By Mudasir Ahamad
In 2014 George Floyd who was an African American moved to Minneapolis to find any work for earning livelihood. He had lost his security job due to covid-19 pandemic. He then working as a truck driver. One day he got off the truck and started walking to cup foods for buying a pack of cigarettes. Suddenly an employee at his service rang up to police for counterfeiting of $20 bill by George Floyd for cigarettes, meanwhile police reached the spot and arrested him on paying forgery bill to the cup food’s employee who made a complaint against him. Thereupon he was handcuffed and then dragged to the streets. One of the police officers named Derek Chauvin showed white appearance pinned him to the floor and knelt on his neck for 8 minutes 46 seconds. There were several bystanders who had had clicks while watching on live incident when George Floyd was restrained by Derek Chauvin. CCTV cameras, video footages also witnessed for justifying his physical torment. In this precarious moment he uttered some painful words *I can’t breathe* Help! Help! And few more words in which he haplessly called out his mother. This video came to the limelight after his death. According to some official reports by the reputed newspapers that George Floyd was a regular customer at food cups where he used to go to have food. What was the reason behind this incident and who acted as a conspirator and on what grounds was he killed? There may be many reasons that axiomatically would ascertain of his on spot killing but it is sure the most authenticated reason is *Racism* which has been going on for a long period in USA. It was true that George Floyd was black in color and black races are carrying on such heavy sufferings in Minnesota. They have no privileges for living a happy and decent life. They scarcely avail any benefit from the USA government and instead being listed them out from civil rights. There were many incidents happened in the Minneapolis on the basis of racism in which many of the black men have been killed so far. George Floyd was not the first victim. In 2014 same incident happened with Eric Garner an unarmed African-American man who met with the police persecution in New York. As of the 2010 census the total population of Minneapolis was 382,578 but it estimates nearly about 18.6% as blacks compared to white races that is approximately 63.8%. This depicts that whites are dominant over there.
That day was extremely tenebrific and Tohuboh not only in 50 states of USA but also in other parts of the world after the George Floyd was killed by a police officer namely Derek Chauvin pressed his knee on his neck. This has badly struck at the heart of every human being when this incident quickly sparked across the world. Even developed countries are now insecure to tackle such heinous issues in order to facilitate good governance and self-reliability. First time the white house of America shattered when jamboree of citizens from all races assembled at its facade while holding protests against the killing of George Floyd. Citizens all and sundry of USA angrily turned out to be much aggressive and delirious. They were fraught with strong effrontery after feeling it bolt from the blue. They held long week protests against this illegitimate killing by using of excessive forces for the blacks. By June 3rd approximately 1000 people have been arrested and at least 5 died in the unrest, many of injuries including protestors and police officers, millions of dollars lost due to damage of buildings and businesses. This yanked the USA government with strong force to realize the intensity of conflagration during the unrest. It was a premier warning for the government to remain awakened before criminalizing any citizen on the pretext of getting involved in any offence. In fierce demonstrations mostly citizens tried to acknowledge the value of life and rights of each citizen without excluding on the basis of Color, Sex and Race. These protests went on for several weeks against the barbarism. One thing has been quietly judged that the protests were staged in response to the Racism which has almost a long history in USA. They dared to came out on the streets at all hazards with placards in their hands *I Can’t Breathe*. These were the last painful words uttered by George Floyd. In this city, Citizens willingly whether of white or black have demanded for annihilation of racism.
When developed countries like USA discriminates races with the intention to marginalize them without allocating them basic rights. It is obvious that it will result in constant uprisings and disturbances in the country for demanding the rights. Black races seem in quagmire in the America for a very long time and such usual intimidations and reprimands by police have made their life so miserable and distress. It is high time that government should take care of their rights irrespective of their caste, color and religion. If government commits to do such inhumanely practices on black races and then it would redirect citizens for taking aggressions against them. Thus it will have possibly enormous ramifications far and wide. A nation is not known by its reputation in terms of Economy budget, Military and reforming policies for political stability, but its edifice lies within the citizens when they are being treated as humans but not animals in their respective countries.
In Minneapolis there is the worst racial inequality as blacks have been suffered unabatedly racism. They get lesser opportunities in contrast with the whites in case of Education, good health care and employment opportunities. They feel as if they are aliens living with white races. It is the one of the deadliest way of discrimination in which minorities often subject to such disparities of rights but promoting white supremacy. This is totally obnoxious and shameful act where people facing a lot of problems on the basis of racial segregation. It indicates that such horrific incident which comes to occur in such a way that it shocks every citizen in the country. Even respected and benignant citizens show their anger and come on a warpath in defiance of the human rights violations. It creates political instability and develops communal riots when ruling government is bent on to deprive rights of marginalized community mere on the basis of Color, Caste and Religion. Such incidents will be occurring in one’s country till it remains unnoticed by the government. If such issues will go on further heightening its intensity then it might be proved deadly volcano to the developed country. Policymakers in USA firstly should address the issue and come up with a proactive approach for eliminating the current policies that supports racial segregation. Rights should be given at par to every citizen without any discrimination. If it remains frequently to happen, it would definitely beleaguer the marginalized community more for demonstrating against the government in the upcoming future.
The Author is M.Sc from Kashmir University and can be reached at ahangermudasir92@gmail.com
