A System of Chains

I have been watching the news carefully, examining live feed, and checking social media platforms on the recent protests that have swept over America. What I am seeing, and I am sure that you are too, is an incredible divide.

These thoughts and opinions are my own. They have been developed from my course work and being an ally to the black community. I in no way know the struggles and hardships that this population faces on a daily basis. However, I hope to be an educational source and take this opportunity as a white person to educate my own demographic.

I have white privilege. I am not and do not feel guilty for being white. This is not something I earned but was born into. I know that this means I do not have to carry the weight of stereotypes and I have the ability to be seen as an individual. I do not represent my race with my actions. In a perfect world, everyone would have this ability and right. However, we simply don’t live in this utopia.

I’d like to start off with explaining why saying, “all lives matter” is not an appropriate response to the current climate… No one is saying that your life does not matter, because it does. Your life is just as important as someone else’s. However, your life is not the one in danger at the moment. Therefore, the “black lives matter” movement is focusing on those that have historically not been treated equally.

I saw a post on Facebook and it explained it wonderfully:

Make sense? Great. Now, I would like to move on to discuss the main problem here—the system.

The system was never made to be equal or fair. Everything from our media to education system is rigged in favor of white people and continue to enforce this idea. There are laws that are currently in place that target minorities and lower income individuals at a much higher rate. The media consistently shows black people in handcuffs, which reinforce a negative connotation and misleading stereotype. Our neighborhoods are segregated due to socio-economic status, and therefore do not create diverse populations. We do not learn or discuss black history at a proportional level in our public schools.

Whether you are aware of it or not, you have implicit bias. It comes from our society and habits. It will never go away and everyone has it. The difference lies in if you recognize it or not. What are you doing to prevent yours from showing outwardly? You can become more aware by taking an implicit bias test and actively fighting against your own biases. Harvard has published one, and can be found here.

To bring this message to reality, let’s look at a few examples—The American Economic Review published research on racial discrimination within employment. They sent out resumes that were exactly the same, with the only difference being the name at the top. Resumes containing names that have been traditionally given to white people were 50% more likely to receive a call back for the job than one that sounded African American. However, this discrimination begins much earlier in life. Currently, the greatest disparity in expulsion levels within schools is in preschool. The American Psychological Association reports this is due to teacher’s having negative implicit bias showing against students of color. This not only harms the child’s access to education, but their development for their future. It sends a strong message about the injustices and inequalities faced at such an early and formative age.

These examples do not even begin to touch the tip of the iceberg.

The focus within current protests and riots (May 2020) is about the high murder rates of black individuals by the police. The police departments are corrupt, just like the rest of our government. But not all cops are terrible people. Most cops, I believe, are good individuals.

However, police officers cannot investigate other police officers. This is placing people of authority in a position to create a community that does not prosecute one another. There is a social dominance orientation. They are protecting their peers, and thus allowing for injustice to be perpetuated. If officers do not report misconduct when they see it, then they show solidarity to the wrongdoing and are a part of the problem. Said simply, your silence equals agreement.

Rioting is warranted. Let me explain. For years and years, people of color have stood up peacefully for their rights. It simply has not worked. Taking it to the next level is the only option that they have. People should not stand by while their family and friends are being murdered. Being angry, loud, and running through the streets is the appropriate response.

Looting is never acceptable. It is a shame to see this taking place during these riots. Many of those who are looting are not associated with the protests. However, these opportunists are being folded in with those demanding change and thus effecting the message and meaning.

The police and government have been in the wrong throughout the riots and protesting. In Columbus, Ohio the protests were peaceful. Then the situation changed. The police began to form structured lines that pushed people out of the road and forced them to continue moving, even on the sidewalk. They used horses to direct people and their bikes as blockades. When doing this, they show that they are in control and mandating what these protesters are allowed to do. Thus, completely going against the purpose of the protest. People should be allowed to stand in one place and scream for their rights. Protesters acted out, as expected. This then led to another escalation with the use of pepper spray and rubber bullets.

Now, with the mobilization of the National Guard and implementation of a curfew, a stronger force from the government is being shown. This is a power struggle. The government needs to recognize that the power lies within the people, as it should. The situation will only escalate. The more restrictions placed, and forces present, the more rebellion that will occur.

All of this is interconnected. The problem is not solely with the police, but the system. If we want change, we need to be addressing the larger picture and fix our system from the ground up.

I will leave you with a question posed by Jane Elliott, would you be happy to be treated as our general society treats black citizens?

#BlackLivesMatter

"For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others."

-Nelson Mandela