Natalie Strecker

What happened to George Floyd is an unspeakable act of racially motivated brutality, but I am not going to repeat the ins and outs of the act of murder perpetrated by, Derek Chauvin, nor that it was one of countless acts of violence committed with impunity by those allegedly tasked with protecting communities, not just in the US but also in the UK. Nor how the history of violence against people of colour has lasted centuries and is the result of the deliberate dehumanisation by the European elite so we as ordinary people would accept the brutal oppression of slaves and indigenous peoples. This dehumanisation is not just a historical issue, it continues today with the messages that are sent out in the media, in movies, on posters. We have drilled into us day after day the message that black people are more violent, more likely to commit crime, to take drugs etc. etc. regardless of what the statistical evidence shows us. We are encouraged to turn a blind eye to the endemic, institutional racism and to blame the black communities for any social issues that have arisen because of this racism.

Now I want to mention something that triggers a lot of people, I am going to be honest and put my hands up and admit that as a female from a working class family, who found herself in Jersey’s Care System that it triggered me when I first heard it. It is the subject of white privilege, and yes, for us that are white it is uncomfortable to acknowledge it, however, if we are truly honest with ourselves, so it ought to, but as with any irritant it can drive positive action.

Now white privilege does not mean we do, or did not have barriers, what it means is that colour was not one of them. It is not one of the things we need worry about when we have to call the police, are at school, are applying for a job and if we find ourselves in the criminal justice system. It also does not mean that the system does not also actively work against us as working people, we know we have an economic system that has been deliberately designed by the 1% to pit ourselves against each other and endangers the wellbeing of each and every one of us.

It is not our fault as ordinary white people that we were born white, nor are we responsible for the original construction of the system, but that fact does not mean we are absolved of the obligation to proactively oppose it. We need to take to heart that the issue of colour is an issue in our community as white people, not of the black community. It is institutions and individuals within our communities that have a problem with the colour of somebody else’s skin. We need to understand that not being racist is simply not enough, we must be proactively anti-racist and thus we must call out racism, even when demonstrated by our family and friends each and every time we see it. It means we take time to educate ourselves on the history of colonialism and its impact on other nations and peoples. We must proactively do these things as adults, because unfortunately our education system fails us in this regard and thus perpetuates the myth of white superiority.

It also means that we do not give people a free pass when they try to change the subject from the murder of a black man, to “looting is bad”, because if we feel that the looting of a small minority of downtrodden people is more of an issue than the murder of another unarmed black civilian, then we are part of the problem and if people really have an issue with looting, then they are going to be mad as hell when they find out how the treasures in the British Museum were acquired!

We need to understand the full context of what is happening at this moment in history and because of Trump’s response, the implications now if the protesters fail in their demands for justice and equality.

The signs of our descent as an international community into fascism are very visible if you are paying attention, history is knocking at our door, the alarm bells are ringing friends, will we hear them?! We have a choice now, so let us use that choice to envision and then proactively work towards a new, kinder system built on equality and justice that will benefit us all.

Will we hear the call and join our voices with black and indigenous communities around the world and say no justice, no peace! So, I say from the United States to Palestine, From Yemen to Kashmir, Black Lives Matter!

*This speech has been condensed for print. Natalie's full speech can be found online at www.mannermagazine.co.uk

Owen Bizouarn

In New York City, 88% of police stop and searches in 2018 involved black people. 70% of those searches involving black individuals were proven to have been unnecessary with no evidence of a crime being committed. This is a clear example of racial profiling. When black people are convicted of a crime, they are 20% more likely to be sentenced to jail time and typically see sentences 20% longer than their white counterparts, for similar offences. We also know that having a felony conviction means, in many states in America, that you lose your right to vote, further entrenching inequality.

Through these two examples you can understand and see the racial disparities and discriminations. Although these statistics are not based in Jersey, they are clear examples of racial discrimination that exist today. This same racism is experienced in Jersey. What we are seeing here is a constant dehumanising of black people and we need to understand what that means, what history tells us it means. When you dehumanise a person, you can justify any crime, action and words placed upon them because they are not ‘human’, and they are not the same as you.

I think it is necessary for all of us to consider and try our best to empathise on how we might experience life in the shoes of those that have been oppressed. To believe that racism is not prevalent in today’s world is to ignore and deny clear and obvious disparities alongside the accounts, reports and videos we can observe on a day to day basis. We must add to the voice which speaks out against injustice, white supremacy and any kind of ideologies that put others in an inferior and oppressed position. Any form of racism is a threat to not only this world but to the world we are leaving behind for generations to follow.

To be silent is to accept this. We mustn't shy away from sensitive issues and ignore uncomfortable truths. When we look back at history and see examples of revolutionary acts, we're reminded that we have a voice, we have the potential and the power when we are united to protest and enforce positive change in the light of racial discrimination.

We must also remember that in the world we live in today which manifests silence through fear and hate through division. love is one of the greatest forms of resistance. and in times like these we must wage beauty. we must find ways to love ourselves and to love our neighbours. For those of you wondering, 'well what can I do?' I think

Angela Davis said it best, ‘you have to act as if it were possible to radically transform the world’. And, you must do it all the time. We are all human beings and we all deserve the right to live in peace and harmony.

Sam Mezec

We live in dark times. Whilst the world is engulfed by a deadly pandemic which brings hardship and anxiety on so many, on top of that we also face the horror of what seems like a growing tide of racism, bigotry, Islamophobia, anti-semitism and homophobia, often incited by cowardly politicians and their paymasters in the media and big business, who exploit these divisions for their own self-interest. But we must always remember that we are many and they are few.

The power is in our hands to fight for a fairer society for us all to enjoy, no matter what our background is. Even though we have plenty to feel angry about, I ask you instead to feel determined and inspired.

There are still injustices here we need to tackle. We still have to do more to tackle racism, sexism and homophobia. But crucially we must accept that our freedom from the injustices of racism and prejudice are incomplete with our freedom from economic injustice. Our growing gap between the rich and poor must be addressed as a priority alongside these other injustices.

So I urge you to stay inspired, stay involved, get organised and whilst showing our solidarity with others around the world, make sure you play your part in securing a fairer society here, and I promise you on behalf of Reform Jersey, we will be alongside you every single step of the way.

I want to end with a quote which I hope sums up our sense of optimism though we face these dark times. It is a quote from Martin Luther King Jr, who said “let us all hope that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away, and that in some not too distant tomorrow the radian stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great national with all their scintillating beauty”.