BLACK LIVES MATTER

Love needs years to succeed, brutality minutes. We just saw an evidence of that on May 25 in the world’s most powerful democracy, the United States. Freedom was shamelessly gagged where it was guaranteed. Liberty became a weapon in the hands of the liberated as complexion played the catalyst.

That’s why I don’t take seriously formal discussions on ideological commitments because I am convinced the realities of our lives are the Derek Chauvins of America and not democracy or socialism.

The unfortunate part is that his type will continue to rule our social firmament because the system we live in is hugely rigged against the helpless.

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The triumph of Chauvin’s hateful authority in full public view proves that a White man needs less than 10 minutes to see the end of a Black man

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Black man George Floyd is the latest victim of that foul order.

What happened on May 25th? A video, recorded on that day in Minneapolis, shows policemen holding Floyd to the ground while fellow police officer Derek Chauvin presses his knee to the unarmed victim’s neck.

“Your knee in my neck. I can’t breathe...Mama. Mama,” Floyd pleaded. Chauvin, a thoroughbred scoundrel in uniform, ignored the former’s plea as he begged for life. Within 8 minutes and 46 seconds he grew silent and motionless, unable to move even as the officers told him to “get up and get in the car.” He was soon declared dead.

The triumph of Chauvin’s hateful authority in full public view proves that a White man needs less than 10 minutes to see the end of a Black man.

The death of Floyd has been described as a “murder” and a “horrible crime” by someone as important as the defence secretary of the United States, Mark Esper.

Yet, when sane Americans came out to protest they were described as thugs and became bloody victims of a vulgar exhibitionism of liveried might. The riot police also threatened to imprison the genuinely agonised in the name of order.

US President Donald Trump threatened to stop protesters in Minneapolis with deadly military force, after that city weathered several nights of arson. Esper warned Trump against the deployment of troops.

Well, when will racism end? In my humble opinion, the answer is never because it is a part of our psyche. Anything negative is described as black. It is normal for countries to define calamitous days as black. Families routinely describe painful happenings as dark moments. Sports teams wear black badges when they wish to mourn or protest.

The biggest tragedy with the coloured man, which I find revolting, is that his colour is chosen by the Creator. And who can challenge that.