George Floyd and the sad truth of racism, not only in the US, but the UK

So, I’m sure by now we know the news of another African-American man being murdered by police. I don’t know about you, but this particular incident made me furious, and if you knew me very well, you’d know that not much gets me upset. It is not only about police brutality but the topic of racism against blacks as a whole.

“I can’t breathe”

I have been talking about the incident with my family on a daily basis, and as a young black British man, there was a feeling of “Is this who we are as humans?”

But people like me, not just in the US, have had enough.

George Floyd should still be alive today. What angers me about the whole situation is the manner in which events played out.

“A forgery in process.” Now while I do not know what was said between the officers and George Floyd, I do not understand why Floyd was mistreated for this allegation. If counterfeit money was given, why couldn’t Police have simply asked him to pay the sum? My mum and I had a conversation the other day, and she said she sometimes mistakenly gives coin change in the wrong currency shortly after returning from our holidays. Police are not called, but rather, her and the cashier laugh it off and she pays the correct amount. Who’s to say that he received a counterfeit bill from a previous transaction and did not know that it was not legal tender?

In the aftermath of the atrocious crime by Derek Chauvin and the other police officers, there have been protests in all 50 states, as well as all around the world, in places such as the UK, Germany and Canada and Australia.

I do not condone the violence and looting which has taken place, because you are destroying certain people’s livelihoods, particularly those from poorer backgrounds. However, because there is ongoing systemic racism, you can understand why many blacks are angry. If you provoke someone so much after they peacefully try to reach a compromise, it is as if the instigators are not adhering to the terms of their social contract. If police, who are meant to “protect and serve”, abuse their power against minorities, you cannot expect people to be civil and obedient. They’ll want to fight back. I keep seeing the quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, which is “riots are the voice of the unheard”. Powerful.

What can institutions do to make the UK less ignorant?

While I was in high school, history was one of my favourite subjects. But now when I think about George Floyd’s murder, I do believe the UK can do more in educating students about its own painful past regarding black people. I am grateful that I live in a household that is incredibly knowledgeable, because events about black history which they did not teach in school, continue to be taught by my parents. One could say that if the UK did not have stringent, clear laws and banned firearms, who’s to say that the police would not abuse their power over here? That is why I do not buy it when people say, “Oh look at America, they have so many problems.” We have our own problems too.

The reason I mention history lessons is because the current curriculum does not include pertinent black history topics for all students from a young age. We are taught about the Battle of Hastings, British monarchies, and the World Wars. I was taught about the US Civil Rights Movement as part of my GCSE coursework. But when I thought this, I asked myself, when, where and how often does the British curriculum address its own history of racial problems?

Does the UK talk about its role in the Atlantic slave trade, which was arguably the worst? Do we talk about British colonialism? Do we teach about abolitionism and the likes of William Wilberforce? What about the Windrush generation that had been ignored for so long that it was only in the news a couple of years ago? What about learning about racially charged incidents against black men such as Stephen Lawrence?

If they did I am sure that there would be less ignorant people. Exposure to your own countries’ history puts the matter at hand in perspective, allowing more empathy of others regardless of their race.

What YOU can do to become less ignorant and create change

It was good to see many of my friends showing solidarity, sharing social media stories and supporting black businesses after the Floyd incident. However, one can do more than upload a black screen on their Instagram page with a hashtag. I know that some people are doing it to show support for the Black Lives Matter movement, however, change is needed. It starts with home education at a young age.

“You’re not born a bigot; you have to learn to be a bigot. Anything you learn, you can unlearn.” This was said by Jane Elliott. Jerome Boateng recently said, “no child is born racist”. Simple words, but it has to be said.

Parents and legal guardians have a primary responsibility to teach positive attitudes towards other races because children model the behaviour of their parents.

I experienced “micro-aggression” growing up in London and Norwich regularly. The phrase “micro-aggression” is one I do not like. I believe it is a pretext for making racist jokes.

“Oh, you speak very well, what type of school did you go to?”

“Ben, you’re so white.”

“Is your favourite restaurant KFC?”

These are the kind of phrases I heard growing up. Can you see the ignorance? Can black people not be good orators regardless of the type of school they attend? Why can’t being black mean having a calm and collected demeanour, where you treat people with respect?

I did not let such statements upset me, because growing up my parents taught me to behave with magnanimity. However, statements such as those above should not be the norm and when this occurs it needs to be called out for what it is.

I have been asked what we can do as a society. We need to educate ourselves by reading books. We also need to watch films and documentaries that relate to this matter. We are in lockdown due to COVID-19, so try to learn something new. Subsequently, we must educate our families and friends. Yes, it is a sensitive topic but I’d rather white people talk to blacks about the reality of this issue, instead of shying away from it or even blurting out silly remarks which should have been confined to the past.

Aside from protesting, those who are eligible to vote must do so. Second, to bring about change, writing to your local MP is a simple but effective way to express grievances. Third is signing petitions at the https://petition.parliament.uk/ website. Debates in Parliament are triggered if 100,000 signatures are reached. Finally, visiting Central Lobby in Parliament, as you do not need to make an appointment to meet your MP, although an appointment is recommended. The desk at Central Lobby will attempt to contact the MP you are asking for.

There are other ways of getting involved.

Below are a few of my recommendations:

BOOKS: Reni Eddo-Lodge’s “Why I am No Longer Talking to White People About Race.”

Robin DiAngelo’s “White Fragility.”

FILMS: Coach Carter starring Samuel L. Jackson (everyone should watch this), When They See Us (both of these are on Netflix UK as of 4^th June 2020).

Change can happen, only if you really want it.