Internal thoughts about Black Lives Matter in 2020

Racial profiling and police brutality has been a widespread issue for a long time. It's been talked about forever this is why I'm curious why it's just now getting the attention that it's supposed to have received decades ago. On the one hand I'm happy that it's finally being addressed but then I have my doubts. I have a feeling that some "protesters" are truly "protesting" for genuine reasons. That's what worries me about the protests. Will there be actual change? Or will this be just a moment to remember that had little significance in the way the government handles its affairs like Tienanmen Square.

I think we all knew that racial profiling and police brutality particularly against Black Americans has always been atrocious. We have songs, movies, TV shows and other mediums that have been letting us know this for years. For a while it was almost as if we've become desensitized to it because nobody has been doing anything about it.

The situation was so blatant that comedians make jokes about it and people don't even bat an eye when they laugh at the routines. We know that it's there and it's been in our faces for the longest time. Still nobody was saying anything or doing anything about it.

Here in Canada we have similar situations. As recent as July of 2016 a Black Canadian was beaten to death with reinforced gloves in broad daylight by the police. This happened in Canada's nation capital of Ottawa too. Still we didn't have large protests about this horrible injustice. Canadian's barely paid any attention to this. Canada doesn't publicize this of course but it has an overwhelming disproportionate amount of aboriginals in prison as well. So don't think racial profiling and police brutality is isolated to the United States.

Racial profiling and police brutality happens all over the world. Australia is actually very similar to Canada as they disproportionately imprison their aboriginals. There were riots in Paris France back in 2005 because the police there were overstepping their bounds when trying to arrest children of color. So I'm actually surprised the world is starting to protest together now.

Then I think about the global pandemic that we've been quarantined for. It's been probably 3 months that we've all been socially distancing from one another. This may be a catalyst to the reactions that we're seeing now. More people are able to absorb news information at home. Plus we're all connected with social media nowadays. It also helps that there is much unrest with all of us since we've all been isolating for so long. People have already been protesting about being quarantined for so long.

These are all a great melting pot for a big uprising. When we add mob mentality into the mix we have a perfect storm. It's great that the subject is being talked about but sometimes I question the true intentions of some of the so called "protesters". I believe a ton of people are genuine to the cause but there's always going to be people that are opportunists trying to do what's best for themselves.

We've seen this during the commencement of the quarantine. People would be buying toilet paper and other products so that they could profit. They created a lack of supply and were hoping for high demand so that they can make money. I think this might be the same case with the looting that has suddenly erupted during the riots. We have some opportunist individuals trying to profit off of serious situations. I guarantee the same people with the thoughts of buying and reselling toilet paper are trying to loot for profit as well. I know these individuals don't care but this will create a disastrous image for the movement.

The government will try to convince people that the protesters are violent and looting from hard working citizens. It should make us start questioning the violence and chaos that is starting to show up. When they took the video of George Floyd why did no one try to help him? Yes there were a group of police there but there is a group of police at these protests and these "protesters" aren't afraid to attack? This doesn't seem very consistent.

In fact I'm kind of miffed that no one did anything to help the man out. At least say something to the police instead of being a useless bystander. The situation happened in broad daylight. Why have the courage to say something only when there's a huge mob of people saying the same thing? We as humans should speak up when something is wrong. We should stop acting like sheep and start become leaders in what we believe in.

I'm glad that there's some noise about the injustices as a result of police brutality and racial profiling but we already forgot similar situations in the past. There are so many that have been in the news headlines such as Sandra Bland, Tamir Rice, Philando Castile, Michael Brown, Freddie Gray and the list goes on and on. Still all this news fell on deaf ears.

Black Americans are fighting for equal opportunity in their everyday lives. They've grown up knowing that people have negative attitudes toward them. Non-Black Americans are raised to disregard Black Americans by ignoring the issues that affect them everyday. After generations of this perspective being passed down from generation to generation we create a disenfranchised group of people.

The same thing goes for a ton of different countries. Canada does the same things to minorities, particularly their aboriginals population. You'll see a lot of this in colonized countries. The British do it to many of the races that they had colonized over the years like India. You even still hear about racist chants being made at soccer games all over Europe to this day.

I truly hope that this movement will help the situations all over the world much like the Me Too movement helped make us more aware of sexual assault. It would be a crime if this became a fad that people just fell into like an ice bucket challenge. I have high hopes though. If people are willing to go head to head with authorities despite a quarantine to make a point then there has to be hope. That's all we can really ask for.