OP EDITORIAL
HARLEM COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS
COMMENTARY: When the Protesting Ends – Do You Just Go Home? By Roger Caldwell, NNPA Newswire Contributor here is a ground swell in
T
For the last 400 years in Ameri-
ty, wealth, and income. Instead of
America, and for 13 days
ca, Black people have been consid-
looking at it as a payment, look at it
there have been multiracial
ered second-class citizens because
as an investment in 40 million Af-
protests and demonstrations based
of the color of our skin. Many White
on the killing of George Floyd by
Americans will forget about slavery,
from around the world are protest-
treatment and equal opportunity,”
four Minnesota police. There have
lynching, Jim Crow laws, Civil
ing and demonstrating for human
says Billionaire Bob Johnson.
been many different videos of the
Rights, KKK, Massacring Black
rights for Black people. The tragedy
The protest can no longer just
killing, with Mr. Floyd handcuffed
Towns, and separate but unequal. of George Floyd’s death is changing
be a demonstration, but it must be
and policeman Derek Chauvin
Too many White Americans think
holding his knee on his neck until
racism does not exist. They are tired
For the last 400 years, White
mental change on every level in the
he died. It lasted for 8 minutes and
of Black people using the race card,
privilege and White Superiority
society starting with justice, edu-
46 seconds while the crowd and
and why can’t we just get along?
have looted, assaulted, brutalized,
cation, housing, economics, and
A physical, spiritual and meta-
and committed genocide against
healthcare. Dismantling a racist
It is obvious that the police
physical transformation took place
the Black community. It is now
and corrupt law enforcement sys-
operated and acted with impunity,
on May 25, 2020, in the murder
time to talk about our human and
tem across the nation will be diffi-
and somewhere they forget their
of George Floyd, which changed
constitutional rights as Americans,
cult, but it must take place from the
job was to protect and serve. Not
America and the world forever. This
and why the contract we made with
top to the bottom.
only did they not remember the
murder illuminated and crystallized
the country came back with insuf-
The day of reckoning is upon
oath they took, but they thought
a need for action based on brutality
ficient funds. Because of the color
America, and justice is calling out
they were above the law. Instead
and violence of the military/police
of our skin, and the mistreatment
its name in all races, ages, genders,
of being driven by law and justice,
state. The power of White privilege,
of the Black community, it is time
color of one’s skin, and all human
they disrespected their shield and
and White Superiority was exposed,
for “Reparations” to Black people
beings. The police must be able
the job.
and enough is enough.
in America.
to right the wrongs and build trust
Harlem Community Newspapers | June 18. 2020
Mr. Floyd begged for his life.
6
Americans in terms of opportuni-
rican Americans who deserve equal
America — and the world.
a movement that demands funda-
Two of the policemen had
Over the most recent 35 years,
BET founder Bob Johnson has
in all communities. America will
only been on the job for 4 days,
more than 300, 000 Black men
unveiled a $14.7 trillion repara-
continue to be two separate and un-
and the head trainer was teaching
and women have been assaulted,
tions payment plan, which he calls
equal societies without reparations,
everything that is wrong with the
brutalized, and violently killed by
an investment for 200 plus years
equal protection, and opportunity
system, and the image of policing
the police. There has been a lot of
of slavery, segregation, Jim Crow-
under the law.
as compliant with violence. The
talking, but have the fundamentals
ism, and denial of opportunity
It is time to reform America
root problem of policing is brutal-
really changed?
rights. “The leaders and taxpayers
from the top to the bottom and
ity, force, and violence, and when
Many believe that something
should pay for two reasons: one as
build trauma and peace circles to
a Black man is killed with 20 to 40
is different this time, with the back-
an atonement for America’s sins,
facilitate sustainable change. The
rounds of bullets, the person is not
drop of COVID-19, and Black
and two the payment would bring
work is just beginning, when the
considered human.
Lives Matter. Millions of people
African Americans equal to White
protest ends.
Vol. 25, No 25 June 18, 2020
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