until the inevitable happens. These were the exact horrific last moments of 16-year old, Cornelius Fredericks in 2020. Now, imagine playing with a toy gun only to be shot and killed by a white police officer. This is what caused the death of 12-year old, Tamir Rice in 2014. These young boys deserved more than to die at an age so young and at the hands of cruelty. There are so many more members of the black community who have lost their lives but, here are just a few: Breonna Taylor... Ahmaud Arbery... Freddie Gray... Eric Garner... Tony McDade... Say their names. Please do not let them die in vain. The unfortunate events that happened to them and to numerous others have proven that the treatment of the black community continues to be an everlasting struggle in society today. The main goal of the Black Lives Matter movement is to seek equality for the treatment of the black community in society. We hear you. We see you. We stand with you. No justice, no peace.
As of right now, here are some actions you can take to help the Black Lives Matter movement.
Sign petitions! If you see a petition on social media, sign and share. It is as easy as that.
Research more on the Black Lives Matter Movement and its history! It is incredibly important to understand the difficult fight that the black community has been a part of for decades.
Donate to organizations that need funding and to the families of victims (GoFundMe).
Protest in public! Be safe. Wear the proper clothing and do not take pictures or record.
Use your vote! Each vote makes a difference.
Sign the census. The census would have a more accurate count on its population, which includes the black community. By signing the census, your community would receive government funding in order to fulfill the needs of your community.
Support black owned businesses.
Written by Kelly Xie from New York
Comments