Black Lives Matter

Black Lives Matter. A simple, declarative statement asserting something you'd think would be uncontroversial: the lives of black people possess inherent value. It's not an exclusionary statement. Nobody is suggesting that only black lives matter or that black lives matter more than other lives. Yet because the United States hasn't reckoned with the legacy of slavery, segregation, and systemic racism, simply saying "Black Lives Matter," attracts all manner of bad faith responses. 

By now we all know the circumstances of the death of George Floyd. If you've seen video or photos of Derek Chauvin's knee pressed against Floyd's neck, it's hard to describe it as anything less than murder. Chauvin and the three officers who helped him restrain Floyd and who stood by and watched as Floyd pleaded for his life are now facing homicide charges. However, this is not an isolated incident. The deaths of Breonna Taylor, Freddie Gray, Philando Castile, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, Sandra Bland, Michael Brown, and so many other black men and women and children during arrest, during traffic stops, and in police custody have reminded us with alarming regularity how far we still have to go in dismantling systemic racism.

For two weeks, protesters in the United States and across the world have taken to the streets to demand justice. To demand reform. To assert that Black Lives Matter. These protests have been largely non-violent. But even non-violent demonstrations have been met by cops in riot gear who seem to have no qualms about using violence against the unarmed, the elderly, or the press. Meanwhile, the president has used the protests as props to threaten military action against Americans (and subsequently used federal officers to break up a protest so he could stage a blasphemous photo op). If anything, the police response to these protests (and the contrast with their response to armed, largely white demonstrators protesting quarantine measures) underlines the need for serious, even drastic reform.

Maybe you already know all of this. Recent polling shows that most Americans sympathize with the protests. But if you're resistant to calls for reform, I'd ask you to listen. Make a good faith effort to hear out people you disagree with. For example, protesters have called for the police to be defunded or even abolished. Don't assume that they are calling for lawlessness or chaos. Do seek out more information. For example, this article in the Guardian summarizes calls to defund municipal law enforcement and redirect those funds into social services to help improve the conditions in local communities. Also, if you're worried about what will happen if there is a decreased police presence, you could check out this LA Times article about a study that found that fewer serious crimes were reported during an NYPD work slowdown.

If you support the goals of the protests, there are a lot of things you can do. Maybe you're already doing them. Obviously you can go to protests, but if you're worried about risks related to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, you can also sign online petitions or donate to organizations calling for reform and helping protesters pay bail. If you're wary about giving out your personal information online or aren't able to provide financial support,  you can contact your local, state, and federal lawmakers to tell them that you support reform. There are plans to introduce legislation in congress to reform policing in America, but it is far from certain that the bill will pass. The fact that all of those things might still fail to bring about change makes it all the more important to that you register and vote in upcoming elections.