We can overcome again

JENNY BABOOLAL

LIKE MILLIONS of people in the US and around the world, looking at the George Floyd video was deeply disturbing. Watching another person die, pleading for his life as he is being slowly choked under the knee of someone whose job is to protect and serve others was nightmarish. The lack of concern on the faces of the perpetrator and his colleagues was deeply unsettling. This was a manifestation of systemic racism playing out in full view of the public.

Protesters took to the streets across the US. In solidarity and extreme discomfort about the event, people around the world have been protesting as disturbing evidence of inhumanity was brought to everyone’s door.

With a camera in everyone’s hands it is easier to zoom into the injustices that people face every day. We saw a black man die under the knee of a white man who obviously did what he felt he was entitled to do, believing there would be no consequences. This is a scenario that has played out countless times in different variations on a theme of deeply offensive racist behaviour.

Crying “this must stop” will not make it stop but the current situation is an opportunity to begin to pave the road to healing and resolution. Unfortunately, we are all too absorbed in our own lives to give time to engage with society’s problems, especially if they do not affect us directly, but it will take everyone to care and stay in solidarity with the cause and contribute in whatever way they can.

We know that the oppression of blacks in America has been going on for hundreds of years. What is not well reported is that it is black people who provided the free labour that enabled the oppressors to become ever richer. Similarly, today in TT the one per cent has stayed rich by underpaying the people at the bottom who do the work that creates the profits that they then keep for themselves.

People everywhere are tired of injustice of all kinds and uprisings will continue to spring up. It is like a human coronavirus that is everywhere and has multiple extensions that inject us with the disease of racism and of not caring for the oppressed and unfortunate among us.

We are of the jungle and still view the other tribe as a threat. Even the people in our tribe who are disfigured and disabled are shunned and ill-treated. The reality of humans wanting to keep others out because they are not our type is universal. This behaviour harms the perpetrator as much as the victim and we are all caught in the backlash.

People who through no fault of their own are born into poverty, dangerous environments, and other unfortunate circumstances ask only for a fair deal. Although we left the jungle a long time ago, we still behave instinctively without realising how far our better angels can take us.

I am no conflict resolution expert nor authority on American history, but I know that although the journey will be a long one, we can get beyond this. If we do not, the disease of man’s inhumanity to man will be like the knee on our necks.

The government can make a declaration of the society’s commitment to reform and reconciliation and guide the rest of society through the process.

It could require corporations to state their policies that will contribute to the goal.

Police forces should be thoroughly examined and reformed. In some states in the US, if a policeman says his action was taken because he felt his life was in danger, he is acquitted.

High-profile court cases involving racism should be livestreamed so there is transparency and people can see how justice is administered.

A local ombudsman can be appointed to every local government to hear citizens’ complaints.

Monthly televised town hall meetings can be held with a moderator and people across the socioeconomic spectrum sitting across the table from each other to present their views.

There are many stories of individuals who started talking to their opponents and ended up having a much better appreciation of the other person’s position and in some cases becoming good friends. Citizens can make their voices heard by talking to each other and their leaders and by voting.

Racism is everywhere. Justifiable grievances are everywhere. The Indigenous peoples who were there before the white settlers are still underprivileged and still looking to be treated equally. We can no longer deny nor unsee man’s inhumanity to man and it is in our enlightened self-interest to contribute to change.

History shows we have been able to defeat the worst manifestations of humanity– and we can do it again.