The Killing of George Floyd, African-American Resident of Minneapolis, by White Police Officer on May 26, 2020
The Center for Social-Emotional Learning is deeply concerned and very saddened by the total disregard that the manner of George Foster’s death shows toward him and for all other African-Americans in our country.
This terrible incident reveals once again how much white racism toward people of color, especially Blacks, is rooted in too many people’s minds and actions in our culture. It is a disease that desperately needs to be treated and eradicated. Another simple bandaid will not do! It is a disease that hurts every one of us, not just the targets of this prejudice!
To succeed in creating a country that respects and provides equal opportunities and protections for each citizen, we must each look inside ourselves at our own attitudes and biases toward others; for white people, this means people of color. Much of this has been developed unconsciously but it needs focused conscious attention to reverse it.
It is especially destructive when people in power, like police officers, use that power in a very biased, prejudiced way. Many cities have held bias awareness and prejudice reduction programs to educate their police and their broader communities but, unless it is done in an ongoing, dedicated way, the changes that start to occur are not built upon and made a permanent part of the culture of that city.
Until our society creates an economy that permits every person to make an adequate living and obtain an education that allows that person to develop their talents to the fullest, it will be harder to change white attitudes toward people of color. This also needs our long-term attention.
In Minneapolis, there have been eleven similar incidents in the last ten years. That should have been enough evidence that major action needed to be undertaken. And a lot of other cities and areas around the country have experienced similar atrocities. How long can we expect a Black person to tolerate this violence without wanting an outlet for the intolerable and ongoing hurt to their psyche? Martin Luther King, Jr. said that “a riot is the language of the unheard.” We need to hear what people of color have to tell us, understand what they have and are still enduring, and make changes that will provide them with the same opportunities that have benefitted Whites for so long.
Can you imagine the kind of fear a Black man in particular must have to endure each time he leaves his home – or even stays in his home? Can you imagine the kind of tension and dread an African-American parent must experience when one of their children leaves the relative safety of their home? Do you think this is partly why high blood pressure is a problem for many African-Americans?
If we truly want to create a society that is respectful and supportive of each citizen, it is imperative that we face this extremely distressing and unending problem in our nation! Not only will it make each of us healthier, it will allow our society to bloom and flourish. If we value each citizen, we can grow a village that nurtures each of us. All of our gifts used together can help our nation become the best it can be.
This terrible incident reveals once again how much white racism toward people of color, especially Blacks, is rooted in too many people’s minds and actions in our culture. It is a disease that desperately needs to be treated and eradicated. Another simple bandaid will not do! It is a disease that hurts every one of us, not just the targets of this prejudice!
To succeed in creating a country that respects and provides equal opportunities and protections for each citizen, we must each look inside ourselves at our own attitudes and biases toward others; for white people, this means people of color. Much of this has been developed unconsciously but it needs focused conscious attention to reverse it.
It is especially destructive when people in power, like police officers, use that power in a very biased, prejudiced way. Many cities have held bias awareness and prejudice reduction programs to educate their police and their broader communities but, unless it is done in an ongoing, dedicated way, the changes that start to occur are not built upon and made a permanent part of the culture of that city.
Until our society creates an economy that permits every person to make an adequate living and obtain an education that allows that person to develop their talents to the fullest, it will be harder to change white attitudes toward people of color. This also needs our long-term attention.
In Minneapolis, there have been eleven similar incidents in the last ten years. That should have been enough evidence that major action needed to be undertaken. And a lot of other cities and areas around the country have experienced similar atrocities. How long can we expect a Black person to tolerate this violence without wanting an outlet for the intolerable and ongoing hurt to their psyche? Martin Luther King, Jr. said that “a riot is the language of the unheard.” We need to hear what people of color have to tell us, understand what they have and are still enduring, and make changes that will provide them with the same opportunities that have benefitted Whites for so long.
Can you imagine the kind of fear a Black man in particular must have to endure each time he leaves his home – or even stays in his home? Can you imagine the kind of tension and dread an African-American parent must experience when one of their children leaves the relative safety of their home? Do you think this is partly why high blood pressure is a problem for many African-Americans?
If we truly want to create a society that is respectful and supportive of each citizen, it is imperative that we face this extremely distressing and unending problem in our nation! Not only will it make each of us healthier, it will allow our society to bloom and flourish. If we value each citizen, we can grow a village that nurtures each of us. All of our gifts used together can help our nation become the best it can be.