Jenny Holzer wrote this in her 1983 in once of her most famous artworks. It is terrible to think that almost 40 years later it still rings true.
Across the globe power and authority is being abused everyday. Whether it is in the UK, with Dominic Cummings being let off for ignoring his own rules on social distancing during the current pandemic, whilst underpaid key workers risk their lives daily, or across the pond in the USA, where power is being abused in its worst form. The murder of innocent lives.
George Floyd was murdered by police officer Derek Chauvin, whilst three of his coworkers watched. This is not an isolated incident. For years, the police and people of authority have been abusing their power and using it to unjustly arrest, attack and murder innocent people across America (and worldwide). The problem is not only this abuse of power, and seeming eagerness to use their authority and weapons (which they were given as a means to protect themselves from imminent harm), but the racism that is unarguably linked to this abuse of power. This unjust murder committed at the hands of authority, is disproportionately directed toward Black people. In the US Black people are two and half times more likely to be killed by police than white people.
Of course, this has now led to protests across the globe, demanding change. The Black Lives Matter movement aims, not only to get the murderers of innocent black people arrested, but to prevent it from happening again, pleading with the government that police are not only held accountable, but prevented from using unjust force.
It makes no sense to me that ANY person, regardless of career choice, can use excessive force, assault or murder, ANYONE, unless their life or the lives of others is at risk. And even in cases of murder in self defence, most people have to go to court. But many of these officers face no repercussions.
And now, during the protests, against police brutality, more police brutality is being filmed and accounted than ever before. I am so grateful for camera phones and social media for being able to spread videos of these officers clearly abusing their power, and assaulting people, who are, for the most part, committing no crimes. I don't understand how this is legal.
The world may seem bleak right now, but this is an opportunity for change. We can fight, in every way we can, to prevent the loss of more innocent lives, and for systematic changes that could help make racism a thing of the past. Legislation needs to be put in place to protect Black people, and other people of colour, from the effects of racism, and the national curriculum needs to address racism in a way that will hopefully educate future generations to prevent further covert or overt racism.
So sign petitions, email your local MP, donate to bail funds, speak up. Now is the time to be on the right side of history.
List of resources to help make changes:
Petitions
Donate
Donate without money
Email your MP
Comments