Justice for African Americans

Recently another inhuman police brutality occurred in Unites States of America (US). I was contemplating whether to write about it, because its not in line with the content I want to blog about. After watching countless videos of defenceless African Americans being targeted or losing their lives by the hands of the police and random white people, I knew I had to share my thoughts. I also have family living in the US. I fear sometimes for them, because they have one thing in common with all victims, the melenated skin. The video of George Floyd’s last minutes of his life was heartbreaking for me. Seeing a defenceless man laying on the ground. Two cops pinning his back and legs down. Him crying and pleading for his life, trying to look up for help from bystanders, while another cop had his knee on George’s neck. Straining the blood flow and life out of him. Like a wild animal that had to be put to rest for the world to watch. I shed tears. He could have been my uncle, cousin or friend. Is this injustice, racism, police brutality against African Americans in the US ever going to stop?

I thought about how George Floyd woke up that morning. Making his plans for the day before he stepped out. Not knowing that it would be his last day on earth. I was thinking as a mother, how can you cope with losing your son under these circumstances? Losing a child is like having an open wound that never really heals. But knowing your child cried out for you minutes before he was killed by the people that should protect and serve all Americans under the constitution. Is even more unbearable to take in. How are his kids and family going to cope with this? If George Floyd was white would he be death now? Or if the police officer was an African American would it be the same scenario that would lead to George’s death? These thoughts are continuously running over and over through my head. Horrific and heartbreaking that these things are not changing for African Americans. They are still being hunted as wild animals. Especially the boys and men. They have to worry for the police and random ‘crazy’ white people: when they are jogging, driving a car, walking in the park, delivering parcels, at home, doing groceries, playing with toy guns, or simply just living and/or being in a predominant white area.

I say all officers involved in George Floyd’s murder should be charged to at least 30 years to life imprisonment. I am sure, then, these unlawful killings by police officers will seize. It’s so disturbing that in similar murder cases ( yes you read it right again, I called it MURDER) police officers are only penalised with a suspension or discharge. A few slaps on the wrists and they can continue as police officers in another state. That is not justice! A live has been taken. Can a cop killer go free for killing a police officer that is on or off duty? Then why should a cop get away with murder?

Worldwide people are outraged about the murder of George Floyd. The truth is that before we know it our daily lives consumes us again. We move on to other breaking news. Until the next killing of an unarmed African American pops-up on our timelines and screens. We start all over again, back to social media and protesting: how barbaric and unjust it is. How does this vicious circle we are in, change things in the long term? Speaking out and protesting is effective, but it does not last if there are no implementations made by law to protect the civil rights of African Americans. Look at Rodney King ‘s arrest captured on video in 1991. What is different since then? If you go more back in time, like the sixties you will see that the ‘game’ changed, but the players not. Even the street camera’s won’t stop them. The phone cameras will not pause it. The outrage on blogs and shares on social media will not end this. Protests will not halt it. What do you think will? I think only extreme actions should be considered at this stage. A new law against police brutality targeting innocent African Americans should be carried out in every state. Or new movements should arise in the likes of the Black Panther Party to protect and serve innocent African Americans, since the constitution is failing to do so?

In the Netherlands, something similar happened in 2015 with Mitch Henriquez. Four police officers were beating and spraying teargas on him. One of the officers had him in a chokehold. He died not long after that! Two cops were sentenced with 6 months of conditional punishment, another cop involved was acquitted in 2019, one cop was not even charged. The officers can continue their job at the police force. Is that justice for someone that lost a son, father, brother, husband or relative? You see it’s not that different in the Netherlands as in the US, when it comes to the law protecting the police system in murder cases like these. Non-whites, Afro-Europeans and the diaspora are often victims of profiling, (institutional) racism or in this particular example, killed by the police.

No matter the crime commited by a suspect the police should let the court take over the sentencing part. Police officers are paid and trained with tax money of all citizens. Trained officers should be able to arrest all defenceless Americans without killing them. Let court system take its course. The only way that these horrendous killings spree done by the police will end, if it is clear that nobody is above the law or untouchable. A maximum sentence for police committing murder would be a good start. George Floyd and all the other victims did not have to die (in vain). His family deserves at least justice. A transformation in the police system is a begin. The evidence is clear. I can only hope that the policy and law makers can see that too. I don’t think that is much asked for. Enough is enough! Many lives of innocent African Americans have been wasted by this dishonest system for more than centuries. Let George Floyd be the final one. The one that puts an end to the racism, police brutality and injustice towards African Americans.

Images from:

The New York Times

Twitter @ Celebrid

Unsplash by Denny Muller

Stephen Shames courtesy Steven Kasher Gallery

Feel free to comment and feedback in English or Dutch what your thoughts are about my post.