Hello Dolls & Gents,
When I witness atrocities perpetrated; when communities whose
ideals, beliefs and callings resonates with my own are constantly oppressed merely
due to differing variables, I lose sleep.
George Floyd’s life was mercilessly stripped away from him and his
loved ones, when a Minneapolis grocery store reported him for allegedly trying
to pass a counterfeit $20 bill; and his arrest unjustly took a turn for the worst.
Derek Chauvin and 2 other officers on scene were filmed pressing Floyd
to the pavement as he continued to plea for his life. Shortly after fighting to
speak with extreme difficulty, Floyd became unresponsive and his limp body
could be seen lifted by paramedics. He was pronounced dead.
Initially I felt rage. Rage at the blue, sworn to protect us, and blue
that is ought to be a beacon of hope. But the rage diffused and stead welled
sadness. When is it ever that simple?
I don’t have the will to berate anyone. Without a doubt,
George Floyd’s death was Murder. And I place my faith once again, in the system
to build on to the initial arrest charges and ensure that every officer involved
is indicted and charged with due process.
But what can we take away or rather reflect on from this situation?
- Let us very literally ‘take away’ the ethnocentrism that still continue
to shape our mindset towards other people’s culture, race and religion. Stop! Just
stop. In 2020, we still have a long way to go to attain the awareness we so
desire. Otherwise the perpetuating fate of George Floyd, victims like him and
the fate of the Officers will without fail emerge repeatedly as we make
history.
You have the power to take a closer look at everyone around you,
and despite privileges to be extremely perceptive. It’s a practice that needs
to be perfected, and impossible to master overnight. Shut down those dark
thoughts that constantly detects and mocks flaws (as defined degrading or
abnormal by your standards) among other people or communities. Remember that you played no part in
inventing, molding and governing ‘other people’s’ culture and religion; nor did
you have the say in creation itself (appearance).
When the need to loath and discriminate emerge because you feel oh
so superior, bear in mind the following:
You were created from dirty fluid, made progeny (from a quintessence
of the nature of a fluid despised). All material and privileges combined at your
disposition that elevate your status quo will not help deny your origin. You didn’t
have any say in selectively guaranteeing that you were born with the right
image, (by your desired standards) to the right community (by your desired standards). Why should you limit and enforce your thoughts and ideals on people who are entirely different from you that carry their own learned thoughts and ideals dear to them? Why on earth would you have the right to
reduce anyone, or to cripple anyone’s human rights, simply because you don’t
like the way they look or behave?
Instead invest more energy, and seek means of empathy, broaden your
knowledge about the world and all the different people that reside on this
planet and what you can do to eradicate oppression and challenge racism.
-Media has long primed and framed headlines and content to suit political prerogatives and agendas. We have heard this a million times,
yet we still fail to comprehend it. If you wish to fight a modern war, fact
check what you read and hear, avoid unethical content producers and opinion
leaders and strengthen your beliefs mitigating harmful bias through research,
personal experiences (never rely on a single experience or impression) and most
importantly spread the word.
It is high time that we did the latter and start respecting people
of color and honoring their fight in paving the way to build platforms for
other races, religions and minority communities so that they too can be heard.
We have a responsibility for we are immensely indebted to their resilience in
fighting for rights, representation and equality, justice; and endurance of unfathomable
suffering.
Their struggle is our biggest inspiration and motivation to
ensure that we are heard, seen and understood. Especially as Muslims. So, when you witness a
corrupt system that unfairly attack people of color and strip them of their
rights and reduce them to nothing and attempt to erase the impact of their diaspora,
you stand up for them. Nothing less should be expected of you as you would wish
the same done unto you in time of need.
-Shaming the Minneapolis protests say more about you then it says
about them. Once again empathize. Challenge racism (don’t stay complicit), not
the ones challenging it. It’s time to
get rid of your own learned anti-black feelings (forgive, and advice, and educate those that
molded the anti-black mindset in your upbringing). Even your intelligence is
worth more then degrading an entire group of people for sense of security or
pride.
May God grant George Floyd’s family patience to endure this difficult
time. And may we keep up our spirit to stand against our oppressors. Remembering
oppressed people and communities around the world every day.
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