“Please try to remember that what they believe, as well as what they do and cause you to endure does not testify to your inferiority but to their inhumanity.” – James Baldwin
Friends on then Frontlines
I want to shout out my friends who I virtually stood shoulder to shoulder with to protest the injustices of our system. For many of us, this was our first time protesting but has certainly not been the last. My friends have not only participated in the protest but spoke and organized them as well. Across the U. S., my friends have been active from Cleveland. To Cincinnati. To Memphis. To Los Angeles.
The Movement
This movement is far beyond protests. In previous blogs and in an interview, I spoke about systemic racism. It’s very real. For those who don’t know, this is why we protest. We live in the reality that every aspect of our lives is political and systematic. Our zip codes, which schools our children go to, and how many policemen we have in our neighborhoods are all influenced by politics which influences our health.
One of the most visible forms of injustice right now is policing. The United States is one of the only developed countries whose police force regularly kills its citizens. In 2018, U.S. police shot and killed over 1,000 people. This puts it above and beyond other countries, with Germany’s police killing 11 people, Australia 8, Sweden 6, and New Zealand 1. While all races and ethnicities are affected, black people are 3x more likely to be killed by police in the U.S. than white people.
This violence is also perpetrated by the criminal justice system. America is one of the largest prison-industrial complex countries. It imprisons 655 people per 100,000 citizens. For comparison, the U.K. imprisons 140 people per 100,000, which is still higher than in many other countries. In total, America has 2.2 million prisoners, many imprisoned for non-violent offenses. Black people are unfairly targeted, representing 30% of the prison population while making up only 12% of the general population. Part of this is due to policies that perpetuate poverty in black communities in addition to unfair police practices that target black communities.
Many of the United States’ domestic and foreign policies have been influenced by racism. While watching For Life I heard the dialogue and it’s so real, “The justice system isn’t broken, its doing exactly what its meant to do”. For example, immigration, housing policy, and welfare reform were all influenced by racism.
This systemic racism has far-reaching implications. Black Americans have worse health outcomes that have been linked in various scientific studies to systemic racism. They suffer from higher rates of chronic conditions in addition to decreased access to healthcare. This is why at many protests you see signs to Defund the Police which means reducing police budgets and relocating those funds to social services like education, healthcare, housing, youth services, and other programs that communities need. Prioritizing government budgets will have positive effects on the health of all citizens, it will provide communities with the resources and services they need to thrive. People who suffer from homelessness, mental health issues, and/or substance abuse, will not be sent to the police but other means of social services.
The U.S. used to be known as a leader. Right now, it’s only leading the world in terms of the number of citizens it imprisons, the number of citizens killed by police, and unconstitutional crackdowns on peaceful protests. Protesting is the most American way of demanding justice. Our country was founded on protests – the Boston Tea Party – and every major change in the name of justice has come after mass protests. It is our duty as Americans to protest and demand a better life for all.
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