3 Iουνίου 2020
At 20:27 on May 25th, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the lack of equality and the complete domination racism has over mankind even during the 21st century, was proved. A policeman suffocated 46-year-old George Floyd, with the accusation of having used a fake $20 bill to buy a pack of cigarettes. Pushed to the ground and forced to remain there by three white policemen, Floyd was begging for his life.
20:19, a policeman decides to place his knee on Floyd’s neck. “I can’t breathe.”, “I CAN’T BREATHE”, Floyd mentioned repeatedly. Then the clock hit 20:25, and Floyd lost consciousness. Officer JA Kueng checked his wrist for a pulse, but without any luck. 20:27… and after 2 minutes of Floyd remaining unresponsive, the policeman removed his foot. Floyd was taken to the Hennepin County Medical Center. An hour later, he was declared dead.
On June 1st, Floyd’s medical report from Hennepin was released, supporting he died of cardiopulmonary arrest, meaning that his heart failed. They also claimed to have found “recent methamphetamine use” and “fentanyl intoxication”, which could have contributed to his death. Later that same day, private autopsies showed that Floyd died of “mechanical asphyxia”, a form of suffocation in which physical force is used to stop one’s breathing. The independent autopsy also indicated that there was no trace of drugs in Floyd’s body, while he was also not suffering from any underlying condition which could have led to his death.
The policeman who placed his knee on Floyd’s neck was fired from Minneapolis’ Police Department and later on charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Even though his imprisonment will provide calmness to Floyd’s loved ones and safety to our society, it’s not enough. Placing someone behind bars is not enough to resolve the issue of racism, and the misinterpretation of colored people’s intentions. We need to act and we need to act now. This nonsense has been going on for longer than enough…
White people have been privileged for all their lives, not understanding the pain and trauma colored people went through and continue to go through even today. I, as a white privileged girl, cannot even imagine the terror colored people feel in today’s society. The fear that takes over in times like these and the constant feeling of being under threat. That is something only them will know and that’s also something that needs to come to an end. Multiple stories of colored people being unreasonably charged with crimes or accused of actions they did not commit. Whites changing sidewalks or the seat they’re on, because of the presence of colored people. Negative stigma surrounding colored people as a race rising from misinformation and stereotypes of the past.
It’s time to bring change, it’s time to deal with racism once and for all. No one is born a racist, but many are raised to be ones. No one is superior. We are all equal, and it’s about time we start acting that way. Colored people have been thought of as inferior for ages, making their lives a kind of hard no white privileged person will ever understand. “It’s not enough to be quietly non-racist, now is the time to be vocally anti-racist” should be our new moto. Now is when ought to act. Now is when we need to speak up. Now is when we need to fight. Fight for a better tomorrow, fight for a racism-free world. Fight for those millions of colored people whose lives have been lost due to inequality between races.
Fight for Keith Childress. Fight for Bettie Jones. Fight for Kevin Matthews. Fight for Michael Noel. Fight for Tiara Thomas. Fight for George Floyd. Fight for justice…
– Cossie Karagkitsi stands up for what she believes in
