Muhamad Ali
More than a month since the death of a black man George Flyod in Minneapolis, racial turmoil and its aftermath has become less but the conversation and anti-racist struggle continue and should continue. The white policeman’s cruelty ignited the flames of anger to so many protesters and peoples of all races beyond the streets in the US and many parts of the world. But the fire this time will not last. How to make the moment a long-term anti-racist struggle?
Violence is always so complex that one solution can’t stand alone. Racism is so acute and systemic that it demands serious efforts from all peoples of all races. The negative feelings and actions and hostility towards other groups have existed since the birth of the United States, when black slaves became part of the settlers on the New World in the American continent. It was when white superiority, originating from parts of Europe, was carried over and institutionalized in America.
Although in the 21st century, racism is often used for any form of hostility towards other groups for any reason, including gender, age, language, culture, and religion, skin color remains the most tangible and prominent element of group identity and struggles.
Even many people today are still convinced that differences in skin color are not only natural, but also permanent and cannot be bridged. For many non-black peoples, black people are demeaned, impure, wild, primitive, uncivilized, not fully human.
Science is often used to justify the dogma of racial superiority. Biological determinism, and racial Darwinism by Eugenics from England and later influential in America, believed the white or Caucasian race was nobler than blacks from Africa, and other colored skins, including the native and Asian peoples.
Modern racism takes various forms of practice, institutions, and socioeconomic structures that perpetuate differences in skin color, including legal products that perpetuate black slavery and racial injustice. Even until 1863, black people who were already independent could not become citizens. Only after the 14th Amendment to the Law of 1868, citizenship includes every person born in America.
But since the 1830s, legislation known as “Jim Crow laws” has been the longest standing product of racist law, restricting blacks to intermarriage marriages, interacting in the public sphere and electing leaders.At the same time, America is a country of paradox and struggles. She has also experienced an anti-colonial movement, the abolition of slavery, a civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s, with key figures such as Martin Luther King Jr., Malcom-X, and many mores. In the contemporary period, black figures in various public fields have also become prominent of anti-racist voices: Muhammad Ali, Oprah Winfrey, Barack Obama, Keith Ellison, and Ilhan Omar, to name just a few. Keith Ellison became the first Muslim senator, now the General Attorney in the Floyd’s court case. Families, and the wider community are waiting for justice and the legal process has begun.
But political participation is a must. Obama, for example, calls for blacks to be involved in politics, choosing politicians who voice justice. Among many, he has voiced criminal law reform, police officers, and called for changing the legal products that do not guarantee justice. Many have called that the acts of torture be abolished and if they do, they must be subject to severest punishment. Many politicians and activists seek support for electoral reform through the post office or online, without having to come to the ballot box because it is very difficult for many black peoples and other peoples of color to vote.
They have raised their voice for legal reform, to change rules that made it difficult for blacks and other disfranchised peoples, to have a place to live, to borrow funds, to get education, health, employment, and other public services.
The “Black Lives Matter” movement should continue to reverberate. Many protestors recalled the speech of Martin Luther King Jr. Citizens must judge people based on their character content rather than their skin color.
On campuses and the media, humanitarian solidarity is also voiced. Many black students on campuses have suffered tremendous trauma, while demanding justice and everyone’s solidarity. There is indeed training on pluralism and inclusion on US campuses and anti-discrimination rules. But this is not enough.
Many claim “I’m not racist,” but they could be racist. Or they are nonracist today, but racist tomorrow. Being nonracist is not enough. Many could pretend that when they do nothing.
A person can support racist policies through his actions or can be complicit in perpetuating racism by doing nothing at all to educate themselves and others. Being anti-racist means supporting any anti-racist policy through action. Nor does it stop voicing anti-racist thoughts.
There have been global reactions to the police brutality and racism in America. There are voices of anti-racism globally in their own regional and national contexts. There is much hope, especially among the young generation of all races, who are more open to change the course of history and feel more connected to the problem and eager to explore and work in lasting solutions.
The fire this time would not last. But the promises will last. We should fulfill our promises.
Every human being is equal and noble. We should not stop fighting for justice. Peace and fairness can’t be separated. To become fully human is to see others as equally and fully human.