We are still struggling to control this Covid-19 pandemic then comes along the death of George Floyd, which has brought on massive uprisings, riots and protests all around the globe. For sure this event has created serious conversation of racism in North America and all around the world.
The death of Floyd created a cascading effect of serious discussion from racism, police brutality, defunding of police forces, slavery to destroying anything and everything that represents slavery.
What is racism?
Racism can only be eliminated only through education and believing that we are like the leaves of one tree, the waves of one sea and the flowers of one garden. Once a great prophet said, ” The earth is but one country and mankind its citizen. ” And I truly believe that.
After watching the video of George Floyd death I said to myself what was Derek Chauvin thinking? Three things came to my mind and that is, first, Chauvin was thinking he was a policeman and he was above the law. He could do whatever he wanted. Second, as if he was saying, “Look I can do this. Just watch me.” And he did because he was pressing on Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes. And third, rumours had it that they knew each other from before and because they were budding head against each other, maybe that had something to do what Chauvin did to Floyd.
Having said that , in all fairness, I want to write a short and sweet edition to show that we all need each other to survive on this planet. It does not matter we are black, white, brown, blue or grey ! The issue right now is between black and white people. I did a research and found out that there are only 14% of black population USA and Barack Obama became the first black person to become the president of United States. In all fairness and undeniable fact is that Barack Obama needed white votes to become president. He just could not have been a president just with 14% black votes. Here is the breakdown of the votes he needed to win the US election in 2008: White men 41%, White women 46%, Black men 95% and Black women 96%. So you see, it is a reciprocal process.
Then there are the black singers (Michael Jackson, Little Richards, Prince, Beyonce), actors (Eddie Murphy, Denzel Washington), musicians (Stevie Wonders ), investors (Oprah Winfrey), sports players (Michael Jordan, Vince Carter) and entertainers (Spike Lee, Quincy Jones ) ! How they made their millions? Not only with the 14% black population. They needed the white audience as well! So as you can see this is a reciprocal process.
Then there are the white people who need the help of black people in some form or another to reach their goal to the finish line. As you can witness right now, Joe Biden, a white man, is literally pleading with the 14% black votes just to push him over the finish line to potentially win the next US election. Hence, a white person needs the help of the black people to achieve the goal irregardless of how miniscule that help is.
If you really want to find social justice of slavery then you have to challenge the big major players and not just Spanish Christopher Columbus or bearer of confederate flags ! They are the British and French rulers.
There were 8.5 millions Africans were taken as slaves to America by the British traders. They called it British slave ship that took off from Liverpool, Glasgow or Bristol and captured African slaves on the way to America.
During the French occupation of Mauritius, my birthplace, slaves from Madagascar and Africa were taken to my country. Finally slavery was abolished on February 1, 1835.
It seems that we all need each other. We cannot change the history. However, the best way to move forward is to work together irregardless of our race, colour or creed, instead of burning buildings, looting stores, defacing monuments, rioting and bringing chaos on the streets. We have to remember that we have to analyze any history in its context. I do not think anytime soon the entire population can become all white or all black or all brown in order to eliminate racism. This is a fact and we have to live with it and make a habit of working together as we are like the leaves of one tree, the waves of one sea and the flowers of one garden.
