JUSTICE FOR GEORGE FLOYD. Defund The Police.
Last night, people all over the world were protesting police brutality and the death of George Floyd (among countless, countless other atrocities). In the aftermath, I am left heartbroken. Not because of the looters and rioters, but because of the unanimous response of condemnation that I am seeing across my social media and timelines.
I am a white woman, living in suburbia, and I am living just a hair above the state poverty limit. I recognize my privilege. I see it every day and it’s not fucking fair. And I see what POC are going through and my heart is aching, ACHING, with them. I stand in solidarity to all oppressed peoples. There is no room in my life for hate or disgust, only love and (currently) despair.
Everyone (especially white people): LISTEN TO BLACK VOICES. BE THEIR WITNESS. It is not fake or imagined or exaggerated. Use your privilege for good – your silence is screaming apathy. The rioting and looting is the result of years and years of unjust brutality against POC and a president who can’t keep his mouth shut and only seems to make things worse at every turn. It’s pent up anger spilling out. The police have created this problem by making institutionalized racism and MURDER normal and turned a blind eye to real justice. We are at a breaking point. And those people out there condemning these riots and the actions of these people: Can any white person, in their heart, be sure what their breaking point would be after living a life of oppression, loss, and inequality?
I donated to the Chicago Community Bond Fund to help pay bail for some of those 1,000 people arrested last night. The City of Chicago implemented a curfew without warning, then promptly shut down the CTA and lifted almost all of the drawbridges – effectively trapping those left in the city without a means to leave, rendering them all ‘criminals’ and arrestable. I could barely believe it was happening. The Cook County jail is sure to be full to bursting, and in the middle of a global pandemic situation, this is criminal. This could be a death sentence for some.
I was watching the Twitter feeds roll in in real time. It started very peacefully, but then videos of police initiating violence started coming in after curfew began. Here is what was happening in Chicago:
The Chicago Freedom School opened it’s doors to those left trapped in the city and could not leave. Lots of people were offering rides to those left downtown without an exit strategy. This coming together in the midst of chaos was beautiful.
I hope people come to realization that this was completely avoidable if everyone (law enforcement, govt, friends, family, society!) practiced compassion.
Where is our empathy? Why is the common reaction to be empathetic towards to businesses first? Why are you worried about Macy’s and Gucci and Nike and Target and AutoZone? Corporations are not people. A store can be rebuilt. Inventory is insured. Unemployment income is available. A LIFE EXTINGUISHED CANNOT BE REPLACED.
Margot Velvet 