Oppression is the systemic and institutional abuse of power by one group at the expense of others and the use of force to maintain that dynamic. Racial oppression is a kind of disease and must be cured. A global crisis such as COVID 19 has been labelled a pandemic but what about the racial oppression that is slowly killing many. George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was killed during an arrest in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 25, 2020 for allegedly using a counterfeit bill. On 17 July 2014, Eric Garner died in Staten Island’s New York City borough after being put in a chokehold by Daniel Pantaleo, a New York City Police Department (NYPD) cop, as he was being arrested. On March 13, 2020, Louisville Metro Police Department officers fatally shot Breonna Taylor, an African-American emergency medical technician aged 26. These incidents have made people conscious of the deep-seated problem of how people of colour are treated. This problem can be solved by educating the Law enforcement agencies. Labour practices in the United States Of America should change. In order for racist beliefs to be eradicated education needs to start at the school level.
The excessive focus of police officers on people of colour means they are being unfairly picked, arrested, prosecuted, and ultimately imprisoned. More than a third of the United States law enforcement agencies lack any policy on racial profiling. The government should adopt and implement all appropriate standards, guidelines, policies, and strict directives to address and end racial profiling in law enforcement. The officers should be educated on how to approach individuals of all races. Race data should be collected and analyzed so as to identify and reduce any racial profiling. Workshops on racial sensitivity should be a mandatory part of police training. Only if this happens then the citizens will feel truly protected and safe.
“Stop trying to fix people to fight racism. Fix the system that promotes racism.”
Systemic racism damages lives, restricts access and the ability to make a contribution to society. It is detrimental to the ethical culture that we aspire and seek to build. When people of one part of the society scoop all the awards, it reinforces the message that people of other cultures are just not good enough. Tweeting support for black people’s rights is a nice gesture, but there are much more effective actions companies serious about this fight can take. Public advocacy is crucial. It is essential to speak up to the racial discrimination in the labour market. It can be solved by increasing punitive monetary fines against discriminatory employers and increasing funding and enforcement power for the under-resourced U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in order to more effectively enforce the anti-discrimination laws already on the books. People of colour are paid 13% less than white men; black women are paid 39% less than white men and 21% less than white women. Under the fair pay act which made amendments to Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to prohibit discrimination in the payment of wages on account of sex, race, or national origin. If companies discriminate in paying daily wages, class action lawsuits should be filed against it.
“In a gentle way, you can shake the world.”
Educating individuals about race should start at a very early age. The elementary school students should be exposed to the history and culture of their nation. The curriculum at the elementary level should include engaging lessons regarding race and diversity to help them develop the following characteristics: tolerance, empathy, kindness, relationship skills, critical thinking, compassion, a sense of justice and perspective-taking. This education should continue through middle school, high school and university. This will equip the next generation to be more tolerant and accept diversity. The enlightened generation will build a workspace that is inclusive and provide opportunities to individuals objectively based on their merit without it being tainted by racism.
Tackling the issue of racism on several fronts will allow us to take steps to create a significant change. Acknowledging the reality of racial profiling and its effect on an Individual and working towards community well-being and trust in the law enforcement agencies would ultimately snowball into a mindset shift and acceptance of all races. Exposing children and young adults to the topic of the race will ensure a better world for tomorrow. Making systemic changes in the workplace will warrant greater diversity in different companies. These steps might feel drastic now but the effects will ripple throughout humanity creating an inclusive world.