This is Not a Struggle Black Americans Face Alone

By Anonymous / Spring 2021

A peaceful protest filled with thousands of cars and even more people. Frustration, passion and unity all at once. Cries for those who were lost to injustice and chants demanding justice for generations to come. Names of victims written on cars and flags of the raised fist floating along the road. A united group of people all calling out what is wrong in the United States. A force so unstoppable yet so vulnerable. The Black Lives Matter socially-distanced car march in my home of San Diego was a truly remarkable experience. Centuries of tension and protests like the one I attended all to get rid of a thing that still remains. When the video of the murder of George Floyd spread around the nation and the world I could not believe my eyes what I was watching. A man so helplessly under the knee of not only a person, but a system that would end up killing him. Some of my thoughts were that what if that was a white man? Would he be under Chauvin’s knee? Would Chauvin have restrained a white man down like that? Would those cops standing next to Chauvin have listened to the man that he could not breath? All of these hypotheticals and no certain answer. However, sometimes a gut feeling is right. I know that not only in George Floyd’s murder but in hundreds of others that things would have been handled differently. Less harsh, more reasonable and no death. It is frustrating and heartbreaking to see Black Americans die at the hands of police trained to keep communities safe. However, police are not the root of the problem. Police brutality towards Black Americans is just a small part of a bigger problem.

The problem of many people is not seeing there are any. Accepting that the country we live in is unarguably equal when the very foundation of our country is anything but that. These inequalities hide in our subconscious but fail to surface in the forefront of our minds. The inequalities appear when we do not consider all of the questions we should. For example, when the riots for the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020 occurred many people did not consider the differences of the groups present and what their intentions were. In a video of Kimberly Jones speaking on this issue, she said what bothered her was with people asking the what but not the why (How Can We Win). I completely agree with her stance. We must take a step back and look at the grander scheme of things rather than focus on one little perspective of the problem. In looking at the bigger picture, we can see the root of the problem and potentially a solution. Her specific example was about the looters and how most people ask what they are stealing which only perpetuates the problem and not why they were stealing. This was a sensitive spot about the protests because businesses were destroyed and items stolen. I do not agree with destroying buildings and stealing but I can see where these rioters and looters are coming from. They are angry at a nation who does not fix the broken and unequal system while there are reasons behind the looting like a wealth gap and how it causes food, clothing and housing insecurity. Even though it is a hard pill for many to swallow and difficult to ask questions beyond what they are looting, asking why is an essential question in identifying the real problem. If we had an equal and fair nation then there would possibly not be the destroying and looting of businesses. It is important to analyze these events from all viewpoints to actually form an opinion and work towards a solution. Jones’ perspective on this is very wise and I think everyone should take at least that advice away from her extraordinary speech.

Discussing the importance of considering more perspectives in identifying problems and solutions is vital, now let’s apply that as we take a look at the graphic and tragic reality of inequality in America through the video of Geroge Floyd’s murder. We cannot get any clearer evidence of how unjust Floyd was treated than a video. In other cases like that of Breonna Taylor, there is not much hope of a well-rounded story because there is no video evidence. There is an unjustifiable death; however, and that should be enough to know that there is something wrong. These violent confrontations with police scratch the surface of what is wrong with our nation. There is a deeper story to the inequality we see more commonly every day. It goes back to dominant ideologies that have allowed racism to persist in our country today. Remnants of these ideologies remain and appear in how the nation runs. Systemic racism is a problem that persists through our law and how it is implemented in our country. The problem with systemic racism is that our society is constructed on these ideals so it can be difficult for someone to realize it is wrong unless they are the people the construct is negatively affecting. Education of history on these constructed systems is essential in realizing that we still live in one. The more understanding people gain, the more people that will fight for justice in this unequal system. The less ignorant people are of systemic racism, the more hope there will be for black people who constantly deal with living in a systemically racist nation. After education of the problems, solidarity is the single thing that will help solve systemic racism in America. Through signs of solidarity like in the Black Lives Matter movement, these problems will come to an edge and with that systemic change.

To uncover the origin of these systemic inequalities, we must look at our nation's past. The United States is a place where all men are equal, per the Constitution. A Constitution made by powerful white men who owned slaves. These same powerful white men who believed when they wrote equal in their constitution, that they actually meant their word. Contradiction litters our history of a so-called equal America. How can we expect a nation created by men with racism ingrained in their lives to create a systemically just foundation? The answer is we cannot. Even with amended laws and new leaders, racism has slipped through the cracks and still finds a way to influence citizens today. The racism in our laws has evolved to seem more hidden at the surface but if we take a deeper look it still so clearly exists. Just as the Jim Crow laws were seen as normal to the majority of Americans, the systemic racism in our laws are also seen as normal and accepted.

Looking beyond the surface is the only way to learn more about systemic racism so let us consider the even deeper story behind this problem. We will begin with inequality and where this stems from. Dating back thousands of years to when the first slave was brought to the United States, white supremicist ideologies tainted the nation. They were brought here to be slaves to the textile and agricultural industry. The slaves’ first chance at owning land was under a legislative act called “40 acres and a mule”. Even this little taste of freedom was ripped away when President Johnson pardoned the planters (Tell Linkum Dat We Wants Land). Landowners wanted to keep black folk as second class citizens who owned no land of their own and at the mercy of the white landowners. There was already a sense of superiority both in race and class that white landowners felt over black people and that dangerous idea grew into something far worse than we could have imagined. The rise of the Klu Klux Klan during the 1860’s Reconstruction period was a frightening reality Black Americans had to face in the midst of slowly gaining more equal rights. This racist group was created by radical Republican party members who did not agree with President Johnson’s Reconstruction policies (Klu Klux Klan). Their activity shot up again in the 1960’s during the Civil Rights movement and remnants of the Klu Klux Klan still exist today. These white supremicist ideologies have influenced class hierarchy throughout the nation’s history and they continue to every day. Not only have they influenced class hierarchy, they influence the people in power who create the laws.

From these laws came segregation and separation. Segregation was enforced systemically through government and legislation like the Jim Crow laws. It is so hypocritical that legislators coined the term separate but equal to get laws like them to pass because the separate facilities were far from equal. White facilities such as schools had so much more money put into them than those for Black Americans. Another way to keep the races separate was through the redlining of city maps. The areas determined which homes would qualify for federal mortgage insurance and ultimately what races could live in which neighborhoods (Redlining's Mark On San Diego). Hundreds of thousands of singleton family homes in suburbs were built with the condition that Black Americans could not live there. These maps were not determined by private practices or prejudice, they were created by the Home Owners Loan Corporation. This is the federal government still racially segregating but through more hidden ways in the law. We see here how even though we have a government based on a Constitution stating to treat all people equal that we are being denied that equality. Specifically in San Diego, there is a map of the redlined county showing certain parts red where there is a high concentration of Black Americans and lower income homes. Then there are the blue and green areas closer to La Jolla that house nearly all white folk and are well kept homes. The harsh reality is that these poverty and race concentrations have hardly changed. The redlining that was done almost a century ago determined where lower income and mostly colored people would live for years to come. Another thing to think about is that has the redlining changed? No. So San Diego still has these redlining maps in place that were created with segregated intentions and are systemically racist.

It is not just San Diego, this type of ingrained racism through the redlining of maps happened all over the country and is still affecting Black Americans today. Not only have laws created systemic racism, there is a popularized ideology among Americans that plays a key part in it too.

This ideology is neoliberalism. Tax cuts, deregulation and holes in the social safety net characterize the ideology. Neoliberalism is detrimental because it dehumanizes the nation and makes relationships all about competition and money. Our country runs on neoliberal policies and uses neoliberal views to make decisions so the poor and lower income are horribly affected by the rips in the social safety net (Neoliberalism...). Instead of funding the social safety net, there was an emphasis on policing and fighting the drug wars in the lower income neighborhoods. The movie 13th gives insight into these drug wars and how mass incarceration has become such a large problem, especially among Black Americans. The population of prison encompasses 40.2% black men when they only make up 6.5% of the total United States population (13th) . The disparity between the two percentages is so great that it does not make any logical sense. However if we look closer we can see why this happens. There is over policing of low income neighborhoods that are now criminalized and funneled into prisons. Something immensely concerning is the state of prisoners rights. They do not have any. Prisoners are the modern day slaves and it is just under the facade of a system enforcing its laws. Has slavery managed to slip past our very eyes for this long? Because it seems so. It is hard not to look at the statistics and see some connection with who we are putting in jail and for how long, etc. Even though there are no specific laws enforcing racism, the way our police target specific neighborhoods and carry out mass incarnation perpetuates systemic racism.

Solving the depths of systemic racism runs us into many obstacles but there are ways to overcome them. Firstly, we need to fix the way people think about problems. The initial thought is always what and not why. We need to open peoples’ minds to the perspectives of others in the situation so that we can all gain a better understanding of what is actually happening. A large obstacle is that people forget history or were misled when they were learning it. We need to fix this by educating the public on history like the blatant contradictions in our Constitution, how Black Americans were treated during Reconstruction and the Civil Rights Movement as well as the white supremacist groups that plague our nation. The racist groups consist of people who are angry for where they are in the social system and are just trying to find a scapegoat. Nothing behind their ideology is factually nor morally right. I believe this history along with understanding the hardships Black Americans have faced during the centuries passed is the key to unlocking a new level of understanding in systemic racism. The wealth distribution is a beast of its own and is yet another large obstacle we face. In order to aid this problem our nation needs to shift away from neoliberal ideologies and focus more on how to undo the damage through legislation and mindset. Another obstacle that needs to be fixed through legislation is the redlining of county maps. We need to give the lower income locations a fair and fresh start by not outlining them in red and telling the banks that the people living there cannot get insurance, etc. Finally, the drug war and mass incarceration obstacle must be tamed and put to rest. To do so we must not over-police and criminalize low income neighborhoods. We put too many police in places where they do not belong and all to fight a fight that does not need to be fought. The war on drugs increased prisoners exponentially and especially for Black Americans.

There are so many effective solutions to this problem. Some require the might of the nation while others I feel like I can individually contribute. One of the most essential actions is to build a better social safety net. With neoliberalism policies and thousands falling into poverty everyday, a better social safety net is the lowest standard we should have for a nation as wealthy as us. This will save so many of the Black Americans that slip through the cracks and face poverty on top of feeling the effects of a systemically racist institution. We need to invest in the education and health of Black Americans because so commonly they are the ones in lower income neighborhoods needing some aid to get back on two feet. A better social safety net would also help reform the police system and provide social services as branches of the emergency phone line. These social workers would help immensely for situations where force of cops are not necessary and would decrease deaths from police brutality. Something that we can all do to help solve systemic racism is participate in protests like that of the Black Lives Matter movement. Standing in solidarity with hundreds of thousands others who want the same justice as you is more powerful than any force. Another place that I could help out in is the data side of this problem. Statistics are crucial in making logical decisions and coming to reasonable answers. I found that while watching 13th that their statistics and data on different incarceration rates and ratios between Black men in jail and Black men in America were so convincing in the argument of Black men being at the forefront of mass incarceration. With my studies in statistics I know I can contribute to gathering and presenting data to prove that systemic racism is a tangible issue.

As I have said, I was moved by the video of George Floyd’s death. It was the tip of the iceberg that motivated me to dig deeper into this country’s issues and participate in protests like the Black Lives Matter car march that would change my perspective forever. We can and should all be inspired to do such research and learn the truth of Black Americans’ history and try to understand the unequal system they face everyday. This is not a struggle Black Americans face alone. We all see the inequality they endure and know through history and present that systemic racism is an ongoing issue. We must never stop fighting for a just system until it is just for everyone. We cannot be complacent with human rights issues any longer. Everyone must feel valued and in turn more will prosper. A truly systemically equal America will be the best America.

Works Cited

Ava Duvernay, and Jason Moran. 13TH . USA, 2016.

Cavanaugh, Maureen, et al. “Redlining's Mark On San Diego Persists 50 Years After Housing Protections.” KPBS Public Media, KPBS, 5 Apr. 2018.

“Neoliberalism – the Ideology at the Root of All Our Problems.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 15 Apr. 2016.

History.com Editors. “Ku Klux Klan.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 29 Oct. 2009.

Takaki, Ronald T. A Different Mirror. Little, Brown & Company, 2008.

“How Can We Win.” YouTube, YouTube, 1 June 2020.