Our society is in the midst of one of the largest social movements of our time currently and all while we are in the middle of a pandemic. The death of George Floyd by the hands of the Minneapolis Police department has lit a fire on an already shaky situation. Most of you, if not all, have seen the video now and heard the last words of George Floyd as life slipped away from him. I for one was shocked and at a loss for words. It took time to process this and find the words to even write.
Long time building
Unfortunately, it’s not the first time the police have killed someone and probably wont be the last. There are too many names to list but each one of these lives lost were the building blocks to this larger issue. The issue of systemic racism and just general hate that North America has seemed to hold on to for generations. Our country was built on the theft of land and genocide of the Indigenous peoples and then built by the slavery and oppression of the Africans.
George Floyds death has sparked outrage and protests across the country. It has been reported that there was some form of demonstration in 50 states as well as across the world. All of these are a signal that the people want change and equality which is grossly needed. If you have been watching social media or the news you can see more and more. There is need for change. I will say this, for every bad cop you will find 10 good ones, so I don’t want to put a black mark on all law enforcement. What needs to change is the gross negligence of officers like pushing over elderly men, shooting tear gas directly at crowds hitting them vs shooting at their feet and even firing rubber bullets directly at people’s heads causing major bodily harm. Even reporters are being assaulted and arrested, having their equipment smashed.
Ottawa Support
This is the type of stuff that needs to be stopped. This past week Ottawa held a protest/march supporting the BlackLivesMatter movement. I wasn’t personally able to attend but some of our team were there to show support. The march was a cry to demand equality and accountability from those in power and those who protect us. I will never understand what it’s like to be a Black man, but I do empathize with them. Even our own prime minister Justin Trudeau took a knee in solidarity
We may not be facing the same crisis level in Canada that the US is, but we certainly are not angels. Canada is fighting a battle for the indigenous peoples right now. As an indigenous person I understand how important these battles are and we at Hidden Beats support the BlackLivesMatter movement. People should take the time to educate themselves. Understand how all these issues started and how they are still happening to many people today. We are all human beings and should at very least be shown the same level of decency as a human.
Support the issues, support your Indigenous and your Black neighbours. We are humans so let’s start treating each other like one. BlackLivesMatter
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