America’s ugly truth rears its head again

Violent protests that have erupted across the US over the death of an unarmed black man George Floyd at the hands of a police officer in Minneapolis lay bare deep frustration over continuing racial inequality in the country. A video showing a police officer pressing down his knee on Floyd’s neck until life left his body, even as he pleaded that he was unable to breathe, has evoked massive outrage.

The police officer has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter, but protesters are demanding that he be charged with first-degree murder. However, the protests are not just about Floyd’s killing; that was just the trigger. Underlying the violent demonstrations sweeping across the US is pent up anger over systemic violence against blacks. Although affirmative action has reduced racial inequality to some extent, the situation of blacks with regard to income, housing and medical care lags far behind that of the whites.

Prejudice against blacks runs deep and negative stereotypes continue to define how people relate to them whether at school, the playground or the workplace. The criminal justice system continues to be heavily biased against blacks and the police, in particular, are known to use excessive force far more against blacks. That was on full display in the video on Floyd’s killing.

Demonstrations have flared across the US. In a bid to quell the protests, curfew has been imposed in at least 40 cities and the National Guard has been deployed. However, these measures have failed to calm the situation. While racial violence is the immediate trigger for the demonstrations, grievances over several issues, including the Trump administration’s insensitive handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, worsening unemployment situation and political polarisation ahead of presidential elections appear to be driving the protests, too.

Once again President Donald Trump has put on display his inept and insensitive leadership. Instead of calling for calm, he is tweeting inflammatory messages from the White House. His tweet, “when the looting starts, the shooting starts” invokes the racist prejudice and language of the 1960s.

By reiterating a comment made by a police chief at the height of the civil rights protests in 1967 to declare “war” against protesting blacks, Trump has underscored his own readiness to use extreme violence to stamp out the protests. He has threatened to use “ominous weapons” against the protesters. Trump could gain from the current mayhem. White nationalists and supremacists, his core support base, are reported to be out on the streets of US cities, provoking protesters with their violence. Their mobilisation will energise Trump supporters and boost his re-election chances.