The Black Lives Matter Movement: Why It Matters!

For almost 2 weeks, the streets of America have been filled with protestors enraged over the murder of George Floyd, a black man who was killed by the cops in cold blood in broad daylight on May 25, 2020. Derek Chauvin, a former police officer in Minneapolis, mercilessly murdered Floyd by pressing his knee onto his neck for 8 whole minutes — cutting off the air supply to his brain — as the man pleaded for his life yelling “I can’t breathe”.

This incident of police brutality sparked nationwide protests and also had citizens of other countries peacefully protesting in a show of solidarity. The death of George Floyd is not an isolated incident as acts of racism in law enforcement are nothing new — in July 2014, Eric Garner’s final words as he was choked to death by an officer in an eerily similar incident were also “I can’t breathe”. The officer responsible was never charged with homicide and was only fired from the force five years later.

It is alarming and saddening to see that systematic racism is so prevalent even in the year 2020, but it is amazing to see how much the world unites to make change happen.

Why the BLM movement should matter to Indians:

The Black Lives Matter movement and Floyd’s death has prompted dialogue around the world regarding police discrimination and racism in their own communities — and it is a conversation that Indians cannot hold themselves exempt from anymore.

Too many people from marginalised communities have died at the hands of the police, be it the recent cases of violence in Delhi where police rained down blows on people as the mobs went on a rampage or the unnecessary violence they used on migrants to enforce lockdown.

Actor Abhay Deol highlighted some of the issues that we need to handle at home, however, the Black Lives Matter movement had a role in making his response even more hard-hitting and that’s why we believe that we must support any movement that is against any kind of discrimination.

India’s love for light skin is also no secret — our movies, magazines and every other form of media echoes a westernised concept of beauty.

Why do Indians hate their own color? Colonialism has caused us to associate fair skin with power, desirability and success, and embrace the contempt for our natural brown skin. Acts of racism have become a normal part of our lives, ranging from nonchalant remarks by elderly aunties such as, “She’s lucky he married her despite her dark complexion” to violent hate crime against foreign residents.

We must acknowledge that we are being complicit in reinforcing systems of oppression that harm our own people. It is not enough to be not racist, it is important that we are actively anti-racist.

What celebrities and world leaders had to say:

Following the incident, many celebrities and politicians around the world spoke up in support of the protestors and condemned violence and oppression against black people.

On the other hand, there were some responses from celebrities that were… not well received.

This is where the problem arises: the issue of widespread racism and colorism in our own country that goes wholly unacknowledged. Indian celebrities who readily spoke up against racism in the west are being called out for being hypocrites — and rightfully so.

It is obvious to see which support is genuine and which is done to score points with the public or used as an aesthetic to promote themselves. These are the same celebrities who endorse the use of fairness creams which help perpetuate harmful standards of beauty, and also the ones who are entirely silent regarding the discrimination back home.

How you can help?

Racism and colorism is a problem that’s prevalent everywhere. It’s important to use your voice to make a change. One act of kindness from Indian-American Rahul Dubey tells us that it’s all about opening a door – of your house, your heart and just let people in irrespective of their caste, creed or colour.

“They were running for their lives, so you open the door”

For those living in areas of protest right now and who wish to fight against any kind of inequality and injustice, there are various ways in which you can help such as providing food, water and shelter to protestors.
Indian-American Rahul Dubey of Swann Street, D.C. saw protestors being cornered by the police, getting pepper-sprayed and arrested… and proceeded to open his house to over 70 protestors overnight.

Dubey has since been hailed as a local hero and a good Samaritan. “I just opened a door. What they did was special. There’s nothing special about what I did,” he told the Washington Post. Rahul showed that all it takes is to open a door… of your home and your heart.

You too can help by…

Signing petitions

The official petition demanding justice for George Floyd is also the largest Change.org US petition of all time, with 15 million signatures and counting! Is yours one of them? If not, it’s time to take action and contribute by signing some.

Donating to fundraisers

If you have any money to spare, please consider supporting a good cause by donating it. Remember, every rupee counts!

Educating yourself and spreading awareness

As they say, education begins at home. One of the easiest ways to help is by sharing the news and spreading awareness on your social media accounts and with your friends and family. Although it could be an ‘uncomfortable’ conversation, it is undoubtedly a necessary one. Reading up on black history is a good way to start understanding the situation better.

The Black Lives Matter movement is not a trend, nor something fleeting. It is a revolution that is creating change that will be written and studied in history books in the future. The fight will not end until a demonstrable, quantifiable change is seen in the judicial system in America. New laws and new consequences have to be implemented for those who abuse their power. And most importantly, every single person should have the freedom to live without the fear of being discriminated against for the color of their skin.